Yes, I will be one in a few months. Today I went to the curriculum fair for the one-day-per-week program Anna will be attending, to choose books for next year (thanks Aurora Public School District!)
The room was filled with people, and as I stopped to look through a book, I overheard this conversation between two women:
Mom A: "So what has your family's reaction been to you homeschooling?"
Mom B: "WELL, they are FLAMing liberals and..."
wait for it...
"PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS."
OH the horror!!! To think that someone spends their life teaching children. Shameful. Just shameful. :)
I seriously had to keep from laughing. I may survive homeschooling, but I don't know if I'll survive the culture. And, of course, I just had to share!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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26 comments:
Know what you mean. But, to be fair, some of the biggest critics of homeschooling in our families are the public school educators.
After all, *I* couldn't possibly know how to educate *my* own children. They are also the ones with all the helpful 'socialization' crtiques (because there are no weird or socially awkward kids in the p.s. educational system).
I find both sides of the education debate to be equally irritating. Isn't it possible God may have called different families to different things? *gasp*
Enough sarcasm from me, LOL. I just chalk the education debate to another area where the self-righteousness of motherhood often rears its ugly head.
Did score any good stuf? Thanks for recommending Sonlight. I ordered the catalogue and am totally smitten!
Yes true Monica, although I also think the public school "agenda" can be seen as distinct from the educators themselves. You're so right about the self-righteousness aspect! (And oh how I love sarcasm!)
I ordered a math curriculum (Saxon K + manipulatives), Sing, Spell, Read, Write and an art curriculum that I'm pretty excited about! All for free, woohoo! I'm using some other things next year also, but that's what I ordered today. Are you leaning towards homeschooling???
Can you survive the FLAMing liberals?
LOL So nice to hear someone else with the same hesitations. ;)I've been homeschooling since January and it's hard finding a niche of people that fit with us. Haven't quite found it yet, but still looking. ;)
What do you mean, Brianna??? Didn't you know that Jesus is a republican and would be a TOTAL homeschooler if he had kids??? Gee whiz, I really wish you would wise up already...sheesh.
*wink, wink*
Good luck my friend on your new adventure. I love that you don't fit any of the molds. It makes you more interesting.
Hee, Hee. =)
Yes, I am leaning towards homeschooling (though, truthfully, I would have never thought I would).
I wish I lived in an awesome state like Colorado. I'd totally dig a one time a week school, that also let you pick out curriculum! Score!
Maybe the p.s. teachers in our family don't like homeschooling because they see it as some type of competition? Not sure..
I think you rock! FTR. :)
LOL at Jeanette's comments.
I don't think Jesus would have a political party..
Too funny.
andy and jeannett, HA! i also failed to mention one of the rockin' bumperstickers in the parking lot...i can't remember what it said but there was one that had me cracking up.
oh monica that is exciting!!! i will look forward to hearing more about your experience etc. (and for the record there ARE a lot of anti-homeschool people in public education. my dad's been a public school teacher his entire life so i naturally have a lot of respect for public educators. but yeah i don't like when someone says that parents are incapable of teaching their children what 2 + 2 is. :) and may the record also clearly show that i knew MANY an ill-adjusted, socially awkward individual in public school!!!)
Brianna, you crack me up. I love and respect many, many public educators too. I have several friends that are aweosome!
You'll have to blog about curriculum and your experience, since you seem to be a niche homeschooler.
I wish people could understand that what is right for one family is not necessarily right for another....I think your option is the best of both worlds! Sadly I think a lot of teachers in public schools dislike other options b/c it takes money away from their schools....sad that it comes down to dollars and not what is best for a child....public school isn't the best option for EVERY kid- good luck finding a group of like minded people....!
How funny, it is the opposite in our family. My mom, a public school educator, would love to see my kids home schooled. In fact we joke that she cant wait for retirement so she can help me home school them!!
Of course, she also is the only teacher at her school who doesn't speak her political views in the lunch room, go fig!
Just remember: There are many different cultures within homeschooling. Yes, some aspects of certain cultures are grating, so may you find a community that encourages you and pushes you onward!
~Luke
Hilarious!
so your school district pays for your curriculum? that's crazy! (in a good way!)
Brianna,
With your sense of humor I say you will survive this hsing culture just fine. :o)
Welcome to the Club...here's your denim jumper and white keds...
KIDDING! The new hs uniform is capris ..
Seriously, I have hsing friends on each extreme and I love them and have learned from them all.
Whew! This flaming liberal homeschooler - married to a public school educator - got a good laugh at that and remembered why I don't go to many homeschool "fair" kind of activities. ;)
Okay Jennifer I TOTALLY thought of you after she said that, with your liberal self and public-educating-husband ways! Heehee! And, yes, I have a feeling I too will not be at too many activities of this sort. :) I think we may just have to stick together.
Yeah, I must say either extreme really bugs me (Gung-ho ps or diehard homeschool) but mainly the attitude that one is absolutely better than the other. Each child, and each mother for that matter, is different. You will do well at hs, Brianna, because you are bright and know how to think for yourself!
Ouch. Please please please don't lump us all in there. You know me, and you know the culture that I'm a part of...and it just ain't like that at all. There are plenty more liberal than you or I that are hs'ing...or even unschooling. All hs'ing cultures are not equal.
So...yes. there are 'those' but there are also 'us'. And, I don't think either side is RIGHT. We are all different. All created in the image of God, and all on the journey.
I don't think her comment was so much to say "to think that someone would spend thier life teaching children....shameful..." (Obviously she is doing the same.) But more that most public school teachers she knows are critical of hs'ing. Why wouldn't they be? To hs, in some way, reflects that we hs'ers think we can do a better job. It is threatening.
And having a degree in education myself, and experiencing firsthand the flack I got as I was working on my degree, b/c i thought i may want to hs was...well... not fun. So, although i don't agree with the FLAMing liberal comment, I can understand the criticism she may have received from family, and how hurtful it may have been not to have their approval.
Love you. :)
Yeah Angela it was less WHAT she said and more the TONE of what she said, which was basically disdain.
Granted I was not even IN the conversation, but she was speaking plenty loud for others to hear, and her words seemed pretty harsh for a crowded venue. So I blogged it. :)
OBviously not all homeschoolers are that way--none of the ones I know personally are. I guess the post was more supposed to be a humorous, sarcastic look at a stereotype, and a funny story, not so much an "all homeschoolers are this way" thing. Sorry if that wasn't clear! I'll be homeschooling next year myself, so I've got nothin' but love for homeschoolers. And public educators. And flaming liberals. :)
I also just wanted to quickly add that there ARE many in the conservative homeschool movement who DON'T believe in public education, or in what public teachers are doing. There are some who believe that Christian public educators are forsaking the Bible's teaching. One book in particular that I read, that I think is well-regarded among Christian homeschoolers, makes this point. Which is really sad!
i have nothin' but love for you, brianna. :) you know me...i may have said something! 'Really? My dad is a ps teacher and thinks that me hs'ing is a great idea!' :)
you are so right that there are people who believe that ps is from the devil. I'm not one of them, obviously, since we plan at some point to put our kids in ps. i want so badly to fight that stereotype that all hs'ers are a certain way... maybe that is why i jumped on my soapbox, and why i so badly want a nose ring! it is the rebel in me, i tell ya! :*)
i'll back down now. it has been a HARD day on the homefront, and i'm ready for it to be OVER.
angela ha! yeah there is definitely no one-size-fits-all homeschooler/public schooler etc., but i think it's fair to say that a large portion of homeschoolers are uber-conservative and anti-public school. i am not, and thankfully i know many wonderful homeschoolers who feel the same!
hahaha! I cracked up when you talked about surviving the culture. Yes, the homeschool crowd and the public school crowd are their own animals. Luckily, many people (like you and your commenters) have their feet a little closer to the ground. Surround yourself with them! Now, those super-homeschoolers (or whatever you'd call the "extremers") can be pretty helpful when you need homeschooling suggestions... if you can make it through a visit without gagging or cracking up!
I had to go back and read the comment progression on this post. It was worth it. Enjoy the adventure!
funny
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