Homeschooling Essays (Examples)

Home-Schooling Can Be a Safe Alternative to

Home-schooling can be a safe alternative to normative schooling. For decades, across the country, there is an abundance of statistical data demonstrating that national averages including tests scores, frequency of student suspension, and occurrence of school violence are all on the rise. While it is true that not all schools are prone to or experience excessive violence, it can be argued that overall, the school environment is less safe and demonstrates less clarity or alignment with clear codes of ethics and morals.

My Attitude:

When choosing to pursue home-schooling over that of the normative educational experience, parents take back a substantial amount of responsibility in the raising of their children. Children spend a great deal of their young lives in school. Therefore the experiences and the lessons they have during school weigh heavily upon the type of people they grow into. When children are home-schooled, those experiences and impressions can be more centered in the home, family, religion, and spirituality. If parents in pairs or in groups, have the opportunity to home school their children, it is an optimal choice.

My Purpose:

To demonstrate that with home-schooling there is an element of spirituality that permeates throughout the entire experience of…… [Read More]

Home Schooling A Choice Home

Formal settings employ, by law, extensive testing of the child's abilities to determine preparedness for entering school, and in advancing the child through the levels of education (Craighead and Nemeroff (Eds.) 1455). Craighead and Nemeroff explain:

"School readiness is determined by assessing the developmental level of children in such areas as listening comprehension, visual perceptual and fine motor skills, expressive and receptive vocabulary, and experiential knowledge. Readiness in these varied areas is generally considered to be the necessary foundation upon which to base more diverse and complex learning skills . . . Those children who are relatively lacking in one or more of these areas are considered less ready and at risk unless some type of educational or family intervention is provided. Controlling for other factors, the chronologically older children from a higher socioeconomic background will typically achieve more during the initial school years. Depending on the ability and the resourcefulness of schools to acknowledge and adapt to the individual special needs of their students, the influence of these age and socioeconomic status differences in school readiness can be minimized (1455)."

This raises the question of by whom and how home schooled children are assessed in their readiness for beginning…… [Read More]

Home Schooling Traditional School-Based Education

Home schooled children experienced 2.2 of these activities while other children experienced 1.6 enrichment activities.

(Wagenaar)

Home-based education is especially effective for those at either end of the spectrum of ability. Children who are troubled by past indiscretions related to the challenges of the socialization in public schools are finding home-schooling a viable option for their success. Away from the distractions and pressures of the social environment in school and with needed attention of parents many of these students not only pass they begin to excel, and find that their past failures were more a product of the environment than themselves. Though the literature on this is minimal those children who experience excessive bullying in the public school might find home-schooling wherever possible to be a much better alternative than school-based education. There is really no other place in a person's life where bullying behavior is accepted than in school. Avoiding such challenges to self-esteem might allow those children a much better opportunity to thrive than they would if continually beaten down by bullying and social stigmas.

The literature associated with home-schooling gifted children is more plentiful and is associated with a belief that children with great abilities are challenged…… [Read More]

Home Schooling First Study the

This study was conducted in 2004, and was entitled "A Preliminary Investigation of the Effectiveness of Homeschool Instructional Environments for Students with Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder" (Duval and Ward, 2004).

This paper has specifically subjected four students who were diagnosed with ADHD. This researched undertaking is aimed at having a comparative "benchmark for the experiences of homeschool students in relation to general education peers with similar behavioral profiles" (Duvall and Ward, 2004). The researchers of this study have already gathered reviews of related literature and they have come up with the idea that homeschooling is generally effective for the normal students. Effective, for them, means that the students are attaining average to high grades in school curriculum, while "normal' students for them are those students with no disorder or deficiency and does not require any special attention from the teachers nor any special instructional techniques.

The measures of classroom ecology and achievement generally showed that two homeschools, when compared to two public school classrooms, provided equal, if not better, instructional environments for two children with ADHD by providing higher levels of academic responding. These outcomes are consistent with the "opportunity-to-respond" paradigm developed at Juniper Gardens Children's Project. The results of…… [Read More]

Homeschooling Children Homeschooling of Children Is a

Homeschooling Children

Homeschooling of children is a hotly debated issue among many. Homeschooling is a form of education in which parents or others provide educational instruction for children at home rather than entering the children in a traditional public or private school setting. Many children are being educated at home in the United States. Some reports reveal that there are around 1.1 million children receiving their education through homeschooling with a parent, guardian, or tutor.

Reasons Cited for Homeschooling

Stated as common reasons cited by families for homeschooling their children are problems with the school environment. Also cited is lack of satisfaction with the academic instruction provided in schools and others stated reasons including that their children receive moral and religious instruction in the home school setting that they do not receive in public or private schools. It is difficult to report effectively on homeschooling since it is so decentralized in nature however, according to reports, students are realizing high levels of academic achievement when homeschooled.

II. Learning Disabilities and Homeschooling

Reasons for homeschooling cited include that many children with ADHD and other learning disabilities (LD) are benefiting from homeschooling due to the one-on-one instruction in the home school setting.…… [Read More]

Homeschooling v Public Education

Public School vs. Home Schooling

The modern debate about the issues surrounding the validity of both public education and home school programs are as diverse as those students served by both systems. For the most part in the United States more people educate their children within a standard public education environment. Secondary to those people who send their children to public schools are those who send their children to private schools, both parochial and non-parochial, in foundation. Third in number but not necessarily in voice is the thousands upon thousands of families who chose to focus their lives in such a way that they and their children learn together within a home school setting. Though for the purposes of brevity the main debate in this paper will simply be between home schooling and public school education.

This work will focus on both the pros and cons of home schooling and public compulsory education. Both a qualitative and quantitative approach will be taken. (Benz & Newman 1998 pages 109-118) Some of the main points of contention between home school advocates and public school advocates are related to socialization, cultural and moral issues, curricular issues, individualized learning issues, and of coarse focused…… [Read More]

Homeschooling and Classroom Management From a Columnist Point-Of-View

Smaller Classes Not Always Better, and Cal Thomas' article Homeschooling Can Be New 'Exodus' provide two interesting views of education. Thomas' article urges parents to pull their children out of "Godless" public schools and enroll them in private Christian schools or home school them, but smacks of a disturbing sense of moral self-righteousness and judgment, and Thomas fails to consider the financial costs of his 'exodus' on poor families. John Rosemond's article suggests that small class sizes do not necessarily lead to better student performance, but that student performance is strongly influenced by discipline. Rosemond's article is tainted by a nasty allegation that teachers press for smaller classes only out desire for political clout, and are not motivated by student needs.

In Smaller Classes Not Always Better, John Rosemond suggests that smaller class sizes are not linked to better student performance, but that student performance is a function of discipline. The most agreeable aspect of his column is his understanding of the role of discipline and good behavior in a productive teaching environment. The most shocking of his assertions is likely his claim that class size has essentially no relationship to student performance. My reaction to this assertion is one…… [Read More]

Education Law Homeschooling

Education Law: Homeschooling

The objective of this work in writing is to conduct an analysis of RV Jones case based on the questions of: (1) What is the legal path of this case and what are the key facts of the case? (2) What are the decision of the highest court and the key points of law defined by the judge in the rationale of this decision? If the decision had a majority and minority judgment outline the points in each. (3) What are the implications to your teacher profession and your classroom practice?

Legal Path and Key Facts of Case

Jones (1986) involved the pastor of a fundamentalist church, appellant in the case, who had provided home schooling for his children that operated in the basement of the church. The pastor refused to send his children to the public school as 142(1) of the Alberta School Act required and as well refused to seek an exemption under s 143(1)(a) and (e) excusing a pupil from attending a school over which a board has control if:

(1) a Department of Education inspector or a Superintendent of Schools certifies that he is receiving efficient instruction at home or elsewhere, or (2)…… [Read More]

Argument and Persuasion of Home Schooling

Ritalin, generically known as methylphenidate, belongs to the group of amphetamine and amphetamine-type drugs. Amphetamines are stimulants, more commonly known as "speed." The incidence of taking Ritalin in young children is at an alarming rate. Peterson (1999) reports that at least two million children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder take Ritalin and other related drugs. The United Nations released a report in 1996 expressing concern over the discovery that 10% to 12% of all male school children in the United States currently take the drug, a rate far surpassing that in any other country in the world (Livingstone. 1997).

Despite this high level of drug use, there have been many people- parents, educators, medical professionals- who have been lobbying against the use of Ritalin. The literature, academic and consumer oriented, is full of stories and reports of the ill effects of Ritalin on children.

Donna Jones tells the story of how her son was affected by Ritalin. According to her report (Peterson, 1999), "soon after her son started taking the medicine, she was concerned that he seemed dazed and disconnected from others. Within a few years, Kyle believed he needed drugs to function. He began experimenting with other pills and…… [Read More]

Homeschooling -- What Does it

" (Lisa Rivero, page 107) Gardner presented eight other ways that parents can use in home schooling. Those eight ways that Gardner presented are showing the child intelligence. Examples and associations are simplifying the learning process. The eight ways of Gardner are: "through words (linguistic intelligence), through numbers and reasoning (logical -- mathematical intelligence), through music (musical intelligence), through pictures (spatial intelligence), through our bodies and movement (bodily -- kinesthetic intelligence), through our relationships with other people (interpersonal intelligence), through knowledge of and a relationship with ourselves (intrapersonal intelligence), and through nature (naturalist intelligence)." (Idem, page 108)

6. Advantages of home schooling

One of the best advantages of homeschooling is that family bonds become stronger. The relationships between sister, brother and parents are becoming closer because they spend the majority of their time together. Through homeschooling parents and children have the possibility to choose when, what and where to learn the information. Also, home school offers the possibility to learn even if one child is in the impossibility not to go at public/private school. For examples, some parents who have children with asthma or various allergies prefer to home school their children for a closer control of these diseases. The…… [Read More]

Home Schooling Since Public Schools Have Become

Home Schooling

"Since public schools have become over crowded, guns and violence are a daily occurrence, and private schools are so over priced for the average family, home schooling has become an excellent alternative."

Education all the while has been a burning issue, it has been talked about in political fraternities, in the media and expectantly, in the households of America. Schools are encountering plummeting test results, aggressive behavior and other difficulties and it evidently appears that there is an urgency to assess various options for imparting education to the children of America. A lot of alternatives are available; however, home school, private schools and public schools are among the three types of schools which are extremely widespread and adored by all. (Evaluating schooling alternatives)

Nowadays, public schools possess several limitations, like they had all through the previous century, like they will be all the while, as they are a venture of people. Nearly, all the limitations in our schools can be rooted to economic deprivation -- particularly patches of economic deprivation. Contemporary studies on mathematics and science underscores several years of research revealing that economically disadvantaged students are directed into low and middle-path classes, get teachers having the minimum…… [Read More]

Homeschool a Child vs Public School

Home School vs. Public School

Home schooling was once reserved for homebound students due to a number of reasons, such as rural locations, or physical conditions. Religion has also been a major reason for home schooling. Today, however, many parents are choosing home schooling over public schools for variety of reasons and statistics show that for the majority it has proven to be the right choice.

The National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, collects and analyzes data related to education in the United States and other nations as well. In 1999, the NCES reported that approximately 850,000 students in the U.S. are being home schooled (McDermott Pp). This is 1.7% of all U.S. students, ranging from five to seventeen years old and a grade equivalent of kindergarten to high school senior level (McDermott Pp).

During the last two decades there has been a steady increase of parents choosing home schooling over public schools.

The most frequently asked question by the media to the Home School Legal Defense Association is, "Why do home-schoolers do so well on standardized achievement tests compared to students in institutional schools" (Smith Pp)? "Ever since home schooled test results on nationally normed standardized achievement tests have…… [Read More]

Home School Athletes in Public

Secondly, the student must meet the requirements for a home education program, which include the same curriculum as listed in Florida Statutes, 232.246(1) (Florida Statute 232.0201, 1993). During the time of participation, the student must show evidence of academic progress, as determined by an evaluation which may include a review of the student's work by a certified instructor, grades obtained through correspondence courses or community colleges, or standardized test scores (Florida Statute 232.0201, 1993). The student must register with the school at the beginning of the term in which they wish to participate (Florida Statute 232.425, 2003).

These requirements are difficult enough to enforce, but as noted, with proper testing and evaluation by qualified instructors, the curriculum and grading of home educated students appears to be very manageable. In the State of Florida, then, the academic requirements for sport participation are equal for both public and home educated students. Although there is certainly more room for fraud and improper grading techniques for home educated students, the evaluations necessary can alleviate much of this concern.

However, while the academic requirements may be manageable enough, the other requirements are not as easily supervised. For example, in order for home educated students to…… [Read More]

What Is the Number One Reason Parents Home School Their Children

Homeschooling Quality of Education

The Need for and the Purpose of the Project

The Subproblems

Definitions and Abbreviations of Terms

Books

Methodology for investigating problems identified as subproblems

Note on the Anti-Homeschooling Debate

Specific data by subproblem

Conclusion by subproblem

Subproblem one

Subproblem two

Subproblem three

Sources Cited

Growth in Homeschooling, 1978-1999

NCES Reasons for Homeschooling

The Need for and the Purpose of the Project

Homeschooling is providing a child's main educational program at home. (Webster) Homeschooling takes the place of full-time school attendance, whether at public or private schools, and should meet all the state requirements for each grade and for graduation from high school and the interim graduations, such as middle-school and so on.

Homeschooling is not a new idea, but rather one that has returned to the forefront of educational discussion in the past generation.

Until public education became widely available in the United States during the late nineteenth century, most children were educated at home. The children of the wealthy had tutors, who often taught them what they needed to know to attend universities.

The children of those who were a bit less well off might go to a church or private school, but often, formal…… [Read More]

How Public Parochial and Home School Interact

Public, Private and Parochial Education, and Character Education

The consensus that exists among educators and parents concerning the form that moral education should take in our schools is one that presently needs to be developed, according to Dr. Thomas Lickona (1993). As Lickona (1993) states, "In the 20th century, the consensus supporting character education began to crumble under the blows of several powerful forces" such as Social Darwinism, positivism and increasing subjectivity with regard to morality and values. In other words, in the 20th century, what was good for one was not necessarily good for another or for all, as modern philosophers put it. Lickona asserts that educators and parents need to work together to arrive at a new consensus regarding character education: they need to identify goals and values that they agree on as being important and vital for children's formation.

Educators can help students become caring, morally responsible persons by first identifying "what good character is" (Lickona, 1993), then they must develop a "comprehensive approach" that assists in forming that same good character, which should be a "holistic" approach as well: this can take the form of having the teacher acting as "caregiver, model and mentor," of establishing…… [Read More]

Academic Profile of Home Schoolers a Case Study

Academic Profile of Home Schooling - a Case Study

Home Schooling vs. Traditional Educational Methods

Home Schooling Methodology

Focus of the Practicum

Culture

Area of Inquiry

Subject/Topic Areas

Home Schooling as an Alternative

Curricula and Materials Used for Home Schooling

The Success of Home Schooling

Evaluation Design

Conditions for Change

Timeline

Chronology

Legislative Information:

Maryland: A Legal Analysis

State Laws and Regulations - Maryland

Goulart and Travers vs. Calvert County

Home-schooled Kids Find Social Growth"

Home Schoolers in the Trenches"

Home School Academic Advantage Increases Over Time"

Home Schooling." ERIC Digest, Number 95.

Abstract

The Academic Profile of Home Schoolers

Case Study

The focus of this applied dissertation proposal is to examine and analyze home school families' academic environment, the institutional materials they use, and to gain an understanding of their academic success.

Prince George's County Public School System is the nineteenth largest school system in the nation with a diverse student population of over 137,000 students. Currently, there are 2,309 students that are being educated at home; 858 are being taught through correspondence courses that are registered with the Maryland State Department of Education. The remaining 1,451 are being supervised by Price George's County Public Schools. The school system…… [Read More]

Public School System in America

However a poll take in 1994 by the Wall Street Journal found that 28% of Americans would prefer to have their own children homeschooled (Houston & Toma 2003).

The authors further explain that the increased number of children being home schooled has created issues associated with truancy laws and in some cases been the catalyst for the passing of new laws. In fact 35 states have created new legislation related to home schooling. For instance, in some states there are hybrid forms of public-home enrollment. In addition the state of Idaho permits dual enrollment, and in California there is a district that gives parents a $1,000 voucher to home-schooled children so that they can purchase textbooks that are approved by the district. Although states have been effective in formulating and implementing laws related to home schooling, the federal government has been less effective in creating such legislation (Robertson 1994; (Houston & Toma 2003).

In addition (Ryan & Stull 2000) report that the substantial growth in homeschooling is the cause of significant change in the legal status of homeschooling.

These legal changes occurred primarily as a result of court decisions in which advocates for homeschooling challenged state compulsory education laws (Ryan…… [Read More]

Person Statement Our Attitude Toward

Most importantly, I want to return to my father at least a fraction of what he has given to me in education and encouragement. If it were not for his decision to home school me, I would not have been where I am today, and most likely I would have set less ambitious longer-term goals.

A graduated my home schooling career with honors, earned extra credits, and achieved all the goals I set for myself. I did this entirely by self-directed scholarship, and on the basis of what I received from my parents. This in turn enabled me to enter college at the unusually early age of sixteen years old. At seventeen, I have no completed almost two years of college. This, in my view, gives me an advantage over many other people at my age. Through home schooling I have matured to a level where can pursue my studies with full confidence of success. Having a GPA of 3.93, I have absolutely no doubt that I can reach my next goal, which is a B.A. In Government, after which my aim is to enter law school and become an attorney. Of course I also believe in always aiming for…… [Read More]

Socialization There Is Likely as

The teacher can be part of the community that helps to guide the child along in the role of life. It is an important responsibility, but it is just one role to be played. Other members of the community may be equally as responsible, although homeschool moms might beg to differ. One recent study showed that homeschool moms are sometimes fearful about teachers and the community overreaching their boundaries. Concerning homeschool moms, the authors wrote, "they are far too informed to allow their children to participate in the manipulation of numbers as they relate to school performance" (Sanborn, Santos, Montgomery, Caruthers, 2004, pg. 27).

The onslaught of data available through the internet, as well as through other media has informed the latest generation with a relatively large amount of information, more so than at any other time in man's history. Students are more prepared to learn than they were in previous generations, and teachers who plan on working in the elementary age classrooms will need to be much more prepared as well. Understanding that teacher's role in regards to providing education, as well as providing socialization experiences will mean that teachers will need to be cognizant as to how the…… [Read More]

Child Study Christopher Cole Is

Interviews with his parents reveal a disturbing trend. His parents do not seem to want to challenge Christopher in any meaningful way and instead enable his lack of progress. Perhaps out of fear for his tantrums, Christopher's mother makes excuses for her son's behavior. The experiment of homeschooling Christopher has therefore been unproductive because he is not challenged, and therefore is not learning as much as he could be. His social skills have also been hampered by his homeschooling environment, and by the attitudes of his parents. Christopher does not understand certain social conventions. For instance, he will pass gas while talking to people or make a wolf whistle at a female.

Christopher has no real friends his own age. He seems to prefer being around adults due to the extra compassion and attention they show him. Christopher throws temper tantrums when he feels anxious or put on the spot, such as when asked to do math problems. If there is one thing I could tell Christopher's regular teacher, it would be to involve the parents more rigorously in developing the IEP. The parents need to be made to feel more responsible for their son's progress and take a more…… [Read More]

Distance Education Offers a Timeline

A similar trend was seen in many areas of U.S. society, such as the restriction of medicinal claims on products and other trends that began in the same decade.

It was very interesting to find that the U.S. Armed Forces had any part in distance education, and specifically how broad the areas of study offered by the U.S. Armed Forces Institute. The student base of about 500,000 is also interesting and surprising, but might be explained again by the fact that the nation was in constant need to make better citizens, and feeding the brain was though to be essential to this. It would also be interesting to see how much the USAFI utilized the programs to stress the importance of military service, though it is also clear that much of the work they did was to educate existing service men who had left education to join the military.

In many ways the history of distance education is a timeline of communication technologies. As the postal system developed distance education systems became widespread, even more so with the rail lines, telegraphs and materials transport, then the telephone played its part and then television became an active part of distance education.…… [Read More]

Saba's Viewpoint Farhad Saba's Viewpoint

For instance, online students are generally older and their life experiences make them autonomous, self-directed, and goal- and relevancy-oriented (Dortch, 2003; Diaz, 2002; Dubois, 1996). Thus, these are the types of continuing education students that traditional educational institutions have always served.

In summary, Saba's analysis is flawed. Traditional educational institutions have and will continue to respond to changes in market needs. Currently, the demand for distance education is fueled by many factors, with student autonomy representing one of these benefits that plays best to students who continuing their education.

Bibliography

Diaz, D.P. (2002, May/June). Online Drop Rates Revisited. The Technology Source. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/howell63.html

Dortch, K.D. (2003, April 13-15) "How to get learners to learn." Distance Education and Training Council: Report on the DETC 77th Annual Conference. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/howell63.html… [Read More]

Violence and Premature Sex Are

2. I agree wholeheartedly with the author. Random acts of kindness do make the world and our society a better place. We need to become more aware of the connections between people. We do need to smile more, treat others with deep respect, and recognize the impact our actions have on other people. Instead of walking around angry all day, we need to develop a positive frame of mind and speak and act with kindness.

Universal health care would reflect a deep change in our culture. We have become so focused on our independence that we forgot the value of sharing and caring. Our selfishness and greed has led to a situation in which most Americans cannot afford adequate healthcare. Yet Americans are afraid of making small sacrifices that could benefit our society such as paying slightly more taxes to fund a truly universal system…… [Read More]

Education Discuss the Relevant Information About the

Education

Discuss the relevant information about the student's behaviors. What factors early on contribute to how she is today?

Liz, a 15-year-old high school Freshman, has been exhibiting certain behaviors lately and in the past that have been affecting her today. Liz has been functioning below grade level academically. She cannot work independently, "hates" school, and rebels against all authority. She is defensive and uses abusive language. She tends to blame others for her carelessness and seldom takes responsibility. According to Liz's parents, Liz seldom slept enough when she was younger, so as to give them a break from her behaviors. As Liz grew older, she began to react impulsively. She has been caught distributing drugs and refuses to get tested, psychologically.

There are certain factors, from the past, that may have contributed to how Liz is today. First of all, Liz seemed to be deprived of sleep, early on, which could have contributed to her moody behavior. It also seems that Liz's parents expressed the lack of sleep issue more as a problem for them, rather than for Liz, which could let off a negative vibe to Liz, resulting in her negativity. Secondly, Liz's parents expressed their use of…… [Read More]

Greek Mythological Master Piece Sailing

Historical Issues In Modern Education

There are numerous issues seeded in a Greek civilization, rooting down to the contemporary world; for instance Gender Equity, home schooling, Pledge of allegiance, Unions and collective bargaining just to name a few. Each of the issues would be addressed in due course.

Most notably gender bias as practiced by the Greeks is the major parasitical issue in all avenues of education. A study commissioned by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in 1991 claims that girl don't receive as much attention and are not put into challenging situations like complex and abstract questioning, as compared to boys, in an average school (Woodward, 1998). Moreover, countable school books portray "stereotypical" image of women. These books are void of any acknowledgements of the abilities and achievements of women altogether. This has also been hinted by Cahill in the chapter Warrior: how to fight and also in numerous other instances, in course of his narration, emphasizing the insignificance and inability of women. Second big issue is insensitivity towards students with disabilities. Formerly, teachers were reluctant and even hostile on the issue of including slow learners and disables to the mainstream classroom contents. Teachers primarily, chose to…… [Read More]

Students With ADHD

Students with ADHD

Education 518, Section B13

Dr. Carolyn McCreight

Qualitative article review: Students with ADHD

Homeschooling is one of the controversial approaches to educate children with 'special needs'. Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are preferred to be taught at home by their parents. Instructors for homeschooling are also arranged for this purpose. However, there has been widespread criticism on this method of teaching attention-deficit students. The main purpose of this paper is to review a qualitative study conducted on the topic of providing homeschooling to attention-deficit students. Duvall, Delquadri and Ward (2004) conducted a study to investigate the appropriateness of homeschooling environment for instructing basic skills to children with special needs. The main purpose of this qualitative study was to ascertain whether or not parents of children having attention-deficit as well as hyperactivity disorder could provide their children with instructional environmental that was conducive for facilitating acquisition of basic skills by their children.

Description of participants/sample

Four students were made part of this research as participants of the study. All four students had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder being diagnosed to them. The main category of ADHD students that were selected as sample was suffering from 'inattentiveness syndrome'. In…… [Read More]

Richard Dawkins' the Selfish Gene

As a result, many children were schooled at home. The modern home schooling movement is a recalling of these earlier days, modernized with home schooling curricula, Internet access and activities for children, such as sports, which bring them together for social activities. Although teachers' unions insist that parents are not professionally-trained teachers, the results of home schooling are incontrovertible. Home-schooled students perform much better on standardized tests than government-schooled children, have higher college admission rates, and report greater satisfaction than those in public schools (Williams, 2007). A recent Gallup poll found that 75% of Americans favor public schooling. A similar Gallup poll, taken in 1985, found that 75% were against home schooling. In the intervening years, the continued decline of the public school paradigm has changed American minds.

Charter, Magnet and Other Schools modified way to introduce vouchers, or school choice, is to create charter and magnet schools. The founding idea is to create a school to which parents will want to send their children. These specialized schools can offer specific focus, such as music or science, or can be backed by a religious denomination (although not necessarily be a religiously-affiliated school). Public school systems can also create magnet schools.…… [Read More]

Students With ADHD

ADHD (what it is this disease) and what are the symptoms and result of this disease. The paper also discusses the affects of ADHD on patients. In this paper the treatment of ADHD is also discussed and explained.

All the details relating to this condition and its symptoms and treatments are explained and supported by the use of literature review.

ADHD in Children

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome) is a chronic condition that affects the children and continues till their adulthood in many cases. This disease results in the combination of a number of problems such as difficulty in focusing on something and paying attention, 'hyperactivity and impulsive behavior'. (Mayo Clinic, 2013)

In the children, the children suffering from ADHD also experience lack of confidence and self-esteem, trouble in relationships and bad performance in school. The disease is usually preceded by behavioral and learning problems and lack of attention in children. This condition has particularly received a lot of attention in the last decade because of increased diagnosis in children. (Mayo Clinic, 2013)

Symptoms of the ADHD include:

Symptoms showing inattention and lack of attention:

Failure to focus on things and pay close attention, difficulty in maintaining constant attention on…… [Read More]

Education Teaching the Teachers Teaching

Although further education courses can be at traditional universities, they are generally taught through colleges that are exclusively venues for further education courses. These institutions are sometimes called "community colleges" after the American institutions that are similar. (Although American community colleges offer both post-secondary education as well as further or continuing education classes.) Other institutions that offer further education courses may offer a variety of work-based learning classes while campuses that offer adult and community learning coursework also frequently offer further education coursework.

As is appropriate -- and indeed perhaps necessary -- for further education programs designed to ameliorate the skills of a profession as important as teaching (as well as other professions such as social work, medicine, or law), there is an agency tasked with ensuring that teacher further education aligns with national goals for the profession's standards. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (the LSIS was formerly titled the "Quality Improvement Agency and Centre for Excellence in Leadership") has the authority as well as the responsibility to develop "excellent and sustainable" further education programs and courses that apply to all teachers. In general, the goals of the LSIS include instilling in every teacher in the United Kingdom a…… [Read More]

Survival Theory Richard Dawkins' the

As this meme passed down through generations, it became more pervasive and it also became more complete. When slavery in the New World began, both blacks and whites were enslaved, black slaves could gain freedom, and slavery was not a condition of birth. However, as that changed, the memes surrounding African-Americans also changed. Not only were blacks seen as not equal to whites, but they were seen as incapable of becoming equal to whites. Therefore, when Jim Crow segregation was first challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment, the Supreme Court determined that separate facilities were not inherently unequal, despite overwhelming evidence that the facilities provided for African-Americans were factually inferior to those provided for whites. While this meme has been challenged by newer ideas and has, generally, not stood up to scientific, moral, and religious challenges, vestiges of it remain in almost every American person. As a result, many Americans, of all races, simply do not challenge the assumption that at least some African-Americans are inherently inferior to other people, and thus do not deserve to experience the same living conditions and other opportunities as other Americans.

The interesting thing is that the students experiencing the disparity are aware of it,…… [Read More]

Extinction or Survival Implications for

Early Education Shows No Benefit (HSLDA 2007)

This article argues for the viewpoint that Head-Start-type early education is not only non-productive, but can actually lead to detriments to children's development as they enter formal school. The article begins by citing the results of a recent study of 35,000 students by Durham University, which found that there was no benefit to pre-school education programs for children. The article points to a series of earlier studies, reaching back to the 1960's, which demonstrate that there are no lasting benefits: it is clear from these studies that summer pre-school programs show no short-term or long-term gains, while all-year pre-schools offer some advantages only in the first year or two of formal schooling. The article also argues that children who go to pre-schools too young suffer from being away from their parents, and may have behavioral difficulties later. One could expect that those who back home schooling would also back the importance of constant parent presence, particularly for young children. The article could have been strengthened by the findings of Jean Piaget and Maria Montessori, who established a strong correlation between stage of development and ability to learn.

Discussion

Dawkins' Arguments for the Selfish…… [Read More]

Public Schools vs Private Schools - Culturally

Public Schools vs. Private Schools - Culturally appropriate education

Review of the literature

Education and culture

Teaching dispositions

Outmoded educational model

Would vo-tech be a better public school goal?

Developing the person instead of the mind

Opposition to change in public schools

Alternatives to public and private school

School reform has been a constant theme of public debate for much of the past two decades. Standardized testing, which was supposed to solve the problem of poorly prepared students graduating from high schools is not accepted as the panacea it was first supposed to be. In fact, it appears that a new model of education is needed, and some people have suggested home-schooling as a good substitute for public schools. However, not all parents are qualified to homeschool their children, nor are most able to afford private schools, which have a better reputation for properly preparing graduates for what lies ahead of them. There must be a solution, however, and in this project, several possibilities will be proposed and discussed.

Chapter I. Introduction (Statement of the Problem)

There are two, or possibly even three, co-existent educational systems in the United States. The largest of these is the public education system, followed…… [Read More]

Independent Study Programs the Objective

" (2002) This is still possible for children who gain their education through independent study programs in that they are still able to participate in extra-curricular activities and are not so exhausted while doing so when they are being educated through independent study programs instead of being forced to endure very long school days that drains them and bars them from physically being able to participate in extracurricular activities with other children.

It is not only children who have learning disabilities who benefit from Independent Study Programs as evidenced in the work of Simpson (2007) entitled: "Educational Options for Gifted Learners" who relates that inclusive in the wide range of options for the gifted student is 'Independent Learning' through a differentiated curriculum. The independent learning program for gifted students serves to foster independence and nurture self-regulation, self-reliance, resourcefulness while allowing students to formulate their own learning and as well serves to empower students in their choice of learning style. Independent learning requires students to set and achieve goals and promotes the abilities and interests of the student. Independent learning allows the gifted students to broaden and expand the curriculum and increases student motivation and enthusiasm as well as increasing the…… [Read More]

Hooks v School District Case

" The Court followed the guidance of the Office of Special Education Programs, since no definition for "private school or facility" within the IDEA or the accompanying regulations existed. It then applied Nevada law to determine eligibility for IDEA-funded services for home schooling. The Nevada law in force at the time defined "private school" in a way that excluded home-education.

Given this finding, the Hooks then argued that Nevada law and the school district policy violated IDEA. The Court offered a statutory analysis of the language "private school or facility" to stress that the "IDEA leaves discretion to the [s]tates." First, it analyzed the usual meaning of the phrase, stating that the plain language "does not require that exempted home education qualify as a 'private school or facility.'" Then it turned to the OSEP interpretation, because it is the agency "charged with implementing and enforcing the IDEA.

It stated that the school district satisfactorily provided the Hook's son with a "free appropriate public education." By turning down the offer, the Hooks rejected the attendant subsidized special services. Lastly, the Court negated the Hooks' 1983 claims, arguing that the school district's policy did not violate due process and equal protection principles…… [Read More]

Classroom -- With an Additional 600 Words

Classroom -- with an additional 600 words

New

The Multi-Age Classroom

A personal interview was conducted between me, the interviewer, and Mary Sullivan, a teacher with multi-age classroom experience. The questions were prewritten, asked, and answered during the interview. The interviewee's answers are as follows:

How long have you been a teacher?

"Well, more than 20 years. I started teaching in 1987 just after I graduated from college. I worked full time for a few years then, when we started our family, I was a substitute teacher and did some homeschool consulting. When the kids were in grade school, I went back to full time."

What grades level and subjects do you teach?

"I've always worked with the primary grades, and have taught every grade from 2rd on up. For most of my career I taught 2th-4th grade, with language arts being my special love. I've had my hand in all grade-school level subjects -- math, science, spelling, PE, you name it. You know how it is."

When did you begin teaching in a multi-age classroom?

"I started teaching in a multi-age classroom in 1999, when I went back to full time teaching. When I first started teaching, I worked…… [Read More]

Creating Parent and Teacher Relationships

Parent-Teacher Collaboration

Synthesis of the Literature

Involvement of parents in the education of their children both in the classroom and at home has the potential or greatly enhancing the education of a child. It is important for schools to tap into the potential of the parents to support their child's education can help in better and effective teaching. Conversely, when the parents work in close collaboration with the teachers at school and follow the suggestions and directions prescribed for the students while dealing with their education at home can also help children do better in studies (Hendricks, 2013).

Researcher Susan Graham-Clay, in her article titled "Communicating with Parents: Strategies for Teachers," claims that often teachers try to develop a partnership with the parents to create a support system for student learning (Dubis & Bernadowski, 2014). Researchers claim that one of the major factors in the development of this partnership is strong communication which is fundamental to building a relationship between the teachers and the parents and for the development of a sense of community and continuation between home and school. Teachers as well as parents, therefore, need to continue to strive to develop communication skills to expand the scope for…… [Read More]

Teachers and the Modern Classroom

In extreme cases this could afford a method of imparting knowledge where formerly there were none. (Mac Arthur, 248)

Thus it is evident that the modern teacher cannot be away from the influence of technology and it is time that teachers are technically trained, and they are also made aware of the use of modern data processing methods which will enable them in assessing students and understanding their own potential and role. As with all industries these problems are also the foundations for unions to call in the status quo. Because the modern technologies.

(c) Teachers Unionization

The unions for the teachers have unfortunately blocked their own progress. Unions though a great means of collective bargaining interfere in the progressive measures which include programs to enhance the teacher's proficiency and effectiveness. Thus there is a problem of the 'parent collective' and the teachers unions and the educational institutions. Though there is autonomy of institutions larger decisions often involve the negotiation with the unions. The recent move in Columbia to make the teaching effective with the voucher plan for example gives greater say to parents. This will ensure that the teacher is dedicated to the job. Thus the initial voucher plans…… [Read More]

For-Profit Education vs Non-Profit Education

NPSAS was the only study in 1996 that encompassed the people who enrolled in the for-profit institutions which is why not even the very basic criteria of the for-profit sector and its educational setup has been well-recognized (Breneman, Pusser and Turner 2000; Chung, 2006).

The confirmation that the students who had some sort of shortcoming whether in the financial sector, minority aspect or admittance-timeline factor were the ones who mainly enrolled in the for-profit educational institution was made by Apling and Aleman in a study they conducted in 1990, and Lee and Merisotis in a study they conducted in the same year which were also then matched by Phipps et al. (2000) and JBL Associates (2004).

Grubb was the only researcher who, in the year 1993, explored and assessed the influence and affect of the concept of the industrial market proceeds in relation to the non-profit institutions and education. He assessed and studied the National Longitudinal Study of the H.S. Class of 1972 (NLSY-72) under the OLS regression model and highlighted the income-earning patterns of the non-profit post-secondary graduates and also concluded that there was no significant profits gained by the non-profit institutions for their long-term earnings. In his study,…… [Read More]

Bilingual Education

Bilingual Education

The first federal Bilingual Education Act (BEA) was signed into law in 1968. This study sought to determine what effects the BEA had on local and state school districts in California, some who had previously initiated programs to address the Limited English Speaking (LES) students who were becoming an integrated part of the educational system in California. The study is important to the proposed paper in that it shows how good intentions on the part of the Federal government don't always translate into good results. The study found that there were a number of innovative and independent programs that were adversely affected by the increased oversight and enforcement that the federal program brought with it.

Petrzela, N.M. (2010) Before the Federal Bilingual Education Act: Legislation and lived experience in California, Peabody Journal of Education, Vol. 85,

Bilingual education is not just a byword in the United States it is also practiced in numerous developed and developing countries as well. This article examines the strategies employed by the Chinese to accommodate the bilingual education efforts in many of the schools in China. China contains one of the world's largest populations and its diversity is very unique, there are currently…… [Read More]

Administrators Role in Establishing Effective Communication Between Parents and School

Administrative Strategies for Effective Communication

Education contains multiple responsibilities. One starts the learning process in the world from within the family nurture, before continuing to pursue formal education in schools and academy. However, human does not stop learning from their family. Getting exposed to higher education, they also learn things from hands-on experiences and from what are happening in their surroundings.

This reveals the fact that family and environment are two contributing factors, in addition to formal education process in official institution in a community. The three factors determine how education makes one person in the society a distinct, honorable man.

With the great potentials, now education has been a regional issue. Fully conventional learning processes have been attempted within the education system. However, with the growing needs to perform effective schooling and to gain the best academic result, educators realize the need to incorporate the three factors: school, parents, and communities, to actively take the responsibilities of students' education within a community. It means that studying would be effective and efficient if there is a synchronized program that involves the part of parents, teachers, and community schooling to apply to students. Therefore students would find a "home" for their…… [Read More]

Framework of Implementing the Z Mathematical Model to a Sixth Grade Class

Nature of the ProblemPurpose of the ProjectBackground and Significance of the Problem

Brain Development

Specific Activities to engage students

Data-Driven Instruction

Community Component of Education

Research QuestionsDefinition of TermsMethodology and Procedures

Discussion & ImplicationsConclusions & Application

ntroduction

The goal of present-day educational reformers is to produce students with "higher-order skills" who are able to think independently about the unfamiliar problems they will encounter in the information age, who have become "problem solvers" and have "learned how to learn, " and who are on their way to becoming "critical thinkers" and "lifelong learners." The method advocated for achieving these "higher" order skills" is "discovery learning," by which students solve problems and make decisions on their own through "inquiry" and "independent analysis" of "real-world" projects -- what Kilpatrick in the 1920s called the "project method."

The oft-repeated goal of the educational community -- to inculcate general thinking skills --is not, however, soundly based in research. The idea that school can inculcate abstract, generalized skills for thinking, "accessing," and problem solving, and that these skills can be readily applied to the real world is, bluntly, a mirage. So also is the hope that a thinking skill in one domain can be readily and…… [Read More]

Detection and Intervention in Childhood Mental Health

detection and intervention in childhood mental health help prevent mental health problems in adult life?

Disregarding the mental well-being requirements of children is an intolerable violation of our basic undertaking to protect their well-being. Unfavorable mental disposition amidst our children is a less acknowledged difficulty that influences their literary, societal, and emotional enhancement. Mental well-being is a wide attribute to be analyzed. The mental well-being requirements of children and youth demand introspection. There is prevalent refuting that mental well-being is comprehensive of the influence on the children -- amidst all age distinct ions, variety of cultural sections, and all income sections. Such miscomprehensions are recurring, and involvement and care are unlikely to be found. Many people have the belief that children having mental well-being difficulties are just under the impact of a particular passing cloud. (Promoting Access for Children to Mental Health Screens and Assessments in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP) Even then, such difficulties are inculcating fear for a wide array of our nation's young children, adolescents, and their families.

Preliminary childhood mental well-being is the enhancing accommodation of child birth via age five to undergo, pattern, and emote, generate compact, protective, interpersonal association, and discover…… [Read More]

Traditional Classroom Instruction and Its Pitfalls

Parents think school is the best place for a child to learn and to grow. People often believe traditional schooling is an effective way for a child to learn and grow. However, in recent times people have discovered traditional schooling may not be as effective as one believed. Colombo, Cullen and Lisle discuss in their book the pitfalls of formal classroom instruction. Formal classroom instruction may be useful for some students, but may be detrimental to others, especially in today's technology driven society.

Chapter one of Rereading America discusses formal classroom instruction and how it may stifle natural intelligence and creativity.

…on one level, Americans tend to see schooling as a valuable experience that unites us in a common culture and helps us bring out the best in ourselves; yet at the same time, we suspect that formal classroom instruction stifles creativity and chokes off natural intelligence and enthusiasm. (Colombo, Cullen and Lisle 6)

Often times in a classroom, especially in modern classrooms where there are many children to one instructor, children do not receive the best education to grow and learn. American schools in particular have students scoring below average in nationwide standardized tests. In fact, many researchers are…… [Read More]

Autism and Asperger S In a Child of 13

Interview With a Child

Bill is a 12-year-old child, Caucasian, ethnicity unknown. He is the only son of Sandra and Dave, who are divorced. They separated when Bill was 9. He currently lives with Sandra in their home. Dave moved to a different city and is rarely seen by Bill.

Sandra is very protective of Bill. She homeschooled him for two years after she and Dave separated, but now she feels that Bill may need some sort of outside stimulation. He is often withdrawn and uncommunicative and she fears he may be depressed or suffering from autism.

Bill has always been sensitive to sounds and to touch. He did not begin speaking until he was almost 3 years old and then he had to take speech lessons. When he was 10, he told his psychiatrist that he hated his parents because they fought all the time and that they hated each other too.

Bill is very talented when it comes to processing data. He is exceptional at chess (which is why Sandra has enrolled him in a local chess club at one of the local schools, though she also wants him to interact with other boys his own age who…… [Read More]

Behavioral Modification for Children Having

Most of the research has focused on ADHD with a hyperactive component, because this poses more behavioral problems in the classroom. Also, ADHD-I tends to show less of a positive response to medication (Pfiffner, 2007). Focusing on social skills training for disruptive youths that is the usual curricula of behavioral modification programs ignored "the profound differences in attentional problems and impairments between the two major types of ADHD... those with ADHD-I have more severe alertness/orientation problems, including more symptoms of sluggish cognitive tempo" or daydreaming (Pfiffner 2007). The success of the approach tailored to a specific subpopulation's need, with "less focus on disciplinary strategies and greater focus on improving homework routines, independence, and organizational and time-management skills to improve academic problems" was not only highly successful, but highlights the need for greater specificity in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD students. The randomized control study of 69 children involved using social modeling, rewards to shape behavior, setting goals for social interactions, and school functioning as well as the use of 'tokens' or gold stars and other rewards for meeting goals and staying on task. The children were not 'home schooled,' despite the misleading title of the study, they did attend school…… [Read More]

Education Maximum Security The Culture

By providing more time for children to be in school, the program takes away dangerous time that students will be on the streets making negative alliances. Additionally, by increasing home-school interactions and providing greater access to teachers, the program may offset some of the negative conditions caused by single parent homes.

Because studies have suggested that juvenile alliances and socioeconomic status, as well as other social conditions, are some of the causes for juvenile delinquency, addressing those causes has become an important method to avoiding juvenile offenders, victims, and witnesses of violent crimes. With schools being a major part of children's lives during childhood and adolescence, teachers and administrators, with programs like KIPP, must take on the burden of preventing or counterbalancing these social conditions that lead to juvenile delinquency. Although the process of doing so may seem difficult to teachers who have been educated primarily in instructing and only slightly in psychology or strategic planning, resources exist to help teachers, administrators, and entire school systems fight the causes of juveniles' involvement with crime. Some of these examples include consultants who can help teachers learn to reach their diverse student populations academically (Doubek and Cooper). Once academics are achieved, students…… [Read More]

Free Market Approach to America's

" (Snell, 2005)

Presently, there are approximately 1 million students nationwide enrolled in Charter schools and over 3,400 contracts between charter schools and their government authorizers..." resulting in Charter schools being the "most common example of school choice." (Snell, 2005) Charter schools in both the profit and nonprofit sector charter schools are growing and stated specifically is: "In 2005 there were at least 500 public schools being operated by 51 for-profit management companies in 28 states. There has also been substantially more specialization and branding of nonprofit charter schools. There are well-known national nonprofit brands, such as KIPP Academies, and there are scores of for-profit and nonprofit charters that operate a handful of schools each focusing on the Montessori method, or math and science, or the performing arts." (Snell, 2005) Snell also relates that the nonprofit schools have succeeded in branding as some of the nonprofit charter schools are well-known. Snell states that in order that schools d experience "substantial growth, school choice programs need students with substantial purchasing power, and they need to be open to a larger student population." (Snell, 2005) Stated as the greatest obstacle to more choices in schools is "the implicit acceptance of our archaic…… [Read More]

Slang as Used in the

However, in the film directed by Tina Fey that depicts the cruelty of an exclusive group of "Mean Girls," ordinary things for which there is already descriptive language is rendered into slang so adults do not understand the full cruelty of what is being said. Some adults may know that Regina and company are 'mean' but not to the extent which they rule the school and use exclusion as a way of enforcing their own mini-regime of terror. One of the strengths of the teacher played by Fey, Ms. Norbury, is that she is 'hip' to the language used by the mean girls, like when she tells them to stop using slang like "sluts" and "skanks."

The exclusive nature of the language of adolescents is underlined by the fact that the main character, named Cady Heron, in "Mean Girls" has grown up in South Africa, so she is initially uninitiated to the social structure of a typical American high school and the language of adolescents. She may speak English fluently, but she is not fluent in the mannerisms and interplay that is expected of her as a teenage girl. She was homeschooled, so she does not even seem to understand…… [Read More]

Motivation Motivating the Seemingly Unmotivated

Extrinsic rewards should only be used when other efforts to actively engage students in learning has failed; (3) In the event extrinsic rewards must be utilized, they should be "just powerful enough to control behavior" and should be eliminated in phases before all intrinsic motivation is lost.

Jones, Vermette, and Jones posit in their article, "An Integration of "Backwards Planning' Unit Design with the "Two Step" Lesson Planning Framework," planning and engaging students in effective lessons is a fundamental component of successful teaching and therefore, motivating students (Skowron, 2001). The authors created the concept of backwards planning which requires educators to start with a nominal list of essential questions all students must answer by the end of the lesson plan. With the end goal in mind, teachers then design assessments based on those understandings and strategically crafted lessons to achieve the desired objectives. Once the goals and assessments have been created, teachers are then required to create and implement lessons to address both unit and lesson objectives. Flynn, et al., (2004) refer to this sequence of planned events as the discovery and exploratory phases of the lesson.

According to Brozo and Flynt, children who are engaged when they have interests…… [Read More]

Regional Narrative Ideas &Bull a

After she got cleaned up and put down her bag, they went out to eat at a diner. Lexi wanted to order the beef that tasted of home, but Grandma and Pop-Pop said that would be too much for a little girl and ordered her chicken fingers instead. "Every kid likes chicken fingers," they said. Lexi hated chicken, and she also hated the Jell-O that came with her kid's meal. Her grandparents ordered from a menu called 'Early Bird Special.'

Lexi found riding around in the car after the long plane ride from Texas really boring, but she didn't say anything. That was Lexi's usual technique, to say nothing. Her dad called her the strong and silent type.

"What do you do all day in the middle of nowhere?" said her grandmother. Lexi imagined herself on a map labeled 'nowhere.' She knew what her grandmother meant, and kind of felt hurt. "It's not nowhere, it's where my mom and dad and horse is," she said.

Cowgirls don't sleep, they always keep one eye open, Lexi thought. She'd hardly spent but one or two days away from the ranch, but she would be brave, because she was a cowgirl, that's what…… [Read More]