Since I am apparently the only one in the class who has had homeschooling experience, I'd like to share my thoughts on that:

First of all, I was only homeschooled for a year, so it didn't have a huge effect on me. The reason was that my mom wasn't very impressed with any of the 2nd grade teachers, and thought she could do it better...

I did learn more that year than I did any other year in elementary school. In 5th grade, we learned stuff that I already knew. From what I remember, it was pretty fun.

However, I am very thankful that I spent most of my time in public school. From what I can tell, in Charlottesville, VA it is very normal for children to be homeschooled or to go to an "alternative" school. Good for them. In some ways, they learn a whole lot, but at the same time they don't get some experiences they should have, in my opinion. Most of these children are nice enough, but they don't know how to interact with "normal" people. Yes, this is a broad statement, somewhat stereotypical, but it is true to some degree. In public school, whether we realize it or not, we learn to talk to all different kinds of people. The one thing I remember about going into 3rd grade was that I didn't know the kids who were new the year before, and I found it hard to catch up on my "social life". This hasn't affected me in the long run, but I imagine if you spend your entire school career at home, you can have some trouble when it's time to get a job.

They have their own little communities--the homeschooled kids get together and take field trips... but it's always the same group of people. They don't meet any children of migrant workers, for example. A lot of the ones I know have chosen not to go to college... not that there's anything wrong with that, but it seems to be more of a fear of social interaction than anything else that keeps them from wanting to go.

Of course, this is all from my own observations and speculations. My point is that I think public school, with all of it's flaws, can teach you valuable lessons about how to deal with other people.

I guess my take on homeschooling is similar yet different. When I have children I would love to have them homeschooled after what I have learned in college. I will get my degree in teaching, but whether or not I decide to teach for the rest of my life is still uncertain. School is nothing like it used to be and its based on polictics and money. I feel like if I was able to homeschool my children i definetely would! I want them to learn other things such as morals and spirituality and things they wont get in public school. My fiancee's sister homeschools her 5 year old son. He gets all of the opportunities to socialize as kids in homeschool do. He is in a swim league where they live (Hawaii), has large groups of friends over often, participates in community sports, etc. He is the most well behaved and well mannered child I have ever seen and I believe this is because of home schooling. Basically, my conception of public schooling at this point SUCKS! Sorry - just how I feel...

I think I sort of have to agree with Lillian - even though I was never personally homeschooled, I have dealt with a lot of people growing up who were either homeschooled their entire lives or homeschooled as young children before being placed into public schools. Even with the best intentions of socialization, the homeschooled kids always seemed as though they didn't quite know how to interact socially. The nicest homeschooled kids always had this level of awkwardness about them.

I wish I could explain that a bit better, but I'm not sure what else to say about it!

I believe home schooling can go either way. Some people do it for their children because they want them to get a better education and some people do it because they want to preserve their children from the outside world, which is what one of my family members did for her children. It can be great because children get that special one on one attention, and as long as they are involved with others I think it's a good idea for certain people who are in a position to do this. However, my family member had to put her children back into public school because she had to go back to work. I was terrified of this because both of them were very preserved and different than children in a public school. When they did go to public school, they absolutely loved it and still do. I guess it's just “different strokes for different folksâ€

I am in between on this topic. After reading Courtney’s response I feel different about public schools. Before I would have said public schools is the best education for students, because they are able to experience more things such as taking part in clubs or sports. Also, going to public schools improves a child’s social skills; where as staying at home students are not around no one but their mom and dad. Public schools are very useful because they offer students a lot of different educational sources like computers. Before I felt home schooling was not good for students because it kept them hid from society. However, Courtney has a point about public schools not being the best choice for children. Public schools consist of a lot of mean and dirty things, such as drugs. At least keeping them home parents are able to mold the child better and keep them away from these temptations. I also feel home schooling a student is a benefit because the child has someone working one on one with them constantly. After all, this is a dream that every student wants is to have someone work with them one on one. In public schools teachers have to teach strictly to a standardized testing where as a parent can actually teach students. I say this because a lot of times teachers want to go a little further about a topic but cannot because they have to stick strictly to a guideline, where as a parent can teach further about a certain topic. Overall, I think home schooling is becoming a topic that many parents are considering due to public education popularity decreasing. I guess this is the reason why I want to be an elementary teacher because I want to make a difference and make school fun, enjoyable and safe for children.

I'm not a fan of homeschooling! I went to public throughout my entire Elementary through High School years. I think I learned more from going to public school and got a great education! I had teachers who were phenomenonal and I learned a lot about life and dealing with people that otherwise I don't think I would have gotten from home school. My brother went to a private school Kindergarten through fourth grade and transferred into public school in fifth. I know private school and home school are different, but he has made so many positive changes since he switched. He is in 6th grade now and is doing great. When he got out of private school he really came out of his shell a lot, he made friends a whole lot easier, has a girlfriend, and continues to do well academically. In private school he just wasn't dealing with the real world in my view. I think some children do well in homeschool and private school, but I think they are very sheltered from what real life is all about. Sorry if I stepped on any toes, but that's my opinion. I wouldn't take anything for the life lessons and academic knowledge I learned in public school, especially my high school years in an inner-city high school, with tons of diversity racially and otherwise! It was a great experience for me!!!

I have three cousins, all older than me, who are like my brothers and were homeschooled almost all the way through school. The oldest one started in like 4th grade and the yougest went to kindergarten. When I was young I thought this was the coolest thing ever, and wanted my aunt to home school me, however, my parents were against that. I look at my cousins lives now and I honestly think in some ways they did miss a lot from not being in public schools. They did have friends, through the local home school group, but they didn't get to spend "every day" with them. Their education was different than mine because they got to focus on what interested them at a much earlier age. However, I believe that home school also had it's positives for them. The youngest one, struggled with spelling and grammer from a very early age and the one-on-one help my aunt was able to give him helped him tremedously. I feel like they got "extra" training in life skills because they had to help with a lot more chores and even got training on the farm. It's really hard for me to make a decision about whether or not I am for or against home schooling. but I do think that my children will attend public school.

I have a really hard time seeing home schooling vs public schooling as an either/or issue. I went to public school for “traditional schoolâ€

Homeschooling -

There are about two million children currently learning at home and homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year. Research shows the homeschooled kids do well on standardized tests, are welcome at colleges and universities, and have a reputation for being self-directed learners and reliable employees. Here is a new list of pros and cons (this list is based on research and my friends experience who've shared with me the ups and downs of homeschooling). This list is by no means comprehensive; it does provide some overviews of the pros and cons of the homeschooling lifestyle.

The Pros:
Educational Freedom: Most homeschooled students have the choice to study and learn what they want, when they want, for as long as they want. For example, Algebra may be taught at age seven for one child, and at age twelve for another, depending on ability, maturity, and interest levels.

Freedom: Parents who homeschool say they experience freedom. These families live their lives according to what works for them. For example, plan off-season vacations, visit parks and museums during the week.

Studies shown that homeschooled kids’ self-esteem remains regular and these kids continue to succeed. Homeschooled kids can dress and act and think the way they want, without fear or a need to "fit in."

Homeschooling provides the opportunity for parents to incorporate their religious and spiritual beliefs into their daily lives, and a closer family relationship.

Well-Rested Kids: As more studies are illustrating, sleep is vital to the emotional and physical well being of kids, especially teens and preteens. Homeschool begins and ends with the kids and parents schedule.

No Busywork: Homeschooled children can accomplish lessons in a few hours (but what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover), and that brings a major "pro" of homeschooling: No more homework!

The Cons:
Time Restraints: Learning outside of a school environment can consume a lot of parents’ time. Homeschool parents choose hands-on experiences and interesting activities as learning tools, instead of a lot of seatwork. However, planning, driving to, and participating in those activities (or waiting for them to be over) constitute the bulk of parents’ day.

Financial Restraints: For parents, one has a full-time job out of the house in order to homeschool (this can be a big sacrifice for families who are struggling to balance their budget). Most homeschooling families believe that the brief loss of income is well worth the satisfaction of watching their kids grow and learn in freedom.

Parents with their Kids 24/7: If you choose to homeschool, you're going to be with your kids most of the time. If you don't enjoy being together, then homeschooling is not for some parents.

Limited Team Sports: Depending on where you live, homeschoolers may or may not be welcome to participate on teams with their public-schooled peers. Several parents did mention that a few families overcame this problem by creating their own teams.

Social development: A common concern voiced about homeschooled children is they lack the social interaction with peers that a school environment provides. Homeschoolers tend to live in an insulated world where they aren't exposed to a variety of ideas, which can prevent any personal growth and independence later on in life.

... nice to see this concisely laid out on the table. Thanks Melissa

My opinions of homeschooling are split. While I think it is great that children of all ages receive adequate one-on-one help, I also think that socialization and child interaction is vital. It is important that students be actively involved with children of their own age. This can, however, be done through a number of ways. Play groups, community activities, say, programs at the public library or community playhouse are all ways of involving children with children of their own age, but overall I find it very important that parents consider all aspect of homeschooling when making that final decision

I just wanted to share my overall thoughts about homeschooling. I have seen kids who have both succeed as well as not done so well when they were homeschooled. Along with everything else that goes along with education, I think there are advantages and disadvantages to it. I think that some children who are not happy in the public school system could try this option.

The main thing that I worry about for homeschooled issues is that the social interaction with others that can often be forgotten about. I think that for a homeschooling program to be successful children need to interact with others in several activites whether it is through church, extra curricular activites, or events with other homeschool children! I know that when you get to high school you can also fast track to the college level if needed which is great for some students.

I think that as a future educator we need to be aware of the benefits of all forms of education and being able to notice when a child might not be getting all of their needs met in your classroom or school.