My wife recently sent me the article, Home schooling: Why more Black US families are trying it, and I checked it out. The article named school violence and school system’s labeling of children, i.e. ADHD or learning disabled, as the two primary reasons that more African Americans are choosing to home school their children.
As parents of a young child, living in a inner city, that has it share of “school problems”, my wife and I are always talking about and looking into options for our child’s education. The public schools in our neighborhood are not really an option and the $27,000 private schools in our area, are not an option I want to take, smile. But I never really considered home schooling. In fact, I was pretty much against the idea.
In my opinion, homeschooling was an option for the affluent, it deprives kids of the chance to play sports and the kids have a hard time socially dealing with other kids. But then this article pointed out notable exceptions to each of my reservations. First their was Sonya, the government employee and single mother that wasn’t wealthy but decided to homeschool her son. Then their was, Tim Tebow the NFL quarterback that was homeschooled, still played high school sports and has become one of the most popular football players of our time. And Whoopi Goldberg who as a comedienne, actor and talk show host, I think is probably pretty “socially adjusted”.
So at this point, now I am listening and wondering – is home schooling a viable education option and why are more black families going that route?
So I spoke with Joyce Burgess, co-founder of the National Black Home Educators (NBHE), as she prepared for the 12th Annual NBHE Conference this weekend. Talk about a wealth of information! In addition to co-founding the organization, she has also home schooled her own 5 children over the last 23 years – all of which are very successful in their chosen fields. Here are some of the benefits she cited for African American home schoolers:
1. Family Togetherness. We are losing a sense of family in our community, in large part to the messages taught in our public schools and the influences our children are being exposed to.
2. Nurturing environment. Parents can provide a environment catered to their child’s needs that kids do not get from their public school, at the same level.
3. Values. Parents retain the control over the values instilled in their children as opposed to the school “system”.
4. Gang violence and drugs. In many cities, our schools have become inundated by the crime, drugs and gangs that surround that school.
5. Special needs. Teachers in the 1 teacher, 30 student classroom setting often don’t have the time or resources to focus on each child individually. She shared a story of a young girl that was punished and labeled as a behavior problem, because she would not sit still. It turned out that she was too young to articulate that she could not see, and her not sitting still was a desire to sit closer to the front of the class, so she could see.
6. Focus on education. According to Joyce, because of the failures of the education system, we are seeing African American boys as early as 14 and girls as early as 16 years of age, dropping out of public schools.
7. Sense of history is being lost. Beyond Martin Luther King, their is a wealth of “Black” history that is never taught in a public school system that can be used to shape young African Americans.
8. Home schooled children are in high demand by colleges. Mrs. Burgess shared that, “from your Harvard’s to the local Junior College” home schooled children are in high demand because of their preparedness to enter and excel at the college level.
To me these are pretty compelling arguments, especially those that speak to educational advancement and self-awareness, but I still have some questions.
What ways do you give a home school child the social skills to be prepared for life if they are not around other children their age, all day.
Joyce suggested that whether a child is home schooled or goes a more traditional route, a parent must be proactive in preparing a child socially for adulthood. Some of the suggestions offered were to involve children in local community sports programs. Some states also allow home schoolers to participate in their public school sports programs. Children also are a part of their local neighborhoods and local churches, which provide activities and opportunities for children to interact with other kids their age. She also recalled how her own children partook in college internships, worked on political campaigns and had foreign students stay with them in the their home.
The last question, I needed to address was that of cost. How much does it cost to home school a child?
According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSDLA), which is an advocate for parents that choose to home school their children, the average cost is about $500, but in many cases could even be far less than that. At $500 a year, home schooling is far less than private school and more than public school. There should also be an expectation that at least one parent will have to spend time at home teaching that child.
I must admit after talking with Joyce and researching home schooling options for myself, I consider it a viable and very possible option for my own child. Of course we are just scratching the surface of the benefits of home schooling, to find out more go to www.nbhe.net.
How about you, BMWK family, do you think that their are benefits to African American’s receiving a home school education?
Lis says
I, personally, don’t believe in the homeschooling thing (not knocking anyone else). Now, if the schools in my area were just awful, I’d probably reconsider. One of the things not mentioned in your article, is the fact that parents who decide to “teach” their children at home should be competent enough to do so. Anyone can teach the basics, such as ABCs, addition, subtraction, basic english and math, and so forth, but in order to teach the tougher areas, as the children move up, the parent(s) must be competent enough to do that. What happens to a child whose parent doesn’t really understand math, or the upper aspects of english, and especially chemistry?! Those are the things that must be considered before making such a huge decision. Many of the parents in the black community (here) have either dropped out or barely made it out of high school, so I’d highly advise them to find a decent school to send their child to. All in all, it may not be a bad thing to home-school, but it surely isn’t for everyone.
Edward says
Hey Lis, thanks for your comment. I wondered about that too, but I believe there are trainings and support that are available for parents. Also, there are other resources like video and tutors. I don’t think a parent has to know everything about everything to be a home schooler. But humorously, I know some parents that I would not want teaching anybody English. LOL.
jbledsoejr says
Lis,
One of the great benefits of homeschooling is as parents you have to relearn some of the things you have forgotten, as well as learn some new things, all while teaching your kids. Just like traditional school teachers get ongoing training (or they should), homeschooling parents can and do as well.
We use the classical model of education when homeschooling our children. This model teaches what many of us never learned in school. It teaches us HOW to learn. This is something that is needed at every age, not just children. This method equips students and teachers to learn anything. So when a child or parent comes up against something that they don’t know or that challenges them, they utilize the skills they have developed to know, understand, and then be able to teach it.
I won’t go on a rant about traditional school, but it does lack in this area as it teaches students to memorize small pieces of info just to pass a test. A student doesn’t have to understand and master what they are learning to pass tests and advance. Big fail in my opinion.
Some of the greatest experiences in our homeschooling have been when one of us (my wife or myself) didn’t know the answer. When we struggled with something we were teaching. It showed our kids how to handle it, how to go about figuring it out, and we did it together. Great, memorable experiences that we could have missed if our children were in traditional school.
Nonetheless, I believe your point was homeschooling is not for everybody. I AGREE! It is hard work, it takes discipline, patience…I could go on and on. Many parents aren’t willing to do this…I believe they are capable (no matter their education level), but not willing. But through all those challenges it is WELL WORTH IT.
here is the post about struggling through homeschool – https://jackiebledsoe.com/homeschool-dad-lesson-its-okay-to-struggle/
Lis says
Great response. It sounds like you all have it together and are doing a great job. I will check out the link…thanks. 🙂
Cedric says
Excellent post “jbledoejr”! I am a high school teacher at one of the best schools in the country and, even at my school, your critique about traditional education is spot on. Indeed our entire system is designed to train robots, imo. I try to teach my students to THINK and LEARN and learn how to think, instead of memorizing. Many of my students have been homeschooled k-8 when I get them in the 9th. I find those students to (generalizing) be among my best students for all the reasons you give. They don’t look to circumvent when put in an uncomfortable situation. They endure, they expand, and they learn. I used to think home schooled students would be socially immature, not having been around kids or not having benefitted from the socialization of school. But my experience has not shown this to be the case. My own child is in a public school but I am still very hands-on with her education. I consider her training at school a supplement to her instruction at home. And I will pull her if I ever feel like she’s not getting enough from public school.
Edward says
Interesting. Why do you think some of the home school kids , go to public school for high school I/o finishing their schooling at home?
jbledsoejr says
@Edward that is a great question. I have not experienced it and haven’t had many, if any, conversations with those who have experienced it. Now I have to find out…thx Edward! 😉 One thing that comes to mind with me is high school sports. In Indiana homeschool kids cannot play for their district high school teams. If you have a talented child, who has a potential future in a sport there may not be enough competition in homeschool leagues, or rec leagues. Good question! Our kids play sports, so that is something we may have to visit in the future.
Adrienne says
In my experience the families who chose to send their children from home school to public high school or private high school have done so because they felt the child had a sufficient foundation in character and skills to then flourish in an outside environment. (Not that they could not have continued to flourish at home) In my circles, many of the homeschoolers refer to this as green-housing and transplanting. (The more controlled, individually focused/nurturing environment of the home school is the “greenhouse”, after which “mature plants” are ready for “transplant”.) Many of the Christian homeschoolers I know– and I’m generalizing, so this not true in every case, but– believe that the highschooler should be ready to “hold his own” and test the mettle of his/her faith. Though I understand this reasoning, I think continuing to home school through high school has many benefits that I think outweigh the possible benefit of testing one’s mettle that public school or private school can offer. Besides there are plenty of opportunities to “hold one’s own” and test one’s faith without having to go to an outside school (internships, volunteer ops, community ministries, etc) Homeschooling thru high school, there’s even greater time and flexibility to become a young entrepreneur (talk about testing one’s mettle!). So as for our family, we are hoping by God’s grace to home school thru high school. …But alas that is a loooong way away for us, so I suppose we’ll see how my very passionately held theories may pan out in the end 🙂
jbledsoejr says
@Cedric thanks! You said something very interesting. “I consider her training a supplement to her instruction at home.” That is profound! Most ppl think of anything we do at home as a supplement to what is done at school. That is an awesome way to think of it. I will be sharing that thought in the future, as I believe it could be great approach/mindset for traditional school families.
Anneka says
Very good article.
Lis, i think that’s a valid concern but i think very few parents, black, white or otherwise are equipped to teach all subjects. There are a lot of online resources available such as Mr. Khans academy on youtube to help parents.
Lis says
Right. Since the article referenced the black community, I did also.
Lisa R Charles says
Anneka, you hit it by saying there are resources to help parents provide everything a child needs. A parent shouldn’t be expected to, first, be educated in ALL subjects before they begin Homeschooling.
jbledsoejr says
There are TONS of resources everywhere. Technology make everything even more accessible. Our family uses Classical Conversations, which is a complete K-12 curriculum. Supplements are needed for math, which we use Saxon Math, but other than that it covers everything. We love it!
Latonya says
We homeschool our daughters. They are now in 2nd and K. I do see value in teaching them at home. They are very independent and they have a desire to learn which isn’t forced. In schools based on my experience, kids often lose their desire to learn and just try to get by. I tutor students in the afternoon, and for the most part they are eager to please me or want me to give them the answer. It is like they have lost the ability to think. I need our girls to be thinkers.
For anyone considering homeschooling, I would say you have to love to learn yourself, be flexible, and be willing to go out of your comfort zone. Once you have decided that you will be solely responsible for your child’s education, you will soon realize that it is a lifestyle rather than I teach them in the morning and that is it, learning is constantly going on. I know we are in the early years of homeschooling, but I am confident that if we decide to go through high school that we will be capable. There are tutors, community college courses, and some public and private schools that allow homeschoolers to take a class or two via online, video courses, or in the classroom. There are quite a few options for those that aren’t in a traditional school setting.
Edward says
Latonya – Thanks for sharing your experience. I am considering home schooling my son. So it is helpful to hear your insight.
jbledsoejr says
Great points Latonya! I agree with the lost ability to think, and it is one of the reasons we chose homeschooling. We are young in our homeschooling journey as well, but I believe this lifestyle is possible, and it will be very rewarding for our family and our children’s futures.
David says
@Lis – No offense was taken, but I think your comment represents much of the challenge that Black families face when considering homeschooling. It is obvious that homeschooling is not for everyone, and I don’t think that anything in this article suggested otherwise. The issue or question here is whether it is a viable option. And I think the Edward does an excellent job of exploring this idea.
Why is it that when it comes to homeschooling, all of these specific questions must be asked and answered, but if I were to ask most parents who put the their children in public school, there is little to no consideration for much of the problems and/or challenges that their children will face with this choice of education? We live in a country where our public school systems are failing our children, miserably. Yet, mostly unconsciously, millions of children are sent into these institutions by parents who have never been asked to consider the myriad of questions or challenges about their choice for education that homeschool parents are asked to consider.
Also, this idea that “many of the parents in the black community have either dropped out or barely made it out of high school”, is not only evidence of the failing system we so heavily advocate, but is also no good reason NOT to consider it for your own children. There are numerous resources as the article pointed out to help parents in areas where they need assistance. Any parent who is passionate enough to choose homeschooling for their children, can find the resources necessary to help them do so.
What is needed is a more supportive, encouraging community who will appreciate the challenges a homeschooling family has chosen to take on, and will lend their unwavering thumbs up and even a hand or two, so that we all are better for it.
Moreover, homeschooling is more that just a choice of education. It is a lifestyle choice. It is a determination by a family to take personally, and fully the responsibility for shaping their children. The development of a child goes far beyond what is learned in a school building. Yet far too often the notion that “all” of this development can be accomplished here is sold as fact. Also, school is not designed as a place to develop social skills. At best it is little more than a side benefit. In many more situations it is the environment where children learn the most vicious and “un”social of skills, and others spend their days cowering from them.
CoCo says
David – I totally agree with you here.
Lis says
If you really, thoroughly, read the comment, I was in no way attacking what’s written in the article, I just stated that competence must be explored as well. Also, I did not discount homeschooling as a viable option for others, just not for myself and my child (though I do extra teaching at home for things he do not comprehend during class). I say do whatever you’d like with your children; just be sure to adequately prepare yourself for the challenge.
jbledsoejr says
David! Really really great points! I could just say “what he said!” and be done. 🙂 Homeschooling is continually scrutinized and questioned, but a system that is failing miserably is not questioned at all when it comes to most people. GREAT stuff!
CoCo says
I have done a lot of research and will most likely homeschool my 10 year old beginning this Fall. He has been in private school since kindergarten and the public schools near us are unacceptable. Regarding the concerns for subjects the parents aren’t equipped to teach: most of the personal experiences I’ve read mentioned the parents hiring tutors to teach subjects they didn’t feel comfortable teaching their children, which is what most parents who are concerned about their children’s education would do, even if their child attended the best public or private school. Homeschooling is no different in that regard.
I recently found out there are SO many resources available for parents whose children are in inadequate public schools and they are willing to teach their children at home, even parents who work full-time. For example, most states have a “virtual academy” that is affiliated with their public school systems and if parents decide to teach their children at home, they will be provided with ALL books, associated materials, curriculum, teaching aides and even a computer in some cases (all at NO cost), so that they will have everything they need to teach their child at home. Some states even set up activities, field trips, and other opportunities for students in the virtual academy to interact with other students who are homeschooled. Sadly, in my state, the legislature made a change to the law, effective this year, which stipulates that the child must have been enrolled in public school the previous year in order to be homeschooled through the virtual academy program, so after finding out all of this was available, my bubble was immediately burst because I will not be able to take advantage of it for my son. We are not wealthy by any means and made serious sacrifices to send him to private school, but it was a sacrifice that we were more than willing to make. It’s as if we are being penalized for sacrificing to send him to a better school, even though we paid school taxes to a district our child received 0 benefits from, but I digress.
Homeschooling is not going to be easy, but a lot of things associated with parenting seldom are. For us, it’s about doing what we feel is best for our son and making whatever sacrifices are necessary to get it done. I wanted to homeschool him from the beginning and from just five years ago until now, there is so much more support available to those parents who make this choice for their children. A great resource for me when I began my research years ago when he was a baby was this book: https://www.amazon.com/Morning-Home-Schooled-African-American-Sons-League/dp/0375507744
CoCo says
I just noticed the link I posted did not show as a link to the book, so I wanted to post the title. It is, “Morning by Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African-American Sons to the Ivy League” – By Paula Penn-Nabrit
Edward says
Wow! Great information! I will be checking that book out too.
jbledsoejr says
Great info CoCo. One thing I am searching for is more info about African-Americans who have homeschooled. We meet with a group of about 10-12 families once per week and there is one other African-American family. When we first started my wife met with a group of all African-American families, but it was the 1st experience for everyone. I’d like to hear from more families that have homeschool for longer and/or are on their 2nd generation. Will definitely check out the book you referred. Thanks!
Anonymous says
@jbledsoejr When I spoke with Mrs. Burgess she told me of families in my area that I could speak to. If you contact nbhe.net the may be able to connect you with families in your area.
CoCo says
jbledsoejr – I just found out about nbhe.net a couple of days ago and I am going to try my best to attend their upcoming conference this weekend, even though we just found out about it yesterday. Their website has an area where you can search for other AA HS families in your area for support.
I should be in bed, but I’m up late still researching curriculum (almost on overload in that area) and reading about others’ experiences. I really appreciate that so many people have made youtube videos in addition to blogs that share information with those who are seeking it.
Edward says
@CoCo awesome! If you do make it to the conference, make sure to Introduce yourself to Joyce – she will be thrilled.
Ty Thomas says
Where are you located? I am a founder of HomeschoolBFF (BrownFacedFamilies) based in Houston, TX. We are a great group and we meet twice a month for “play and learn” days/outings. And, dads are very hands on and involved in our group which is NOT typical of most homeschool groups. Email me if you have any other questions!
Mom of 5 homeschool kids (just graduated the first one and now shipping him off to college! LOL)
jbledsoejr says
Great post David and BMWK! I believe homeschooling is definitely a viable option for African-Americans! My wife and I have been homeschooling for the 3 years…last year was the 1st year that both of our school aged children were homeschooled (11 & 6 yr olds…also have a 3 yr old). We have homeschooled our 6 year old since age 4, and our 11 yr old was brought home last fall…she was a 3 yr straight A student in our school district’s gifted and talented program before we brought her home.
In regard to the questions you asked:
Social Skills?
Homeschooled children get more social interaction, in a variety of social settings…with more than just kids their age. Many homeschool children are part of groups in which “classmates” may be a few years older or younger, not just the same age (this is a benefit). In addition they are involved in day-to-day real life activities with mom and/or dad, so they have social interaction with adults, kids, the bank teller, the retiree, the local shop owner, etc. A lot of that activity happens at times when traditional school kids are in school, and cannot experience. Not to mention the extracurricular activities (sports, arts, church) that kids have available to them. When you meet adults that have been homeschooled you will find them to be very “socially adjusted”.
Cost? Homeschool is definitely cheaper than private school, but more expensive than public. Curriculum can be reasonably purchased for $500 or less. There may be other “indirect” cost though. Museum memberships, field trips (you will do more field trips as a homeschool family than traditional school), extracurricular, etc. However, these expenses you still may have as a traditional school family. So, it is not necessarily a “homeschool” expense. They are more “lifestyle” expenses, but homeschoolers integrate everything they can, at every opportunity, into learning experiences.
To sum up my long post (sorry as I didn’t intend to write this much). I believe homeschooling prepares kids for life better than traditional school. The average traditional school family prepares their child for life AFTER age 18, if at all. When the average homeschool family prepares their child for life the minute they decide to homeschool. Many times that is part of the reason they chose to homeschool, so they can tailor their child’s upbringing and education to the skills, gifts, dreams, and desires of their children and toward the way they want them to go. (reference Psalm 127:4 and Proverbs 22:6…great verses that I believe relate)
Again, I apologize for the long comment. I have also written several blog posts about homeschooling. Below is one post that outlines some of the benefits and reasons our family choose homeschooling.
jbledsoejr says
Sorry…great post Edward! (pulled the wrong name). Here is the blog post I mentioned as well.
https://jackiebledsoe.com/why-homeschooling-is-a-no-brainer/
SouthLA says
Greetings,
I will be honest I did not have time to read thru the full article however just to give my 7 cents (number of completion) no I do not believe we need to home school our children, I feel home schooling shelters kids from society and makes them somewhat ignorant to world outside their homes and even how to deal with others. I do feel that we must either get involved in our kids PTA’s, if they’re none existant, create them, or we must create own schools (such as the jews) in which we can teach our history. I grew up in Quartz Hill, California and was offered an amazing education however it had absolutely nothing to do with African American History, don’t get me wrong, I loved it out there and had little to no issues dealing with race, even tho we were only one of two black families on the block. Its the books and the curriculum that is taught in schools today that leaves out large portions of African American History. If you tell one kid your ancestors were emperors and philosphers, and tell another kid your ancestors were slaves and savages, one of those kids are going to walk away with a lower respect of themselves and their culture. Until I reached my wonderful Alma Mater, Hampton University, I didn’t even know we had a black national anthem. Ask your child how many times they have recited it.
One of my ways to give back to my community once I become a trillionaire will be creating after school schools for African American children to a) truly learn their history b) provide after school activities until parents get home c) the arts music and (all) sports that are being cut out of our schools. Well thats my 7 cents, hope I didn’t piss anyone off, too much.
Devin Jones
South-LA.com
Edward says
@SouthLA Thanks for both your honesty about not reading the entire article and your feelings about homeschooling. A week ago, I had the same “social” concerns about homeschooling, in large part that is what the article is about. But when you look at the numbers and talk to people that are either currently or have homeschooled, they feel that it makes a child even more socially adjusted. I have also realized that it is not for everybody. So when you get some time read through the potential benefits section of the post and a few of the comments, and you may have a different view – or maybe not.
jbledsoejr says
SouthLA, I read your comment completely, and I can tell you didn’t fully read the article. 😉 Many of your reasons for objecting homeschooling were addressed in the article as well as the other comments. It sounds like you enjoyed your education, but it also sounds like it was lacking (based on your comments). With homeschool, parents have the ability to fill in what is missing, and then some.
One question for you. You mentioned homeschooling makes kids sheltered and ignorant to the world outside their homes. Does that make public school kids sheltered and ignorant to the world outside their schools? In my experience most traditional school kids go to school, maybe an after-care program, and then go home…then rinse and repeat 5 days per week only to long for the weekend when they don’t have to do it. Doesn’t sound like they are experiencing much more of the world to me. What about you? However, in my experience and those I’ve talked to, kids who are homeschooled experience much more of the outside world. Different races, different ages, different backgrounds, different economic levels. The “home” in homeschool is just the base. A base that has unlimited extensions to their learning and development.
I admit I have never heard of the black national anthem. I will be searching for it. Do you have a link?
CoCo says
@jbledsoejr – The Negro National Anthem is also known as, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and when we were in high school (a predominantly Black HS), we sang it for all assemblies, especially during Black History Month. I attended a predominantly White university and sang in the gospel choir there, and whenever we had events, we sang it. Even as an adult, when I worked for a state agency, we had a Black History program each February and we sang it/shared the lyrics to it during that time. Also, most Black churches sing it during holidays normally celebrated in our culture. I know that there are a lot of my people who do not know the lyrics to even the first verse of it, but I find it sad to read that there are some of my people who have never heard of it. I hope you don’t take offense, but it really saddens me and it speaks to what we all are already well aware of and that is that we as parents MUST teach our children their history because there are only going to get what amounts to a little snippet of it in any school setting (public or private) that is outside of the home. Here is a link that contains a little history about the song, as well as the lyrics. I just noticed your blog link and I’m going to check it out soon. 🙂
CoCo says
I forgot to post the link; sorry about that! Here it is: https://blackhistory.com/content/62362/the-black-national-anthem
jbledsoejr says
Thanks @CoCo! I agree with you. I will check it out, and we’ll be doing something with it in our house.
msteecee says
@jbledsoejr “I admit I have never heard of the black national anthem. I will be searching for it. Do you have a link?”
Boy did that statement really open my eyes to lack of black history that is being distributing in our schools. Your statement made me aware of where I failed as a parent believing that my children were being taught sufficiently in their public school they are now 27 and 30 and your statement made me call them and ask them were they aware of the song and they both were not….they attended school in a non-black area, but one attended the UofA and the other went to Cal State Fullerton and they have never heard of it…..we have to somehow get this information to continue to be passed down be it home schooling or public schooling….thanks for opening some closed eyes.
Alison says
“I feel home schooling shelters kids from society and makes them somewhat ignorant to world outside their homes and even how to deal with others.”
I can count the number of times on one hand that we have schooled “at home” in the past year. We don’t shelter our kids from society, we educate them IN society. Our kids learn in libraries, museums, at the park, at the supermarket—-heck, we even did science at an amusement park! There are learning opportunities everywhere!
My kid didn’t learn weights and measures in a book, she learned it weighing produce in the supermarket—a skill that most adults will have to use on a regular basis. They know finance. We visit the bank and have bank specialists talk to them about interest rates, credit and savings. I never learned any of that in public school.
Do people really believe that homeschooling parents lock their kids in the attic all day? Do people think they don’t go outside and play, go to church or participate in sports, music and drama? Our kids are in so much stuff we are barely home.
It’s funny how nobody is ever worried that public school kids won’t know how to “deal with others” during the summer when school is out.
Also, parents, YOU are your child’s first teacher. They did not go to school to learn to walk, or talk or ride a bike. YOU taught them that. You can teach your child, and whatever you don’t know, there are teachers, tutors and co-ops who can teach your children. Do you have any friends with degrees in mathematics, business, chemistry, foreign language? Ask for their help. I know it’s cliche to say it takes a village, but it does and it can work for you.
SouthLA says
non-existent*
Lisa says
While I don’t have any children and don’t know if I’m going to homeschool or not, I think this is a wonderful idea for the parents who choose it.
I find that the only objection people (of any race) make about homeschooling is their concern about the lack of social interaction or social adjustment kids might have. The more I hear this, the more I think it’s a cop out. I’ve seen more emotionally damaged, hurt, sad children who became that way because of negative social interactions in school than I have among those who were homeschooled. Social interaction in schools is often NOT a positive… black boys being teased for being smart and not “cool,” black girls getting into pseudo-competitions over hair, skin color and boys, children of all backgrounds finding learning taking a back seat to socializing, bullying… and yet, we criticize homeschooling for supposedly not providing kids with a social outlet?
If homeschooling is what it takes for me to give my young son a strong sense of confidence and pride in who he is during those important formative years, then that’s what I’ll do. Too many of our children are losing their collective innocence through the “socialization” they receive inside school buildings.
Edward says
@Lisa Great perspective! You are right, we often turn up our nose at different, when the normal isn’t really doing all that great. I am still debating it as well, but it is good to have options.
Lisa says
Thanks Edward! I think I might have contradicted myself in my post… I don’t have children yet, but I’m pregnant with a son. I want to expose my son to all sorts of interesting things from computers to dinosaurs and legos and hope that he loves learning. I would hate for kids at school to tease him for being a naturally curious and intuitive child — I went through that myself while I was in school and it didn’t make me a better person. In fact, all of that social interaction started creating insecurity and doubt in my life and some issues that it took me a while to overcome. Homeschooling during those middle school and early teen years might have given me the confidence I needed to handle myself when I faced “haters” down the road!
jbledsoejr says
Edward,
Killer post! Lots of interaction, and I’m sure lots of food for thought. Thanks for posting!
jbledsoejr says
Good points Lisa! Yes, most of the people who object to homeschooling by stating their reason as a “lack of social interaction” have never experienced it. Kind of like someone who has never given birth or raised a child telling you the negatives of doing so, and the reasons why you shouldn’t. It doesn’t make ANY sense.
Ursula Tara Davis says
My husband and I decided to homeschool our children nearly 20 years ago. Our reason’s for doing so was simply because we wanted to take full responsibility for their development in every area especially academically. The extra rewards that we received but not necessarily expecting was 3 bright young women for the 21st century. Our oldest daughter graduated from college triple majors, suma cum laude in all 3 majors (Finance, Economics, & Music Business Technology – 3 Bachelors) Our second daughter graduated cum laude (Finance & Political Science) my youngest is still in college. My oldest daughter graduated from college in 2009 a year after the economic melt-down. She is a manager at the number one mutual fund company carrying a series 6, 63, 7, 24. My other daughter has a series 6, 63, 7 and is on her way to law school…she currently works in the financial industry as well. These are the extra benefits that we receive by following our goals and mastering our dream.
CoCo says
@Ursula – I agree with Edward – awesome testimony! Thanks so much for sharing it! Sounds like your experience homeschooling your children and their academic and professional achievements afterwards would make a GREAT book! 🙂
Ursula Tara Davis says
Thank you! As a matter of fact I recently have written a book entitled,
“The Corporate Woman @ Home.Mom”…They are featured in the book which can be purchase at Amazon, Createspace, and other bookstores.
Edward says
Wow! Great testimony. I know not every home school child turns out that way, but it sure seems like “generally” speaking these kids do very well.
Ty Thomas says
My husband and I home school all five of our children and have done so for the last 6.5 years. This year, we graduated our oldest from our home school and he is now headed off to college (PVAMU)…on full academic scholarship! The decision to home school was the BEST decision we could have ever made. In addition to enriching and tailoring their curriculum to their learning styles, we’ve been able to set a higher standard of academic expectation than what was available in the public school system; and we lived in the “good” neighborhoods with the “better” schools. Because our 4 oldest are males, we also didn’t like the things that we saw to just be “the norm” in public school as it pertains to dealing with our young men. They are either disregarded or negatively regarded…even when they are straight A students. As a result of homeschooling, our kids are independent learners, they seek knowledge for themselves, they have friends of ALL age ranges and they appreciate the value of being educated…not just trained to prepare for some state test. Our next oldest has decided he wants to be a vet…so, we, along with other home schoolers, are starting a 4-H chapter so that there can be the opportunity to delve into learning and experiencing more about animals and agriculture. Additionally, our two oldest have been competing in essay writing contests and the NAACP ACT-SO competition for the last two years. They’ve done VERY well and represented home schoolers very positively. All in all, homeschooling may not be for everyone, but if you accept that it is a LIFESTYLE, when you do it, it will be enriching and rewarding for the entire family. We also started a business to assist and teach new and veteran home schoolers how to get the most out of their home education journey. If you’d like more information, email Homeschool Resource Network at: [email protected]. Also visit us on Facebook…”Homeschool Resource Network”. We offer “how to” and other homeschool center seminars particularly geared toward the African American community. AA’s are the fastest growing group of new homeschoolers. So, we are here to help you maximize your life has a homeschooler. Peace and Blessings to you all!
Edward says
@Ty- Thanks so much for sharing. I have been so enlightened and encouraged by all of the comments. We plan to give it a try in the 2014 school year.
Ty Thomas says
Thought I’d share this video that our oldest son did to commemorate leaving our homeschool and starting out in his adult like. He’s been homeschooled since 7th grade and his now headed off to PVAMU majoring in Communications and minoring in Marketing. Also, he is an Eagle Scout, leader in our homeschool group, and community volunteer. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/cJLcgabX5lU
Ty Thomas says
Oops…cut and paste the link….forgot to highlight it!
Ty Thomas says
please forgive my typos….thinking faster than my fingers can move!
Linda Monroe says
Most African american’s and other people, don’t know about the 3,000 years of rich ancient African culture that existed, before there was even a word called Europe. Home schooling is not the answer, because African history is world history. And world history benefits all students. Communities need to organize and fight for an African based curriculum in the schools. Especially where AA students, make up 99 percent of the student body, and have the lowest scores in the district, compaired to their white counterparts. It has been proven, AA students do better with a curriculum that is a reflection of: who they are, where they come from, and relevance in the world.
Linda Monroe says
Read the powerful works of ancient African history anthropologist Dr. Chiek Ante Diop. (First use of forensic anthropology to test the African
DNA in the ancient Egyptians, later, this testing procedure was adopted in the US for identifying burn victims). Dr. John Henrik Clark, Master Teacher, authored over 40 books on” Africa” before Christopher Columbus, and the origins of religion. Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, author , lecturer, anthropologist, wrote, “They Came Before Columbus”.
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Gizzle says
As a caveat, I do think that there are many AA families that do not have the economic means to home school because both parents must work to provide for the household and can’t afford for one parent to stay home. But for those that can, I think it is a viable option if parents will research, prepare and be creative.
I don’t have kids now, but when I do, I plan to home school at least their early education (K-6). Mark Zuckerberg’s dad hired a tutor to teach him computer coding from like age 7, from one of the foremost programmers from MIT or something like that. What’s stopping us from hiring a computer science college student to do the same for our kids, or for any subject? You will not get computer science classes at public school at age 7. I think the “they won’t have social interaction” or “they’ll be weird” is a cop out . . . the only way that happens is if you think home school = ‘lock your kids in the basement’. I think of home school as a way to control what goes ‘into’ your students. As they say, “garbage in, garbage out!” and that is whether the garbage is coming from home school or public school. I think certain public and private schools offer a very negative socialization process anyway– bullying, pettiness, jealousy, popularity contests, superficiality– pretty much like reality TV! I think in America we’ve taken our access, opportunity, and advancement so far that we can’t do anything for ourselves anymore: grow our own food, build our own houses, cook and feed ourselves, fix our own cars or educate our own children! How about some self-sufficiency?! The system may provide an easier ‘packaged’ deal, but that doesn’t speak to the quality . . . oftentimes quality slips when you get the cookie-cutter model.
If your job as a parent is to prepare your child for adulthood and being a responsible grownup; he/she is not learning that through socialization with other kids/teenagers just cause they’re the same age. Wouldn’t it make sense for them to spend more time around the type of people that you hope for them to be??
I want to home school because I want to do things like:
-rent an RV and take my family around the United States learning interesting things about each state for a summer or a year
-teach my kids multiple languages by living in country (I speak 3, I expect them to speak more)
-Make them math and science geniuses because this country NEEDS more people who understand STEM -based careers
-Take trips to the National Archives to do a family tree together
-Follow the Civil Rights Trail through the South to teach about the Civil Rights Movement
-Grow crystals to teach about geology
-And on and on and on
Tim Tebow disproves the sports excuse and there are plenty of home schooled kids who went on to be successful senators, Supreme Court Justices, or leaders in their field. Resources like the Khan Academy, OpenCourseWare, LiveMocha, youtube, Moodle provide plenty of resources, and those aren’t event scratching the surface of the home school resources!
I think at a certain age, I would let my kids choose: continue to home school or go to the local public school (God grant I live in a good district). But I think laying the foundation to love learning, education, morals, and discipline is the important thing. If they have that a 5 or 15; then I’d think they were ready to branch out. But homeschooling (to me) doesn’t mean the child has to be sheltered. I think it is an awesome opportunity really open to world up to them!
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