The homeschooling shuffle: good or bad?

by Jay Allen (Subscribe to Jay Allen's posts) Jul 27th 2005 7:07PM

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I found this interesting article about homeschooling parents in Minnesota who are using a textbook fair to talk to people about homeschooling and dispel some of the myths enshrouding it. What I found most interesting about the article, though, was that it starts by focusing on a family where the 14-year-old daughter has chosen to attend public school after years of homeschooling. Her father discusses many of the concerns that my wife and I have had in the past about our kids making this move - mainly, that we don't want them bouncing back and forth between homeschooling and public school. But then again, is bouncing so bad? Our oldest daughter, Meg, went between homeschooling and high schooling for several years. It wasn't until her senior year that she found an alternative school that worked well for her. She needed the structure that high school provides - but not the structure of a typical high school. So is homeschool shuffling really all that bad, if it ultimately serves the best interests of the child?

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kelly 12-18-2005 @ 6:38PM

Be sure that when you teach the geography lesson that your kids learn there are two Austins -- one here in Texas, and another in Minnesota (where the couple profiled actually lives). :-)

Jay Allen 12-18-2005 @ 6:38PM

Eeek. Okay, corrected the article.

Thanks for being so merciful. :)

Gawdessness 12-18-2005 @ 6:38PM

It depends on the kid and on the situations involved.
Usually if the kid has the ability and interest to take the lead on these issues it should be fine. The worst part about moving around, at least for me, is the feeling of having no control.

Pam Clark 12-18-2005 @ 6:38PM

Our oldest is attending the public high school for her senior year. She finished her academics at our home and really wanted the experiences that being part of the high school could offer.

She is participating in band, drama and Spanish. She is having a wonderful time, remaining appropriate here at home and broadening her opportunities for her future.

We were hesitant, but are grateful we followed the leading we felt from God in opening this opportunity for her. Will all of our kids both home educate and attend the public school? We don't know that now, but we will keep an open mind. We have one boy who absolutely does not want PS. We have another who would like to. Our two littlest love being home and learning here.

I think, as with all things, we need to make the decisions for our children and families based on the leading of the Lord, the agreement of the parents and the individual needs of the child. Others' views may be full of wisdom and we should be discerning, however, everyone has an opinion, yet we, the parents, are ultimately responsible and know our children and family best.

May we all be gracious in our choices and views. For our family this is working, for another family dual enrollment or bouncing between options may be absolutely wrong. I know I don't have all the pieces of the overall picture to make a judgment for anyone else.