Americans Rate Public Schools the Worst Place to Educate Children

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Terence P. Jeffrey started as editor in chief of CNSNews.com in September 2007. Prior to that, he served for more than a decade as editor of Human Events, where he is now an editor at large.

A new Gallup poll released [August 29th, 2012] indicates that Americans rate public schools the worst place to educate children. 

In the national survey conducted Aug. 9-12, private independent schools, parochial and church-related schools, charter schools and home-schooling all rated higher than public schools.

Gallup interviewers asked respondents: "I’m going to read a list of ways in which children are educated in the U.S. today. As I read each one, please indicate--based on what you know or have read and heard--how good an education each provides children--excellent, good, only fair, or poor. How about: public schools, parochial or church-related schools, independent private schools, charter schools, or home-schooling?"

Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School

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Teaching kids more and more, at ever-younger ages, may backfire. Written by Alison Gopnik, an American professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley. She writes several books and her website is here.

Ours is an age of pedagogy. Anxious parents instruct their children more and more, at younger and younger ages, until they're reading books to babies in the womb. They pressure teachers to make kindergartens and nurseries more like schools. So does the law—the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act explicitly urged more direct instruction in federally funded preschools.

There are skeptics, of course, including some parents, many preschool teachers, and even a few policy-makers. Shouldn't very young children be allowed to explore, inquire, play, and discover, they ask? Perhaps direct instruction can help children learn specific facts and skills, but what about curiosity and creativity—abilities that are even more important for learning in the long run?

Why do we still have schools? Part 2

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Roger Schank is an American artificial intelligence theorist, cognitive psychologist, learning scientist, educational reformer, and entrepreneur. He is the author of, Coloring Outside the Lines, and his website is here.

Part 2: What should we teach students?

It is very difficult to think about replacing sacred institutions. The only way I know how to think about it is as a thought experiment. Just imagine that we live in a different world, maybe a colony in the 1^st century, and ask yourself how we might educate our children in this environment pretending that schools are the one thing we cannot build for some reason. As we think about this, we need to bear in mind that we must also not assume that what we teach in schools now needs to be taught in some other way. We simply need to ask: what should one teach children? while making no assumptions that we have been teaching today is the right thing.

Why do we still have schools?

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Roger Schank is an American artificial intelligence theorist, cognitive psychologist, learning scientist, educational reformer, and entrepreneur. He is the author of, Coloring Outside the Lines, and his website is here.

People often find my blog when they ask "should I go to school?" So, today, I thought I would answer that question in depth. The answer will appear as a downloadable paper on my web site as well.

Part 1: What is the problem with school?

People get used to the institutions that have been a part of their lives. This is especially true of institutions that have been around for many generations, and of institutions whose purpose is seen as doing something worthwhile. Add into the mix that the absence of that institution in certain places around the world is always correlated with poverty and you have a situation where no one ever questions the value of that institution.

Back to School: A Message to High School Students Who Hate High School; Here is Why you Hate It

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Roger Schank is an American artificial intelligence theorist, cognitive psychologist, learning scientist, educational reformer, and entrepreneur. He is the author of, Coloring Outside the Lines, and his website is here.

The other day an article written by me appeared in the Washington Post saying that algebra was useless and shouldn’t be taught in high school.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/no-algebra-isnt-necessary--and-yes-stem-is-overrated/2012/08/26/edc47552-ed2d-11e1-b09d-07d971dee30a_blog.html

The hate mail that followed (written mostly by math teachers) was unbelievable. Mostly accusing me of being irrational and incapable of thought, and stating that math teaches people to think. This is pretty funny because if math is supposed to teach one to think, as they argue, they might have looked me up and discovered that not only was I a math major in college, but I was also a professor of computer science.

Make Math Illegal

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Pat Farenga is a writer and a homeschool dad to three now grown girls. He worked closely with author and teacher John Holt, and has appeared on TV and radio as a homeschool expert. This original piece can be found at his website here.

John Holt wrote, “I suspect that many children would learn arithmetic, and learn it better, if it were illegal.” As an adult who has come to enjoy math after a youth filled with hatred and shame about the subject, I see the wisdom in Holt’s words. I probably would have arrived at this place sooner in my life if I hadn’t had to spend so much time pretending to comprehend math for my classes, so much time memorizing “math facts” that were meaningless to me, and so much time avoiding math during my years after high school because I thought I couldn’t do it. In my twenties I was fine with basic arithmetic and double-entry bookkeeping, but anything beyond that, such as number lines and exponents, and I would run away as quickly as possible from them.

Unschooling Undefined

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Rather than simply defining what unschooling is, Jon Shemitz also defines what unschooling is not; what unschoolers do not want. Basically the parts of public school that are deplorable and the reason for the rejection of it. Jon Shemitz is from Midnight Beach (Jon's Homeschool Resources) here.

Unschooling is a word coined by negating the idea of schooling; it starts off with a negative definition. What, specifically, is it about schools that unschoolers want to do without?

The School Organization

• Breaking up the day into learning time and play time.
• Starting and stopping learning (or shifting topics) according to an externally-imposed schedule.
• Telling students what they should care about.
• Telling students when they should care about it.
• Telling students what is good enough.
• The complex hierarchy with the student at the bottom.

A Simple Truth that Changes Everything: Learning Happens All the Time

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By Linda Dobson who owns and maintains the website Parent at the Helm, and is the author of many homeschool books. A great read!

We hear it constantly, first from educators and, more recently, from politicians who have latched on to education as a “hot button” issue: We need to get children ready to learn.
Some parents have discovered there’s nothing one can do about children learning. Sound defeatist?

Actually, the opposite is true. Learning is just something children do. All the time. Even when no one is teaching. Talk to these parents, and you’re sure to hear stories of six year-olds learning to read, seemingly by osmosis, and 12 year-olds who never even glanced at a textbook who are ready for college math.

The Homeschooler’s Guide to Getting Into College

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If college happens to be in your homeschooler's plans, please enjoy this article from OnlineCollege.org. that offers many facts and tips! The bolded bits are clickable links.

There’s a common misconception that homeschoolers have difficulty when it comes to getting into college. This may have been true 20 years ago, but these days, colleges are making the process of admissions for homeschoolers simple and fair.

In fact, many colleges are now seeking out homeschoolers themselves, as homeschooled students tend to be excellent college students. Here, we’ve gathered several facts, tips, and helpful resources that you can put to work to ensure that your college admissions process as a homeschooler is smooth and successful.

All This From a Fruitabu

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This brief article describes exactly what unschooling looks like, in my opinion, and why it is so brilliant.  From one simple thought flows other thoughts and questions, leading to other thoughts and questions of more complexity. The one simple question leads to a plethora of natural learning from the child's innate inquisitiveness.  From just letting it flow! No coercion, no grading, no artificial environment, no rules, etc., just learning in it's raw, authentic form.

The author, Holly, was a public school teacher. Now she is a passionate unschooling mom. She keeps a blog called Unschool Days where she articulately discusses many unschooling topics.

While having trouble opening her Fruitabu fruit roll packet this morning, Luna noticed that the trusty "tear here" portion was missing its little head start indentation that ordinarily helps get the fruit roll rolling. "How do they make each package exactly the same?" was the question that followed.

"With mechanization," I replied. "These are made in a factory, and they use machines to process and package them." Naturally, this led us to Youtube where we typed "factory automation" into the search box and soon found ourselves hypnotically glued to a video montage depicting life in a mattress factory (complete with soporific elevator soundtrack). Luna was hoping to find a video of the actual Fruitabu factory itself, but such a search yielded no results. So we settled for an equally engaging video of the bubble gum - making process.

Why Do So Many Parents Think They Can’t Homeschool Their Children?

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It's alarming to see so many insecure parents when it comes to raising and supporting the learning of their *own* children. It's disgusting how the public schools have done such a successful job at brainwashing people into thinking that they need a degree to teach and an institution to learn. 

By Linda Dobson who owns and maintains the website Parent at the Helm, and is the author of many homeschool books.

I’m cutting to the chase. Many parents don’t think they can homeschool their children because their own schooling experience convinced them they’re incapable. Not directly, of course. Instead, it was part of an overall message of incapability that permeated our formative years in school.

You learn not to trust yourself.

Move on command of the school bell…move on command of the factory whistle. Don’t talk in class…don’t talk while you work. Acquiesce autonomy to the teacher…acquiesce autonomy to the boss. Don’t think you can learn on your own…don’t think you can build a better business than the one that employs you and needs your hands, not your head.

Tips to Help Your Homeschooled Child Through the Back-to-School Hype

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Sue Patterson is a homeschooling mom to her children now 23, 21, and 18. Sue's blog is called Lifelong Learning. Check it out!

You can’t miss it. “Back to School” ads. “School Clothes” shopping. Even conversations among complete strangers who run into each other at the grocery store, eagerly anticipating their child being away from them soon. It’s August and there’s so much excitement surrounding kids heading back for a new school year.

Your Homeschooled Child Doesn’t Need to Feel “Left Out”

For homeschooled children, this can often leave them feeling a little left out. They’ve forgotten the horror stories the kids told them of their school year last April or May. For some reason, by August, the slate is wiped clean and most of them sound pretty eager to head back to their schools. Or at least that’s what the marketing would have you believe.

Homeschooling As A Single Mom – Part II: Why You Can Do It, Too

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Part 2. Written by single mom, Kimberley, owner of the website, The Single Crunch. A website about attachment and single-parent parenting. She answers all your pressing questions about homeschooling as a single parent and puts all your doubts to rest. Humorous and highly enjoyable read! The original post can be found here.

Here’s Part II.  We’ve already discussed the various reasons I homeschool my children.  I haven’t been doing it for very long, but already I’ve learned some ways to get around being single, very close to the poverty level, and inexperienced as a “teacher.”

I so often hear single moms say they’ve wanted to homeschool for awhile, but don’t think they could do it.  But you can.  Let’s start with the biggest obstacle it can present for a one-parent home: moola, or the lack thereof.  Then we’ll discuss the other stuff.

1) A – How Can I Homeschool If I Have To Work?!

Lady, you’ll just have to get creative, with a capital THINK. Think about the talents you already have, the things you do on a daily basis.  You cook, you clean, some of you organize, some of you are good with computers, etc.  Think about the city/town you live in, and if there’s room for a new business that offers a certain service or product, that you could provide. 

Homeschooling As A Single Mom – Part I: Why I Do It

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Part 1. Written by single mom, owner of the website The Single Crunch. A website about attachment and single-parent parenting. Photo below is not the author. The original post can be found here.

This is Part I of a two-part post about homeschooling as a single parent.  This post details my experience as a homeschooling mom.  Part II will offer advice for single parents who are or want to homeschool, and tips on what we’ve found does and doesn’t work.  I know a lot about what doesn’t work.

I’d wanted to homeschool my children since before I had children.  Honestly.  I never bought into the idea of working for ten months to grow a healthy baby inside me, spending the first years of that baby’s life bonding with her, and then sending her out into the world just as we’re getting to the good stuff.  Just like I wouldn’t slave over a hot stove and send my food out when it’s done, unless someone was paying me.  And since no one offered me money in exchange for me to publicly school my child, I didn’t get it.  I know stuff.  I teach stuff every day.  My children ask me questions, and I answer them. 

Yes, My Grown Homeschooled Children Are Odd — And Yours Will Be Too!

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Diane Flynn Keith is a veteran homeschool parent and an internationally recognized voice in education outside the traditional classroom walls. Diane coaches and encourages thousands of homeschool families through her website, Homefires.com. She is the author of the best-selling book, "Carschooling: Over 350 Entertaining Games & Activities To Turn Travel Time Into Learning Time." Diane also publishes the rave-reviewed "ClickSchooling" e-zine that provides free, daily, web-based curriculum ideas to parents and educators.

I am sick and tired of defending homeschooling from the question, "What about socialization?" Members of the modern homeschool movement have insisted for thirty years that homeschooled children are well-socialized. We laughingly refer to socialization as the "S word." We deflect the socialization question by insisting it's a myth. And yet, it persists.

We trounced the academic argument long ago. Very few people challenge the notion that homeschoolers are intellectually curious, self-directed learners who match or exceed the academic prowess of their school-going peers. So, why do you think we can't shake the socialization issue?