Home School or Public School?

The problem with public schooling is that no two schools (from state to state) are on the same page with curriculum, what is being taught and when it is being taught. My wife and I found this out back when the economy took a dump. We were forced to move around to where the jobs were and found big discrepancies between schools.

We were assured by teachers and administrators that as long as the school we were relocating to took part in the Common Core curriculum standards, our children would be on track and would have no problems. This couldn't have been farther from the truth. While schools that take part in CC ARE teaching basically the same curriculum, WHEN they teach each block of instruction varies from school to school.

My children have found, after three moves, some things they have already been taught and they are bored or some things have already been covered in their new school but not in their old and they struggle.

All that being said (sorry for the long windedness), we have considered home schooling, just to keep our childrens learning consistent. We have talked about it with all three of them and what seems to be the greatest hurdle to just doing it is the missing social aspect they get in public schools. Of course there are many factors to consider when making this decision and I value the opinions of my kids (Yes, even the 6 year old) when it comes to their schooling.

My wife was homeschooled and we homeschool our 3 kids.

If I could afford it, private christian school. I would like to homeschool as well. We got a decent school system, I but I guess everyone says that about their district, its always the other one that is bad. I have a pre-k and 1st grader. right now battling this stupid common core math, daughter is not grasping it but I am showing her a way to get the right answer , however with common core it isnt about the right answer lol.

LT (Join to see): If I could offer you another alternative to the traditional "homeschooling" it would be to consider K12. They are an online public school option. You child would have an actual teacher that is certified by your state and would be in a virtual classroom with other students.

My wife and I are both civil servants - My wife being a social worker and I a police officer - who interact with public schools on a regular basis. We both graduated from a public school. In my opinion, the quality of the traditional brick and mortar schools has decreased. Social interaction with other children and people was a big concern for the both of us. She attends several school functions such as book fairs at the local Barnes and Noble and holiday events at the local community centers in the area. She also participates in our community youth soccer program and participates in gymnastics. We also make sure that she understands the importance of giving back to your community by volunteering at the soup kitchen. There are many ways, as mentioned by others, to make sure your child stays involved and interacts with others.

Though you need to make sure you and your wife are willing to commit to the time involved in planning for each days lessons. You as a learning coach play a major part in your child's education whether you chose a public school program or some type of homeschool program.

I hope anything that I have mentioned in this post will be beneficial to helping make a decision.

Home school, sir, as long as you and/or your wife have the time to put into it. All of my children attended public schools (as did I), but I've met some great kids (mostly from church) who were home schooled. And there are more and more resources, associations, connections, for home schoolers. That has been a frustration for parents doing the home schooling, but I think it's much better now. The major drawback to home schooling, in my view, is the lack of social interaction the child gets in public schools. Of course there's the other side of that coin: not all that interaction is necessarily good. But those home schooling associations and groups have ways of addressing the social aspect that would otherwise be missed if the child stayed home all the time.

As has been mentioned in this thread already, homeschooling can be done wrong, and it's not for everybody. That being said, I was homeschooled, and my wife and I are homeschooling our children. I think the concerns about interaction with other children are a little bit overrated. My kids spend time with children at church, and with other kids in the neighborhood.

Home schooling would be the better option if you can find a good program and your wife has time to dedicate towards it. This puts you in control of your child's education, and allows them to learn at their own pace (which for me was faster). Some home schooling parents make the mistake of not socializing their children enough with kids their own age. This makes it difficult for them to act appropriately in public settings. If you are part of a home schooling community, and get them involved in lots of activities outside your home, I don't think it will be a problem.

I was home schooled until 3rd grade, then I went to private school until 6th grade; then public school after that. Public school was a culture shock to me, as was the military. My home school and private school education were far superior and put me ahead academically, but my parents sheltered me too much from the real world. If you can find a good balance that would be your best option.

LT (Join to see), I can only give you my experiences. You didn't mention "Private" or "Parochial" schools, so I'm going to assume (oops) that, for whatever reason(s), those aren't options.

If you or your wife are of the proper temperament needed to academically educate your kids, it will benefit them in numerous ways. Your kids WILL learn about the world. They HAVE TO. As parents, we must decide how much we will invest in that learning. You've got "Lord of the Flies" on one hand, and "Boy in the Bubble" on the other. Healthy is chosen by you and your wife, and should be somewhere in between.

If you choose homeschooling, you will have to supplement the homeschooling with "after school" activities, such as band, sports or other clubs. In a public school, your kids will be educated, but in my opinion, there exists the potential for collateral damage as they gain both knowledge AND experience.

People talk about the needs for "socialization" found only in a public school setting. What is that? Is it indoctrination into the culture? Which culture? Is your home environment / culture reinforced enough to keep your kids grounded in the ways you want them to grow? They'll make their own decisions, true enough, but are you prepared to guide them (and fight them) through the cultural minefields in your local schools?

My son moved from a private school to public for high school. He told me once, "If they made a movie in my cafeteria at lunch, you and Mom wouldn't let me watch it."

Just my opinions, for whatever they're worth.

Research, LT, research... Good luck!

My ex-wife and I have used a mix, depending on the way teachers have interacted with our children. So far, all five seem to be well adjusted with friends in and out of school. They also do well with both home school curriculum and school as needed.
A suggestion would be to allow them some input into their education. Spend the summer running them through a home school plan, let them experience school for a semester. Make the final decision considering their input.
Consider an authoritative parenting style and interact with your children on what they want but how they can still meet the standard. http://www.parentingscience.com/authoritative-parenting-style.html

At this point in national education, I'd say homeschool or at minimum, charter or private. The left created the Department of Education and have been systematically destroying the foundation of the American society. The separation of church and state wouldn't be an issue all but for that educational politburo.