Why so many homeschoolers?

[Major Carrales]

A few comments, I am a public school teacher and I sometimes disagree with the "warehouse" or "factory" style of education our nation utilized.  We have all this about "span of control"  yet we have classes of over 40 in some schools to one teacher and then blame the teacher for some student's failure even when the issues are coming from a home or community environment.

That said, it should be pointed out that schools are institutes of learning, not socialization.  Too many people see a school as a place where social interation comes first and the education second.  We see this in these schools where things like cheerleading, football and band dominate over the academics.  It becomes more about the "frills" than about hitting the books.

School is about teaching writing, reading, mathematics, social studies and science...not how to live in the world.  That latter is the job of parents and the community.  Too many have already passed the buck on this to the schools...and then complain that we are not addressing this.   When a parent comes to a school, is yelled at by their child and then that parent calls for a principal for authority (this has happened many times), then there is something wrong with this picture.

Many school cultures, too, are inflitrated by gangs and a host of other influences that teachers and adminstrators have no real recourse to change.

Homeschooled children, also, are not in a vacuum.  They can and do have friends and relationships outside the family.  Any family sequestering their child from society is depriving them of social interaction.  You don't need a school to have friends.

It is not an "either or" thing, it is simple.  The EDUCATION SYSTEM of a nation is not limited and separate from the SCHOOL SYSTEM.  An EDUCATION SYSTEM is the sum off all learning from a parent teaching a student to walk to a person in a Graduate School class.  That people find a rivalry between homeschool, public school and private school shows me that there are issues that need to be addressed.

[Extremepredjudice]

Very good. I am right now, sitting in a room with about 15 people in it, at least 10 are my friends. I make tons of friends at my college. I know half the campus.

[Flying Pig]

yeah...but your probably all socially awkward so you all seem normal to yourselves

[Eclipse]

Very good. I am right now, sitting in a room with about 15 people in it, at least 10 are my friends. I make tons of friends at my college. I know half the campus.

They just emailed us and said they'd prefer if you left quietly, and take your ketchup sandwiches with you!

[Major Carrales]

yeah...but your probably all socially awkward so you all seem normal to yourselves

If they were all "socially akward" then they would be "the norm" and you the "odd man out." 

Your comment came across as very uncalled for...in fact, this is a real prejudice here it would seem.   I am a bit taken back and will have to ask you to apologize or otherwise qualify these statement.

[Major Carrales]

Very good. I am right now, sitting in a room with about 15 people in it, at least 10 are my friends. I make tons of friends at my college. I know half the campus.

They just emailed us and said they'd prefer if you left quietly, and take your ketchup sandwiches with you!

You too...that is a bit uncalled for.  I am suprised.

[FlyTiger77]

Very good. I am right now, sitting in a room with about 15 people in it, at least 10 are my friends. I make tons of friends at my college. I know half the campus.

They just emailed us and said they'd prefer if you left quietly, and take your ketchup sandwiches with you!

You too...that is a bit uncalled for.  I am suprised.

I read them as jokes, but I could have been mistaken.

[Major Carrales]

Very good. I am right now, sitting in a room with about 15 people in it, at least 10 are my friends. I make tons of friends at my college. I know half the campus.

They just emailed us and said they'd prefer if you left quietly, and take your ketchup sandwiches with you!

You too...that is a bit uncalled for.  I am suprised.

I read them as jokes, but I could have been mistaken.

Could be jokes....but there was no emoticon behind them.  I don't expect Eclipse to usually participate in a "dog pile."

[commando1]

I think, (my first mistake right  ), getting back to the OP's question, that CAP has a lot of homeschooled kids because its an amazing program. Its relatively cheap, teaches great life skills, and prepares for a possible future in the military. Homeschoolers don't need defending because it was the original way to learn. We were given a lot of opportunities to excel. Some capitalize on those, and some don't. I could care less what the previous post was intending, whether serious or in jesting. We are here. We aren't going anywhere. Come to terms with that. 

[johnnyb47]

I found a pretty cool article on home-school.com about CAP;
http://www.home-school.com/Articles/how-to-become-a-civil-air-patrol-cadet.html

What the CAP Can Do for You

It may sound as though the CAP Cadet program is all work and no play. While it is true that the cadets put in a lot of hard work, they also have a lot of fun. Cadets learn model rocketry, take field trips to aerospace museums, and go on weekend encampments (see my son Scott's article on page 21). Cadets may fly aboard military aircraft as part of the flight orientation program. They may also attend week-long encampments during the summer, learning such skills as ground search and rescue.

Of particular interest to homeschoolers is the emphasis placed on academic excellence, especially in the areas of math and science. The aerospace program is an outstanding supplement to math and science curricula, allowing students to practically apply what they have learned. Cadets are taught by qualified CAP members and are given the opportunity to meet and learn from professional military personnel. The CAP Cadet Program stresses high moral standards and integrity among its members and safety in its flight orientation program.

Also noteworthy is the edge CAP membership gives cadets in pursuing future career goals. Civil Air Patrol Cadets who choose to serve in the military or attend a service academy after high school have an advantage over their peers. Currently, those cadets who enlist in the Air Force may join as Airmen First Class (E-3) rather than Airmen Basic (E-1). For those who hope to attend one of the service academies, it is significant that 8 to 10 percent of the US Air Force Academy class is typically made up of former CAP Cadets.

EDIT:
Here's another more recent example:
http://www.home-school.com/Articles/civil-air-patrol-wants-you.html
EDIT 2:
Here's one of our own articles. Interesting that CAP membership and activities was able to be applied as aerospace science credit in High School.
http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/CopyofHomeschooledCadets_3C5DE2D95B_94FBCCA84E95D.pdf

[Extremepredjudice]

yeah...but your probably all socially awkward so you all seem normal to yourselves

Ok, but they are all college students, and all of them are from public school... SOOOO, yeah.

[Perez]

Either you're able to pick up on social cues and can function in public, or you can't. There is no "homeschool versus public school" battle. In addition to being homeschooled, I have attended private and public schools. While it could be easier to get away with being socially awkward as at home, there is no guarantee that this will happen. Personally, I started volunteering at my local library as soon as I could, and I've always enjoyed holding real conversations with adults. As others have stated, there are just as many socially awkward kids in the public school system as opposed to those being homeschooled. There is really no set ratio, and it would be immature to assume otherwise.

[Eclipse]

Either you're able to pick up on social cues and can function in public, or you can't.

That's not how it works.  Muscles not used are never developed.  Pointing to other children who have issues
doesn't counter that point.  Mom, dad, family, and other factors are involved as well.

Bottom line, you can't learn to swim by reading about it.

[Flying Pig]

yeah...but your probably all socially awkward so you all seem normal to yourselves

If they were all "socially akward" then they would be "the norm" and you the "odd man out." 

Your comment came across as very uncalled for...in fact, this is a real prejudice here it would seem.   I am a bit taken back and will have to ask you to apologize or otherwise qualify these statement.

Uh dude, take a step back a minute and read the above posts and youll see it was a joke between myself and Extreme.  He is homeschooled and so are my kids.  Comments were made earlier that homeschooled kids can be socially awkward.  A little situational awareness goes along way before you assume Im bashing a cadet for being homeschooled.  And if you read further, you would find that I came to the defense of homeschooled kids being labled as having no social skills by using my kids as examples fo the opposite.  I thought it was pretty obvious.  Maybe not.

[Eclipse]

Same goes for me...thankfully extreme's sarcasm indicator is pretty good...

[Extremepredjudice]

Same goes for me...thankfully extreme's sarcasm indicator is pretty good...

No it isn't؟

[SarDragon]

I was a social disaster well into my 20s. I was the product of public schools and a military dependent life. Making new friends was never easy, and having to do it every two or three years didn't make it any easier. I went to school in six different school districts, in four states, and two countries. And that was just through 6th grade.

When I became a single parent (girls, 5, 3, 3), I had friends who were willing to be very direct with me and tell me that I was screwing up. I'm sure it was more for the girls' benefit than mine, but we all came out on the winning side.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I'll answer the OP, and then what came after.

To OP: Most of the Cadets in my area were public school, and FEW were home schooled. Just depends on your area. I'm betting more rural areas have even higher rates of home schooling.

Now, as to the rest of the topic. I've run into MANY socially awkward home school students. I've run into MANY socially awkward public school students.

I can't really make a judgement on whether one is better than the other, but I personally plan on sending my future children to a public school. I also plan to check that they are learning, but I don't want to be involved in their education as directly as home schooling.

I went to public school. I made my parents back off from "overseeing" me around the age of 13-14. I did just fine on my own. I enjoyed some subjects, hated others. My parents have no idea what I've been doing on College for the last 4 years either. It's just the best way for me to learn.

OTHERS, on the other hand NEED parent oversight. Some won't admit their issues when they struggle. Others just won't do the work otherwise. We're all different. For some Public Schooling works - especially in a "good" school. For others home schooling is the way to go, but unfortunately a lot of that has been "tainted" by the extremists who teach what they believe as opposed to what children need to learn.

Then again, if the history text books keep rolling the way they have been, I just may need to teach my kids history from MY books, and insist on them taking the AP courses.

[titanII]

insist on them taking the AP courses.

I would absolutely recommend you do. I've never learned as much as I have in the AP classes I've taken. Not to mention I've also earned some college credits, depending upon which college I end up attending.

[Майор Хаткевич]

insist on them taking the AP courses.

I would absolutely recommend you do. I've never learned as much as I have in the AP classes I've taken. Not to mention I've also earned some college credits, depending upon which college I end up attending.

I knocked off 1/3 of a school year by taking two AP History courses. Not a bad deal when 1/3 of a year = $10,000.

Had I stayed for my Senior year, I could have entered college with Sophomore/close to Junior status.