The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: HAULIN3 on August 04, 2014, 10:51:48 AM

Title: homeschooling
Post by: HAULIN3 on August 04, 2014, 10:51:48 AM
My daughter registered her first child for Kindergarten this week.  We were discussing homeschooling.. She's not working so she could do it. She also has an almost 2 year old..  How do you even decide on this?  It's not a money thing.. I just think it could be a good thing..  Does anyone here do it?
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: PloddingInsight on August 04, 2014, 11:06:23 AM
Lots of people here do (not me though.)

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/mini-money-mustaches/home-schooling/

FYI It's a contentious subject.
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: rebel100 on August 04, 2014, 11:11:37 AM
My oldest was homeschooled from 6th grade on, my youngest went to Pre-K but was homeschooled after that.  There is 6 years difference between them.

I would say it has been a tremendously positive experience in nearly every way.  We had a lot of concerns and haven't approached the solutions lightly.  Among our biggest issues was the concept of "socialization".  Start homeschooling and before long someone will point out to you that your kid is likely to become a recluse or a psychopath since you didn't expose them to other children.  So far, so good, my kids don't lock themselves away in their rooms torturing small animals or anything.  I have come to believe that most of the criticism of this nature is really insecurity projected from some place else.  The real problem often lying with the critic rather than any deficiency of the child.  For example, despite having similiar experience , my kids couldn't be more different.  They both can carry a conversation and have friends, but the youngest is a social butterfly while the eldest keeps more to herself.  They were raised the same yet turned out different...such is life, and we are quite happy with how they are turning out.

being homeschooled we found it possible to really stretch the possibilities in a moustachian sort of way.  My oldest finished her two year college degree before she was done with high school.  She was among the top 8 students in a college class of 800.  She isn't particularly gifted, but we like to think we instilled a sense of focus, determination, and perseverance that might not have been possible in a more formal environment.  This is a child that was nearly held back in first grade (though I believe the reasons were politically motivated..long boring story there).  she has exceeded every expectation we have held for her, she is a little more than one year shy of completing her Bachelors at one of the most prestigious Universities in the country...and due in part  to her past academic achievement scholarships and grants are paying 100%+ of the cost.  My youngest at 14, already has college courses to her credit and may exceed her sister in speed to completion.  Homeschooling was the key to unlocking their potential, it opened doors that we never would have known about. 

I would urge you, rather homeschool is chosen or not, to stress reading above nearly everything else in the early years.  It is the foundation of academic success.  Every other skill including math is built upon a solid ability to read and then to write.  Take every opportunity to make the little ones avid and successful readers.
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: Northerly on August 04, 2014, 11:54:02 AM
My wife and I just decided to teach our Kindergarten-age daughter at home. It was a tough decision, as there is a nice public elementary school less than a mile away, and her same-age cousins are going to a small Christian school across town. For us:
-The Christian school is too far away and too expensive

-The public elementary school would require us to buy a 2nd car. I bike to work down to -20F, but we have many days between -20 and -40F here in Interior Alaska, so both my wife and I would need a car some days. Bus service is not available so close to the school, but is too far to walk with an infant in tow at sub-arctic temps. And I'm too much of a weenie to reliably bike my 4 miles to work below -20F.

-In our area, you are reimbursed (by the public school system) $50/month for internet plus up to $2,000 per year for curriculum if you home school. Scholastic curriculum for children is nearly free, so that means you can actually spend money on things that develop their other talents, like music, art, skiing, etc., with no out-of-pocket cost. Incredible. One final thing we found is that our daughter is already well socialized through extended family and church, and we're not too concerned that she will be a recluse. As one woman said to us: "Yes, socialization is important. But socialization is not better just because it's at school. After all, they are learning social skills from other five year olds there. I think you can do at least as well."
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: Beric01 on August 04, 2014, 12:02:17 PM
I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school - that's full-on homeschooling, not charter schools. I then went to a community college for 2 years, and transferred to a 4-year university for the last 2 years. I graduated 2 years ago with multiple job offers lined up and have been working full-time in Silicon Valley ever since. My younger brother graduated this year with a job offer and is doing the same.

Agreed with rebel100 about the "socialization" myth. If anything, going to public school will give you the socialization issues! Think about all the bullying and illegal drugs in public schools! My parents wanted to avoid that.

Here's the thing about public schools: they're inefficient. It's fairly hard to learn slower or faster than the rest of the class (I was always 2+ grades ahead in all of my subjects). Public schools work as babysitting - they waste a lot of student's time. I completed most of my subjects daily in 3-4 hours tops (and remember, I was well ahead in my studies). Some studies have suggested that students do better homeschooled, but regardless, I definitely wasn't held back.

I fit perfectly into college - I was usually my teachers' favorite as I actually paid attention and asked questions in class. I was an officer in a club and a member in 2 more clubs, and I still had time to cook/play game/hang out with friends on the weekend.

I would say homeschooling is awesome - if you can have at least one parent home. My parents aren't Mustachian, but they're pretty frugal - my Dad supported our family on one income just fine, and he isn't even a manager - we just didn't buy BMW's. My Mom was the teacher.
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: nordlead on August 04, 2014, 01:27:14 PM
Agreed with rebel100 about the "socialization" myth. If anything, going to public school will give you the socialization issues! Think about all the bullying and illegal drugs in public schools! My parents wanted to avoid that.

The socialization thing is from parents who think kids only socialize with other kids at school (typically with kids their age). Most home schoolers I knew (I was home schooled so I knew a lot) were much better socialized because they socialize with varying ages from kids to adults. Only if you don't get your kids involved in anything will they end up with a socialization problem. And there are plenty of opportunities from volunteer work, church, neighborhood kids, sports, and so forth.

Quote
I fit perfectly into college - I was usually my teachers' favorite as I actually paid attention and asked questions in class. I was an officer in a club and a member in 2 more clubs, and I still had time to cook/play game/hang out with friends on the weekend.
I fit perfectly into college too. I sometimes paid attention (I probably completely slept through 3-4 different classes because they went too slow), rarely asked questions, and graduated #1 in my class even beating out the guy who was a known cheat (who graduated #2 in the class). To each their own though. Home schooling won't make you pay attention in class, but it will teach you how to learn on  your own, which is the important thing.

Quote
I would say homeschooling is awesome - if you can have at least one parent home. My parents aren't Mustachian, but they're pretty frugal - my Dad supported our family on one income just fine, and he isn't even a manager - we just didn't buy BMW's. My Mom was the teacher.

My mom was the teacher and stayed home until I was in either 9th or 10th. At that point my dad almost lost his job so my mom started working. At that point she switched to grading and handing out assignments every Sunday. Homeschooling was still awesome because at that point I didn't need daily supervision and I could do my work in the morning or afternoon or whenever, so long as it was done before they got home from work.
Title: Re: homeschooling
Post by: Beric01 on August 04, 2014, 02:51:09 PM
The socialization thing is from parents who think kids only socialize with other kids at school (typically with kids their age). Most home schoolers I knew (I was home schooled so I knew a lot) were much better socialized because they socialize with varying ages from kids to adults. Only if you don't get your kids involved in anything will they end up with a socialization problem. And there are plenty of opportunities from volunteer work, church, neighborhood kids, sports, and so forth.

Precisely. Homeschoolers know how to interact all ages, including adults. We also tend to respect adults more, as we recognize they may have something to offer (we learned a lot from our parents, after all). I also did a weekly sports co-op with other homeschoolers, a weekly history co-op with other homeschoolers, volunteered in children's programs, homeless feeding programs, etc. I saw a lot of people. And not every one of them was my age.

My mom was the teacher and stayed home until I was in either 9th or 10th. At that point my dad almost lost his job so my mom started working. At that point she switched to grading and handing out assignments every Sunday. Homeschooling was still awesome because at that point I didn't need daily supervision and I could do my work in the morning or afternoon or whenever, so long as it was done before they got home from work.

My mom was still home, but agreed - high school was mostly self-taught. That spirit of self-teaching really helped in college.