WHY WE HOMESCHOOL
A few reasons, in no particular order, certainly not all-inclusive (some pirated from other people's lists published on the net):
1. Because I think schools damage a child's self-image, ability to make unassisted decisions, motivation, trust in him/herself.
2. Because I think I am more intelligent and more capable than any teacher my child might have in a school. (How's that for elitist?
2a. Because I think my *children* are more intelligent and more capable than any teacher they might have in a school.
3. Because I think schools shortchange girls in science and math education and encourage violence in boys.
4. Because I do not value traditional measures of success.
5. Because my school experiences were miserably boring and useless.
6. Because I don't trust people who don't love my children to have their best interests at heart.
7. Because I don't want my children's socialization to be hampered by being stuck with a random group of 25 agemates for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.
8. Because I don't believe in traditional measures of "appropriate" child behavior. (aka "I've seen normal, and I don't like it.")
9. Because I want my children to have the freedom and flexibility to learn what, when, and how they choose.
10. Because I think schools are enormously ineffective places for learning.
(these next few are courtesy of a post by Eric Anderson, who can usually articulate my thoughts better than I can.)
11. Because schools are fundamentally anti-intellectual, emphasize peer acceptance over moral values, and promote all the most trivial aspects of socialization.
12. Because we believe a strong family life is important. This is impossible when families are separated for most of their waking hours. We *like* being together.
13. Because spending most of the day indoors with two dozen kids the same age is unnatural, unhealthy, and very, very limiting. Children need to see much more of the world than that.
14. Because schools promote the status quo, conformity, obedience to authority, passivity, intellectual dependence, emotional dependence, group identity, intergroup conflict, hostility towards achievement, and antipathy towards thought. Oh, yeah, and they are a colossal waste of time.
(end of plagiarism of Eric's writing)
15. Because we do so many interesting things, I don't know how we'd fit in time for school.
16. Because I think homeschooling helps my children be more secure, happier, and more accepting of others.
17. Because I don't like the idea of a school trying to teach values.
18. Because I don't trust the gov't with my money. Why would I trust them with my children?
19. Because I think learning is more meaningful when it is intrinsically motivated.
20. Because our children can be exposed to more of the world by being with me than by being in a school.
21. Because I adore my children. I intend that they have the widest, most broadening experiences I can provide.
22. Because homeschooling allows long, uninterrupted blocks of time to work on an activity (which might involve daydreaming or planning or brainstorming).
23. Because children can spend more time outdoors.
23. Because children will have time to pursue interests such as sports, art, music, drama, dance, etc.
24. Children will become more responsible for their own education. They will not be passive recipients of subject matter selected by their teachers (actually administrators or government committees), but will at least have input into designing their own education and eventually take over full responsibility. (from Pam Sorooshian)
25. Children learn how to learn, not just how to be taught.
26. Our children will learn to relate to people regardless of gender.
27. Our boys will not learn to hate kissing and hugging and girls.
28. Our girls will not learn to lose themselves during adolescence.
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