tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193474979510495355.post3179329133253479903..comments2015-12-10T13:02:14.210-08:00Comments on Let's Improve Schools Now: Class Dismissed, Homeschooling ExploredMark Jandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414444522423219398noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193474979510495355.post-20845884986035164172014-12-22T20:14:00.508-08:002014-12-22T20:14:00.508-08:00I'm glad to hear that the film made you more o...I'm glad to hear that the film made you more open to homeschooling! However, I have to correct something in your post: many, many homeschoolers work. Although you didn't know it from watching the film, a number of the people interviewed were working homeschoolers. I am one myself. It's not necessarily easy, and requires flexibility, but you're right, many families need two incomes. The ones who do without often find creative ways to save, though. For example, lots of homeschoolers forego cable TV, which most families don't think of as a luxury. They use their library cards heavily, and perhaps have only one car. Once you start questioning the unquestioned parts of our modern lifestyle, you see that two incomes aren't really required if you get creative and are willing to accept a little hardship for a good cause. That said, of course homeschooling isn't for everyone... but neither is school! Suki Wesslinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10665824678457218073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193474979510495355.post-59782753070857268062014-12-22T06:42:54.891-08:002014-12-22T06:42:54.891-08:00I've been homeschooling my kids since the begi...I've been homeschooling my kids since the beginning -- my oldest is in 6th grade. <br /><br />Some people move to cheaper areas to live (realize, if you homeschool you don't have to live in the areas with the "good schools"). Some people learn to do without a lot of things. Some people eat out less, or have the time to shop smarter and cook more. You don't need to pay for day care or after care or coordinate any of that stuff.<br /><br />I'm one of many homeschooling parents who also works part time. One year I worked a steady 20-25 hours a week with 1.5 days in the office and the rest from home. Other times I've worked as an independent contractor, with less regular hours... but always on my time from home. I know other people who work nights and/or weekends as nurses or other such jobs. These days there are a lot of ways to pick up extra money. :)<br /><br />As you may have noticed in the film (I haven't seen it yet) homeschooling doesn't take nearly as long as regular school. In the early years, we got done in 1-2 hours... and as kids get older, they can do more work independently, and need a parent more to guide and help instead of give direct instruction. I can work while my son does math, or while my daughter reads to her little sister. :)<br /><br />It certainly isn't for everyone, but I think it works for a wider variety of people than you think.<br /><br />Also, school doesn't work for a rather large variety of people. My family is full of people who are "2e" or twice excetional. That is, they are intellectually gifted, but also have learning/behavioral/etc disabilities. Schools do have trouble serving kids like that (understandably!) and fighting to get them an appropriate education is at least as much work (and much less joy!) than just keeping them home to learn. :)Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07041567401256534361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193474979510495355.post-33004540677826316262014-12-21T17:18:39.986-08:002014-12-21T17:18:39.986-08:00I'm always happy when someone who had misconce...I'm always happy when someone who had misconceptions about what homeschooling is, gains a greater understanding of what it can be. I'm especially happy when that someone is actively involved in education, and will hopefully discuss these ideas with his or her colleagues. So thank you for attending this film with an open mind. I too watched Waiting for Superman, and, while it shone a light on the many problems with the current school system, it seemed to lack substantive ideas for making real improvements. <br /> <br />I think homeschoolers, and especially unschoolers, are modelling a different and more effective way to educate kids. Traditional schools could make dramatic changes for the better by adapting unschooling principles.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05055977243738117151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193474979510495355.post-73082989033782924962014-12-21T16:27:56.975-08:002014-12-21T16:27:56.975-08:00We've been homeschooling for 10 years and I ru...We've been homeschooling for 10 years and I run a large homeschool organization in my state. I would agree with you that homeschooling is not a solution for the masses. We don't intend it to be. It is simply the right choice for our family. My oldest is in college and I can tell you that colleges actively seek out homeschoolers. As far as managing on once income, there are sacrifices to make. There are sacrifices with any choice we make for our families and children. Mostly we now live within our means and homeschoolers are quite adept at making it work on one income. We are masters of budgets and managing everything from bills to groceries to curriculum purchases to vacations. For anyone who thinks it can't be done because they can't survive on one salary, I would advise them to talk to some homeschoolers to see how it's done. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com