Public School vs Private School vs Home Schooling

[The Little Seed]

Many of us don't have the option of putting our kids into a private school that in some cases can cost as must annually as college, not to mention the application process! However, our options are limited when it come to a good and safe school for our children that is public. Thus I think we are starting to see a bigger trend in home schooling. Have you had a experience that you think will be helpful to other moms and dads weighing their options? Let us know what you think!

[Michele Blue]

Living in a very small town in Indiana, public school was never a thought I felt needed to be addressed with my child. Last summer we moved to California, and if the new zip code didn't already clue us in to our new location, the schools sure did.

We had never needed to seriously discuss the option of homeschooling our daughter, so we found ourselves out of our element and feeling totally lost! After several summer months of trying to locate a school I felt comfotable enough to send my child to, we ended up going the homeschooling route.

There have been many ups and downs this past school year in teaching her 5th grade, but we are almost ready to wrap up the school year and are looking forward to 6th grade! Looking back on the year I think we made the right choice for our own child. Each child is different and each parent/family is different, so the choice should be made on a family level. I have lots of family and friends who support our choice, but I also have several who do not. That is one of the hardest parts of homeschooling, those who don't agree with our choice look down so very harshly. I wish homeschooling did not have such a negative vibe for some people, because it truly was a wonderful choice for us personally.

*peace*
Michele Blue

[erubyte]

I have had the privilege of being able to go to a public school, a magnet school, a program school and a private school growing up. I really didn't find a big difference in my experience from a magnet/program school and private school. Except to my parents, magnet school was free. By program school, I mean performing arts school or a university program (geared for university-bound students). I enjoyed both and feel incredibly lucky. - My son is 10 months old and far from going to school yet; but I will go forth as I did everything up until this point. When it comes to school I will put in alot of research, interview each place, stay focused on the needs of my son (not just what is the best school according to ________ report), stay in contact with his teachers, and when at home continue his learning (even through play). - - - By continuing the learning outside of the classroom and by staying involved in all facets of his education I think that whichever route (public/private/home) one goes can be successful as long as those things are done.

[Pamala]

Actually I did a whole Capstone project on the very subject of Homeschooling. I have several articles I've written on it. At one time I did plan to homeschool mainly because my daughter has a medical condition that frankly I don't trust the public school system to handle. My husband and I decided to go ahead though and put her in private school cause we could afford it.

With Homeschooling I believe it's important to first figure out your children's learning styles and then put together a setting that will work for the child. Some people use pre-existing curriculum. Others create their own. I was going to create my own, even obtained a degree in Early Childhood Education and Development in an effort to do it properly.

What I loved about Homeschooling was the fact that you don't have to stop in the summer. Luckily the private school she's going to has a summer program so she can continue school as needed.

Also you'll want to check out state laws and how to abide by them.

Here are some articles I wrote:

Technology and Homeschooling
Homeschooling is More Beneficial

[Crystal]

I just joined a homeschooling group. Never in my life (prior to having children) would I have even considered it. But now that I have them, a lot has changed in terms of what I want for them. My oldest is only two so I have a little time to think about it. But it is still what interests me the most.

[Michael Scott Cain]

My wife and I didn't believe our daughters would thrive in junior high, so when they finished the fifth grade, we had a family discussion, pulled them out and began homeschooling. They are now juniors in high school and are still being home schooled. It's been a blessing for our family.
Of course, it's tough and adds to the parental work load, but the results are worth it. Two strong and confident young women, with a wide range of skills, knowledge and interests, who are comfortable with people of all ages, not just their peers.
We're lucky, though: Maryland, our home state, supports home schooling and we were able to locate an umbrella group to help coordinate and do the required paperwork.-- Michael Scott Cain

[Tori]

I feel I am completely in the middle of this decision now. Our daughter, 4, is in a private pre thru 6 Montessori. It's what I feel will be best for her, having researched publics, charters and homeschooling. I don't think her needs will be met in public school (extremely bright and unfortunately, extremely extremely quick to be bored and cause trouble), nor will her social needs and love of other children and people be met by homeschooling, even with the fantastic circles that homeschooling offers. So for now, and I mean for this month as I keep looking and checking to see if this is still the best answer, she's still in private. (I just last night decided not to enter a lottery for a charter school nearby.) We are lucky to be able to afford this for now, but if it comes to a time when we can't, we will most likely go the homeschooling route with lots of supplemental social activities. I think it very much depends on the child and his or her needs, but also with what the parents are comfortable with and can do. We're also lucky to be a work-at-home couple who could homeschool if necessary. It's an ongoing question as schools/teachers change, as do our children.

[Michael Scott Cain]

We worried about the "social needs and love of other children and people" aspect of homeschooling also but decided to make the jump anyway. Turns out the socialization argument is lagely a myth. Our kids still maintain the friendships they made in elementqary school and have developed a much wider and richer circle of friends of all ages. Sometimes I alsmost feel it is too much; my house is always overflowing with teenage girls and the other day, one of their friends said if she ever ran away, she was going to move to ur place.
We also saw that a charter school wasn't right for our girls. I as one of the people who formed the one in our city and by the time we got it open, its vision had been compromised so much that it was no longer a genuine alternative.
The key is that each child is different, each school is different, each family also. You have to find and rejoice in what fits your family's needs.
-- Michael Scott Cain

Tori said:

I feel I am completely in the middle of this decision now. Our daughter, 4, is in a private pre thru 6 Montessori. It's what I feel will be best for her, having researched publics, charters and homeschooling. I don't think her needs will be met in public school (extremely bright and unfortunately, extremely extremely quick to be bored and cause trouble), nor will her social needs and love of other children and people be met by homeschooling, even with the fantastic circles that homeschooling offers. So for now, and I mean for this month as I keep looking and checking to see if this is still the best answer, she's still in private. (I just last night decided not to enter a lottery for a charter school nearby.) We are lucky to be able to afford this for now, but if it comes to a time when we can't, we will most likely go the homeschooling route with lots of supplemental social activities. I think it very much depends on the child and his or her needs, but also with what the parents are comfortable with and can do. We're also lucky to be a work-at-home couple who could homeschool if necessary. It's an ongoing question as schools/teachers change, as do our children.

[Tori]

Oh, absolutely, I think there can be wonderful socializing opportunities in a homeschooling atmosphere. I didn't mean at all that this is an anti-social choice. But as you say, it also depends on the family, and for us, this would be a less social choice. At 4, we think it's better for our daughter to have a full group of kids to interact with every day. At this stage, learning to play in a group IS the schooling. By her teens, we are absolutely leaning toward making the move from her present school, which only goes to grade 6 (should we stay there) to homeschooling. And at that point, I have no worries she will have a full, lovely and loving social circle. Kudos to you for having such a large group of happy kids surrounding you! I love that they are of different ages as well. A true community!





Michael Scott Cain said:

We worried about the "social needs and love of other children and people" aspect of homeschooling also but decided to make the jump anyway. Turns out the socialization argument is lagely a myth. Our kids still maintain the friendships they made in elementqary school and have developed a much wider and richer circle of friends of all ages. Sometimes I alsmost feel it is too much; my house is always overflowing with teenage girls and the other day, one of their friends said if she ever ran away, she was going to move to ur place.
We also saw that a charter school wasn't right for our girls. I as one of the people who formed the one in our city and by the time we got it open, its vision had been compromised so much that it was no longer a genuine alternative.
The key is that each child is different, each school is different, each family also. You have to find and rejoice in what fits your family's needs.
-- Michael Scott Cain

Tori said:

I feel I am completely in the middle of this decision now. Our daughter, 4, is in a private pre thru 6 Montessori. It's what I feel will be best for her, having researched publics, charters and homeschooling. I don't think her needs will be met in public school (extremely bright and unfortunately, extremely extremely quick to be bored and cause trouble), nor will her social needs and love of other children and people be met by homeschooling, even with the fantastic circles that homeschooling offers. So for now, and I mean for this month as I keep looking and checking to see if this is still the best answer, she's still in private. (I just last night decided not to enter a lottery for a charter school nearby.) We are lucky to be able to afford this for now, but if it comes to a time when we can't, we will most likely go the homeschooling route with lots of supplemental social activities. I think it very much depends on the child and his or her needs, but also with what the parents are comfortable with and can do. We're also lucky to be a work-at-home couple who could homeschool if necessary. It's an ongoing question as schools/teachers change, as do our children.

[Michael Scott Cain]

Tori,
You
are right about the age. We didn't start until after they'd finished the fifth grade.
We wanted them to have a wide circle of friends and to learn something about learning be well
before we started home schooling.
Be well.
-- Michael

Tori said:

Oh, absolutely, I think there can be wonderful socializing opportunities in a homeschooling atmosphere. I didn't mean at all that this is an anti-social choice. But as you say, it also depends on the family, and for us, this would be a less social choice. At 4, we think it's better for our daughter to have a full group of kids to interact with every day. At this stage, learning to play in a group IS the schooling. By her teens, we are absolutely leaning toward making the move from her present school, which only goes to grade 6 (should we stay there) to homeschooling. And at that point, I have no worries she will have a full, lovely and loving social circle. Kudos to you for having such a large group of happy kids surrounding you! I love that they are of different ages as well. A true community!





Michael Scott Cain said:

We worried about the "social needs and love of other children and people" aspect of homeschooling also but decided to make the jump anyway. Turns out the socialization argument is lagely a myth. Our kids still maintain the friendships they made in elementqary school and have developed a much wider and richer circle of friends of all ages. Sometimes I alsmost feel it is too much; my house is always overflowing with teenage girls and the other day, one of their friends said if she ever ran away, she was going to move to ur place.
We also saw that a charter school wasn't right for our girls. I as one of the people who formed the one in our city and by the time we got it open, its vision had been compromised so much that it was no longer a genuine alternative.
The key is that each child is different, each school is different, each family also. You have to find and rejoice in what fits your family's needs.
-- Michael Scott Cain

Tori said:

I feel I am completely in the middle of this decision now. Our daughter, 4, is in a private pre thru 6 Montessori. It's what I feel will be best for her, having researched publics, charters and homeschooling. I don't think her needs will be met in public school (extremely bright and unfortunately, extremely extremely quick to be bored and cause trouble), nor will her social needs and love of other children and people be met by homeschooling, even with the fantastic circles that homeschooling offers. So for now, and I mean for this month as I keep looking and checking to see if this is still the best answer, she's still in private. (I just last night decided not to enter a lottery for a charter school nearby.) We are lucky to be able to afford this for now, but if it comes to a time when we can't, we will most likely go the homeschooling route with lots of supplemental social activities. I think it very much depends on the child and his or her needs, but also with what the parents are comfortable with and can do. We're also lucky to be a work-at-home couple who could homeschool if necessary. It's an ongoing question as schools/teachers change, as do our children.

[RH]

We have Charter schools in DE (I'm sure elsewhere too) - they are the hybrid of private and public schools and have more control over what they focus on, and what principles they use to base their curriculum on.  They still have to meet the state standards, but they can explore other options.