As public school standards become increasingly demanding, private school costs continue to rise, and special needs and safety are at the forefront of parents’ educational concerns, some families are turning to homeschooling.
This was the case for Lael Robertson, San Francisco county contact for the Homeschool Association of California. Lael says that she and her husband, Peter, knew from day one they would homeschool their son and twin daughters: Xander, sixteen, Celia and Oona, fourteen.
“It felt like in our society, everything was out of your house. Families were spread around and didn’t get much time together. We’ve always worked in the home. Our work life and home life are more combined. We wanted to be with our kids and weren’t interested in saying goodbye to our kids. It didn’t seem natural.”
Lael spent her time doing what seemed natural: relying on her instinct that her kids would receive more individual attention at home, rather than in a school. “If they want to look at bugs all day, they can. In our family, that was okay. It’s easier to be more of an individual. When needs aren’t met in a school, it’s not the fault of the teachers, it’s just too many kids in a classroom,” explains Lael.
She and Peter also felt passionately against homework. “We wanted [our kids] to play, to go to museums, to the beach, and to hike. There was lots of cooking and baking, sewing, and a huge art room with projects,” she explains.
On the Fence?
Originally posted by Amanda Coggin at Divine Caroline.
Photo by renee @FIMBY's photostream
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I agree with the Robertson family; sending our kids off to a public school with classrooms packed with children (vastly out-numbering the teachers) is not "natural". For most of human existence it was not done this way. The reasons we chose to homeschool are myriad, but one main point is this: Children will be indoctrinated during their education in some form or another; who do we as parents want influencing the minds of our kids? Of course I say that that is "one main" reason we have chosen home-education, but all the others (which would take too long to list) are equal in weight. I do acknowledge that public education is fine for some, and God bless them.
Smack dab in my 11th year of home schooling, with children ranging in age from teens down to a Kindergartner, home schooling has been a wonderful choice for our family. Are there days when I think they would be better in school? Absolutely. But it's that next day, when we are all snuggled on the coach sharing our hearts and dialoging about issues that I didn't touch until college, when I have confirmation that we made the right choice for our family.
Homeschooling is an option for our family not because public school standards are becoming too demanding but because the public school system is and has failed our students in so many ways.