Parents: how is homeschooling going?

You let your emotion dictate your post rather than actual facts and insight.

I said "quality education ," and I stand by that. I completely agree with your assertion that schools should push every student to their maximum potential. High expectations and rigorous instruction are at the forefront of every professional development session my district offers.

If your children aren't receiving enough rigorous instruction, speak to the teacher. I can't do anything about that, but you very well can. In addition to that, there are enrichment and gifted programs. Look into it.

As for your last paragraph, again, increasing an achievement gap is the last thing that should be occurring during this process. If you have some grand plan to provide every child with a computer, internet, and a few hours of structured learning time in which they don't have to take care of siblings or worry about food, then go for it. Send me your info. I'll put you in touch with the people in charge of education in my district and state.

Otherwise, denigrating those that don't have because you do is the very manifestation of bias and and structured racialization. Attitudes like yours are the problem, not the solution.

Interesting discussion. A few things I thought of as a parent who homeschooled up to high school and then sent kids to a charter school.

1. The positive side of this is parents see there are other options than just sending kids to the public school you're zoned for. Maybe your kid will thrive in a different environment? Open up to various options: homeschooling, charter schools, private schools.... Pick the best option for your family and your child.

2. A lot of people take this stuff WAY too seriously. If you're a good parent, send your kids to a decent school (or homeschool) and teach your kids good character, most of the deficiencies of any one method will be minor in the long run.

3. The seasonality of structured schools is a huge negative aspect if your kids are athletic and specifically like running. In the south, winter is prime training and racing season and you're in school, limiting training and travel to races. Same for spring with track season. Why not homeschool with a schedule that allows more free time to train and travel?

4. Most public schools suck. Probably about 80% of them. If you're thinking "not the school MY kids attend!" there's an 80% chance you're wrong. I'm sorry but we all need to recognize the truth that the public school system is a massive failure. Open your mind to other options for your child's education! Escape the failed system. That said, #2 still applies.

weird...i was pretty sure that all schooling was homeschooling...

It's been an eye opener. Our 5 year old was in pre-K, hadn't even started reading yet, could count to 20. School closed in March and he is now:

reading

counts beyond 100

counts by 5s, 10s

divides odd numbers, mentally can do 85/2

can do doubles and doubles plus one

adds two digit numbers and can carry the one

it is absolutely crazy. We do math, reading, writing, and Spanish at home, two cycles a day 6 days a week. He's doing 2nd grade standard work and won't enter K until September. We would home school if we had more patience! Kid is going to be bored next year.

We did skip all art. He is not interested in it. His pre-K was obsessed with it. He can just outsource the work to kids who like it next year.

Wow! Isn’t it amazing what can be accomplished in a two on one setting.?Your child now has two teachers providing for and catering to him. You should have enrolled him in a pre-k with a 2-1 teacher to student ratio. But hey, you’re amazing teachers, keep it up for 13 more years! Better yet, home school for college and grad school too!

I know, what a setup. I was ready to be his cross country coach too but realized I was too tired.

My 7th grader said he has about 1.5 hours a day of school work. I asked him if he is doing as much work as during regular school. He said "maybe more". I know this is probably true because he is in honors math and did a good portion of work on Kahn Academy. He did something like 20% of 8th grade math at home in a few hours.

He said mostly it's disruptive kids that make the difference. Of course there are other obvious inefficiencies. It makes me understand how kids managed to work on farms and get basic education at the same time in days past.