Diane Dachyshyn, a twenty year homeschool veteran writes” In the early days of this movement, parents wanted to know why and how to homeschool before they would commit. I can’t remember anyone who casually agreed to do it. No way! She ads, Today, homeschooling is almost commonplace. It seems that everyone knows someone who homeschools, and unfortunately, it also seems as if all of us know someone who has homeschooled poorly.
The jist of the article is that homeschooling should probably be more exclusive as too many parents are jumping into it blindly and hoping for the best. It goes on for a bit about poor homeschool parents.
It really bothers me when homeschoolers began labeling other homeschoolers as bad. It seems overjudgemental. It is definately presumptuous as well. After all, who is to say that you don’t appear to be a bad homeschooler.
As for accessibility, why shouldn’t homeschooling be accessbible to everyone who is interested? Granted, there will be and are people who should not or can’t homeschool their kids. But, who is to say who should be and who should not have access to homeschooling? Had homeschooling not been accessible, I would not be in my 8th year of homeschooling. I had attempted learning about it years earlier, but ended up giving up because it did not seem accessible. Had I not been able able to find multiple people to draw from in my journey it would have very difficult to begin homeschooling, in fact it may have never happened.
This means that I vote for homeschooling to remain accessible, as if we had any other choice. Whether homeschooling is too easy to jump into or not, it is growing at breakneck speed and there isn’t much anyone can do to stop it. Whether you are for or against homeschooling slapping on regulations and limiting accessibility, for better or for worse is a bad idea, and any homeschooler should know that.
If you feel someone is doing a poor job in homeschooling their kids, you have a couple of choices. You can address them directly. You can become their friends and get a chance to understand their point of view and approach. You can also report them for educational neglect (but you had better have proof.)
~If you liked this you should also read my blogs at the home blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.
Also read:
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.