School Systems

Home schooling, private schooling, or public schooling? Which is best, which is worst?

I've been associated with each of the systems. I was enrolled in a private Christian school when I was young. This is the only system I am least familiar with due to my young age and lack of observance. I was only enrolled for two and a half years before my parents decided to home school me, and the rest of my brothers(At the time my 3 brothers). I believe the reason was the high cost of enrollment. I do not remember the exact figure, but it was $100-$500 per child.

Private schools tend to have high religious influence. While I'm for Christian education, sometimes it can lead to "brainwashing". When you throw a blanket over their eyes, preventing them from seeing any influence of the world, you risk their becoming naive to the different influences. And when one is naive, they have the tendency to go for that which appeals.

So my conclusion on private schooling is: if the school is not throwing a blanket over their eyes, sheltering them from all "evil influences", then I would consider it. I am in no wise saying protection is bad. Rather too much protection. If you don't allow their feet to callous, then when they start out on the road of life their feet will get bruised and hurt. And when their feet are bruised and hurting, they may wish to run away and hide. This will not work in life.

Now let's consider public schooling. Would I send my kids there? Only after they have a basis in their belief system. Why? For the simple fact I don't want them cleaving to every influence that they see (Drugs, alcohol, fornication, rebellion, etc). I've been to a public high school, the only public school system I've been to for myself. (Though I was only in a public school for a short while, I was presented only with the bombardment of foul language. If only for that reason, I still will wait to send my kids to a public school until they understand certain words are unacceptable.)

I currently teach in a Bible Club at a local elementary school. I am somewhat familiar with public schools below high school level because of that. My mother is in the schooling system to substitute. Recently, she went to the school we have Bible Club and substituted for a teacher. She relayed to me a couple of things. The education was poor. To my recollection there was only math and reading. Both of which were small portion. There may have been one other subject taught, but it still goes to show the lack of education. Now, this may have been simply because she was a substitute teacher, though I do not see how that would be justifiable(Going an entire school day with a lessened amount of schooling simply because of a substituting teacher.)

Another thing my mother relayed to me was that in the reading book they had(Remember, this is elementary age. The grade she taught was 4th grade) a curse word in the text. Now, before you go off on a rant how little that is and how fanatical I am, think. This is a book for children to learn how to read, or enhance their reading skills. If there is a curse word, then they are being taught early on to say them. Still, this may seem insignificant to you, but if we teach our children early on to have a foul mouth, no wonder the world is filled with it. Frankly, it simply irritates me to hear it repeatedly. Not necessarily because it is "wrong," but because everything has to have a curse word. "*Bleep* this, *Bleep* that." Sometimes they cuss just to cuss, with no real reason. And that is ignorance.


Finally, homeschooling. This is the most familiar system of education I am associated with. Ever since my parents took me out of the private school system I've been home schooled(From 1st grade to 11th grade). And this is the one I am least fond of. Simply because of the structure of it. No discipline, no pressure to get school done. I would push off math so much that I'd end up not doing it. I am now regretting it as I have to do doubled to quadrupled amounts of math each day to be able to catch up to my required level. This seems to be the case of a couple other home schooling families. A lack of parental governance.

I am fine with home schooling on the following conditions:
1.) There is a parent who is able to be there all the time to make sure school is done.
2.) There is a parent who is able to enforce the completion of school subjects.
3.) There is a parent who sticks to any structure they wish to get the job done.
4.) Someone who has enough knowledge on all subjects to be able to teach the child any confusing subject.
-I'm not saying teaching the entire curriculum. My family uses a video series to learn different subjects. A parent just needs to know how to structure a sentence, spell certain words, know the basic idea of photosynthesis, know basic mathematical formulas (Addiction, subtraction, etc).

If a family can at least fulfill the first three points, then I would agree to the home schooling system. If you cannot, then send your children to a trusted private school or public school. If none of those options work for you, then you need to make time for their education, buck up and stick to a structure, and refresh yourself on the various school subjects so you can help your children understand difficult subjects. And keep to the structure. That is vital. If you waver in the structure of your schooling(Not doing school at a certain time, slacking on grading, etc) then you will most likely regret it, and so will your children. I'm regretting the lack of structure in my home schooling.



-Kevin