A RANT...for Joy on "The View"

So Joy said on "The View" that homeschoolers were demented, didn't know how to talk to people, and never left their homes.

I can only speak for what WE do at home...but want to educate mouthy Joy on what it's like to learn from home.

We do learn here. We sit and do grammar, writing and math here. We build models and do projects here. We read and discuss...all right here. We grow tadpoles here and learn the life-cycle of frogs here. Here is where we talk, learn, bond and grow.

However; once a week, we leave to take a homeschool art class. He learns about an artist and recreates that artist's style. He left to take an oil painting class for a day.

He left once a week to get with a group of 11 kids to dissect, one "thing" a week, a heart, lungs, kidney, brain, eyeball, long bone (femur) and knuckle. He also did a weekly oral presentation and either showcased a model he'd made, or did a report on a related topic to that week. For example: he did an oral report on alzheimer's when he learned about the brain; presented clay models of 4 types of joints; and showcased a DNA model when learning about cells.

He plays basketball, baseball and football. (So depending on the sport, we leave 2-4 times a week.) He is a boyscout. (another at least once a week that he leaves the house) He has friends from public schools, private schools and homeschools. He has learned that all people are not the same. He's become more accepting of all people. 

We're learning world religions. He can tell you about several already. He's learned tolerance for all beliefs. He's learning how they all connect and that all faiths are good at the core. We have scheduled field trips for each religion we study.

Is he too sheltered? Maybe so. I am with him to teach everything. I'm with him on boy outings and field trips to adventure camp, museums and co-op classes. When he plays sports, my husband coaches. When he camps out or goes to boy scouts, my husband is with him. He isn't turned loose. After things, we all talk about them. We're all involved. The entire family.

Too sheltered? Sheltered from what, I ask.  He'll be 11 soon and is more interested in how to build a fire, make a shelter, make a touchdown or score a home run than he is in who's making fun of him at school. More interested in learning and experiencing all life has to offer than who's cool and who's a geek. More interested in LEARNING about Egypt and being able to see King Tut with his family and friends than being concerned about his grade or who he'll sit by on the bus.

Can he talk to people? Well, he talks sports with his sports buddies. He talks rock music, drums, bass and guitar with his music buddies. He talks survival skills with his boy scout buddies. He talks skateboarding and BMX with those friends. Pretty normal, huh?

My child DID go to public school. From 1st grade until 4th grade. This year at home, I had to teach him his multiplication facts. I taught him what a complete sentence was. I taught him prepositional phrases and adverbs and how to know what part of speech words are. I teach him to think. I teach him that opinions and "what do you think about this?" questions are valid, too.  I teach him about people. He's written reports on Gandhi, Mother Teresa, George Washington, King Tut and several others. His biography reports reflect what HE FELT these people contributed to the world. These things had not been done effectively for him in "normal" school.

His confidence is soaring now. He is free to inquire, make suggestions, ask questions, be stuck on a lesson until it's learned, or shoot ahead if it's easy.

So, I go back. Demented? Really? Not here. Locked in the house? Really? Not here. Can't talk to people? Well, he can talk about more subjects now than before. He's broadened his friendships. He's made new friends, gained new interests, and is more confident in who he is and what he likes.

I am absolutely not anti-public school. I think there are great teachers out there. We've had some of them. I think that there are inspirational teachers that cannot inspire because of the laws and curriculums that don't give them the freedom. I think there is good and bad in everything...even homeschooling. I think each kid needs to be where it's best for them. Be open. Be accepting. This is the smart way to be. You cannot make sweeping generalizations about home schools any more than you can about public schools.

So, Joy...my answer to you is this:

Come on over. Spend a week here. Bring your cameras and all of your gusto and arguments. Talk to me, my husband and my son. Watch what we do and follow us for a week. Gain some perspective and THEN...if you still believe your statements, then and only then, are they a valid opinion. Right now, it's ignorance.