Hey, just found this thread. Triangle Man is right, sistathinker. I'm sorry to have missed the opportunity to speak with you at TAM4. My daughter is now 12 years old and has never attended school. There are quite a few comments on this thread to which I'd love to respond, but I need time to digest them. Some thoughts that come quickly to mind involve socialization and witnessing to the Woo.
I have found that the homeschoolers I know frequently have to scale back social activities to ensure that academics get addressed. I know that two years ago, I had to put the skids on all our social activities because we weren't getting the basics done! One of the advantages of home schooling is that you can make adjustments, both academically and socially, as necessary. Many folks home school because their children have special needs, so my daughter has experience in dealing with other children (and adults) of varying challenges and abilities. Not to mention different age groups.
It is true that many home schoolers tend to be fundamentalist Christian, though not as many as I had originally thought. I have no good numbers or cites regarding reasons for home schooling, though I've seen a number of studies and surveys with conflicting information. Please take anything said by "official" organizations such as the Home School Legal Defense Association with a grain of salt. They're political organizations with agenda of their own. That's a subject for a differenct thread, I'm sure.
Anyway, we run into a lack of critical thinking all the time, especially in science co-ops or classes at the science museums. We witness to the Woo all the time, believe me. Pretty much a losing battle, though. All we can hope for is to plant a few seeds.
As for resources, it's amazing how many are out there. We've used everything from K12 to SRA to Scholastic to the local library. We've taken some amazing field trips that simply aren't possible in public school and rarely in private school, I suspect. Of course, living in a city of 4 million people helps. The Houston Museum of Natural Science provides many, many science classes, including dissection. I've put together a pretty respectable chemistry lab in our home for much less money than I thought I'd have to spend.
I could go on and on. My daughter and I both love home schooling. I fully recognize its strengths and weaknesses. I certainly don't bash public schooling -- home schooling is just another education option among many. And it certainly isn't for everyone. It is a full-time job requiring much thought and dedication. But I believe it's the most fun I've ever had.
Whoops. Getting off the subject of resources again. sistathinker, did you have any specific questions about resources? I can certainly give you my protracted whine about the lack of secular science resources for home schoolers. Bob Jones, Abeka, and other religious publishers are kicking our secular butts, I can tell you. The secular science books at the elementary & middle school levels that I have been able to find are pretty watered down; the religious stuff is actually pretty rigorous, but you have to weed out the preaching. And forget about evolution! In high school, of course, for home schoolers there is Saxon's Physics -- secular and pretty rigorous.
There are many comprehensive curricula, though they're mostly religion-based. Consequently, the secular home schoolers I know tend to do what's generally called eclectic home schooling.
Home schooling resources and opportunities are increasing all the time. We've attended Home School Day at Space Center Houston, Six Flags, Sea World, and the Texas Renaissance Festival. Home educators get discounts at Office Max, Office Depot, Borders, and other businesses. Because we are available during school hours, home schoolers are sought out by athletic and business organizations. The YMCA has programs for us, a local rock-climbing business has special home schooler hours and discounts, and so on.
Obviously, I'm enthusiastic about the subject and could go on and on. But, my daughter and I are heading out the door to a US history co-op.
I appreciate the questions and comments I've skimmed so far. I try to keep asking the hard questions myself. I'll review the posts on this thread and respond later, if anyone is interested in my views on these matters.
--TQuilla
