After doing a little research into Mr. Turtel's book and web site, I also discovered that
one of his quick fix answers is for parents to pull their kids out of school and simply
enroll them in one of these new "internet schools" because in his words,
"These schools take most of the home-schooling burden off parents' backs,
yet can give children a low-cost, quality education at home."
I ask, "Is that what homeschooling is?... a burden?... then why do it?"
Once again, well-meaning (?) "experts" are dangerously diluting the real meaning of
homeschooling and assuming that "a quality education" comes in the
form of ready-made teachers, workbooks, tests, and report cards.
This is a dangerous and misleading path itself. It erodes the foundation
laid by child and family advocates like John Holt, Raymond and
Dorothy Moore, Pat Montgomery, Mark and Helen Hegener who
sacrificed and fought to build the modern homeschool movement.
Homeschooling is so much more than simply removing children
from the system and marching them into cyber school which may very
likely duplicate much of what is bad about traditional schools.
Homeschooling means COMMITTED parents who are willing to
make sacrifices for their children. It means GIVING TIME to children.
It means WORKING toward building healthy and happy relationships
in the family.It means DEVOTING ENERGY to work in the home and
in the community.
"Boxed" programs have always been available from the first
moment homeschooling and homeschoolers were recognized
as marketing targets. Now cybers and charters and people
like Mr. Turtel are tempting parents for all the wrong reasons...
Parents will be simply switching straitjackets.
Academic achievement is the very smallest part of homeschooling.
There is so much more involved. All parents need to understand this
before they make such an important life changing decision and especially
before they plug their children into a computer for hours a day.
Let's get back to the basics of homeschooling and learning in freedom.
To read more on meaningful homeschooling visit:
What Does Real Homeschooling Mean?
Ann Larhson Fisher's "Fundamentals of Homeschooing" article
When Education Becomes Abuse
The Case for Homeschooling Young Children
The Golden Age of Homeschooling (Helen Hegener)
one of his quick fix answers is for parents to pull their kids out of school and simply
enroll them in one of these new "internet schools" because in his words,
"These schools take most of the home-schooling burden off parents' backs,
yet can give children a low-cost, quality education at home."
I ask, "Is that what homeschooling is?... a burden?... then why do it?"
Once again, well-meaning (?) "experts" are dangerously diluting the real meaning of
homeschooling and assuming that "a quality education" comes in the
form of ready-made teachers, workbooks, tests, and report cards.
This is a dangerous and misleading path itself. It erodes the foundation
laid by child and family advocates like John Holt, Raymond and
Dorothy Moore, Pat Montgomery, Mark and Helen Hegener who
sacrificed and fought to build the modern homeschool movement.
Homeschooling is so much more than simply removing children
from the system and marching them into cyber school which may very
likely duplicate much of what is bad about traditional schools.
Homeschooling means COMMITTED parents who are willing to
make sacrifices for their children. It means GIVING TIME to children.
It means WORKING toward building healthy and happy relationships
in the family.It means DEVOTING ENERGY to work in the home and
in the community.
"Boxed" programs have always been available from the first
moment homeschooling and homeschoolers were recognized
as marketing targets. Now cybers and charters and people
like Mr. Turtel are tempting parents for all the wrong reasons...
Parents will be simply switching straitjackets.
Academic achievement is the very smallest part of homeschooling.
There is so much more involved. All parents need to understand this
before they make such an important life changing decision and especially
before they plug their children into a computer for hours a day.
Let's get back to the basics of homeschooling and learning in freedom.
To read more on meaningful homeschooling visit:
What Does Real Homeschooling Mean?
Ann Larhson Fisher's "Fundamentals of Homeschooing" article
When Education Becomes Abuse
The Case for Homeschooling Young Children
The Golden Age of Homeschooling (Helen Hegener)
