Sending your children... to an online elementary school?
 

Maybe I'm too 'traditional'... a friend mentioned her 2 children (both elementary) will begin online school for the year in August.

I am familiar with home schooling, but isn't this going a BIT far?

So, does mother sit her child in front of computer for several hours each day? If so, am I the only person who finds this completely mind-boggling in a bad way?

I'm still in complete disbelief. I apologize if anyone schools their children online in such a way - I mean no offense.

To me, part (and very important part of school) is learning to deal and interact with others, falling in puppy love with a classmate, laughing, crying, being able to tell whose got your back and who doesn't. Education isn't about memorizing, then coughing up the info. (Can find anything needed on Internet) but about problem solving, learning how to learn, creativity in different things. I am not pro-home schooling either and definitely not this.

don't kids spend enough time with electronics already? I didn't home school for the same reasons kicker mentioned. I think they need interaction with others their own age. Not just on play dates, but every day, good moods and bad. They need to fight and get along and learn every day problem solving skills they will need when they reach the real world. I would consider home schooling if I had another mother and we had 6 or so other kids. I like school time. It gives my youngest something to do and something to tell me about at the end of the day. She complains but she likes the structure. She likes knowing what is expected of her each day and she likes having her days planned.

These last few days it has been too hot to really go anywhere and it drives her insane if we don't have a PLAN for the day by breakfast. last year, her and her bff got into a fight in the lunchroom. I found out about it at the end of the day when the principal called me. DD didn't start the fight the other girl did. her mom called to apologize and she sent the girl over to apologize. They had already gotten over it and they were playing in the back yard 5 minutes later. This is something I think you may lack with home schooling.

I also like the competition at school. Competition for higher scores, better grades, a girl/boy's attention, competition in sports. I just don't see that in home schooled children.

I know this is a little off subject but this is also why I think it's important to live in a dorm in college instead of at home if it can be managed. I had to learn my down to the laundry room, manage studying vs social life, get along with some one I had never met, manage problems without my parents intervening. Of course this was back in the late 60's and it was female dorm only. Now dorms are coed, apartments are coed. Nothing is the same. I also think I learned differently than my fellow students that their parents payed for everything. I had to earn my way through school and it meant something different to me.

Sorry for hijacking your thread

You're definitely not hijacking the thread! :hug:

I agree with you as well. I know a girl who's lived at home the entire time she's done post-secondary education. At age 34, she sleeps in Mom's bed every night, has no social life, and is in constant depression (and severely obese, where she once was quite in shape and tiny, healthy). One may argue there's a LOT more going on 'behind the scenes' there, and no doubt... but isolating herself to the confines of Mom and family and never forming any bonds/socializing.. not a good thing at all!

PS: I lived in an all female dorm at University. 1996-1997 (then I moved off campus with friends). I did go to a University that prides itself on tradition though, so no surprise that while most are co-ed on campus, there's still the female/male dorms for those who prefer. I had picked co-ed and was put in an all female lol!

I know a "hands off" mother who did the same thing. She allowed her girls to pick and choose what they wanted to study, and when. Want to be in your PJs at 1 in the afternoon, big deal! Want to play the piano all day? ok...go ahead, you are learning music. She bragged and bragged on her girls.

They came to the house selling natural lip balm made from real honey that they got from their own beehive (a school project that dad built and ran) and I got three. it came to $3.57 I gave them a $10 bill. They couldnt make change! They tried several times to figure it out, then they handed me ALL the money back and told me to just pay their mom when she got home. UGH!

Many years later, the oldest just turned 18 and decided to get her GED, which she did "ok" on. She decided that the most money is in real estate and would get her license. She was adopted by a struggling agency and has been showing houses without a sale for the past year. no income for a year, but plenty of outlay in gas, classes, and so forth. When I asked her why she doesnt suppliment her income by going to walmart or mcdonalds or rite aid to at least get some income or benefits she said "this real estate thing is gonna take off. I worked hard to get my license and its gonna pay off"

Since they are friends, we allowed her to take us to see many houses. We have been "schooling" her in houses. "look at the warped roof, do you think it needs to be replaced" and her comment is "isnt that what a home inspection is for?" We showed her cloudy glass panes in windows and said "do you see that those will need to be replaced" again "isnt that what a home inspection is for?" So, all her years of home schooling taught her nothing about the real world.

On paper, head to head with other HS students she stacks up ok, but in real life, she has ZERO experience in how to relate to others, how to socialize, how to use interpersonal relationship skills, or how to negoiate for herself.

While I am not a fan of public schools, I think parents who are not equipped, and not willing to equip themselves should stay out of it! The other girl will end up running off with the first boy that pays any attention to her.

Girl from the farm next door homeschooled all her days. Spend two days in a real college and came home terrified. I have heard the same story over and over.

The education honchos, the ones who come up with " the latest, greatest ideas" are behind this. It will save Money! Don't have to maintain a physical building! And think of all the teacher saleries that don't get paid!

I don't like the idea, for all the reasons mentioned before. And yes, my DD is a teacher. She went to public schools, and universities all the way through grad school. But I'm going to find out how online classes work, as she is starting her phD work next month.

I cannot imagine my grands learning on line. They have attention spans of gnats. The older one requires OT and PT, daily. How could he do that on a computer?

Online schooling was mentioned to me because of my health issues. Apparently I would have had a log in address to a paticular website, a tutor would give me all of the work to do then I would email it him/her for marking. It did sound good but that was only because I was ill and wheelchair bound so couldn't physically get around my school as it wasn't adapted for wheelchair use.

My school would have had to have paid for it and they refused so I was given home tutoring in my last 6 months of school (high school only runs up to 16 here in the UK). The home tutoring really helped, I come on lots academically and hopefully my exam results in August will show that. I was way behind many people my age due to missing 2 years of school, so the home tuition definitiely helped me in that sense.

I don't understand why anyone with a 'normal' kid would send their child to online programs such as these. I think their a good idea for kids who have health / mental issues so can't possibly go to school but I don't think their good if they are physically well. I know for me the huge problem with missing school was that I didn't see friends and got really isolated ... that is what will happen to these kids and it's an horrible thing!

For years I was a Home Tutor for kids with physical things or mental problems who were terminated or unable to attend school for a variety of reasons (none of them happy reasons) I got the rep. as the go to teacher for "special" students and never lacked work. ALL my students benefited from having a daily visit and instruction and some of my best memories came from this experience. Despite some behaviorally challenged (means awful behavior) students, never had any problems 1 on 1. And saw many positive outcomes. I got 2 special kids mainstreamed back into regular school. Sadly I saw a 5 year old die from his medical condition. His Mom and I continued to meet for breakfast after his death. I'm not as smart or consistent as a computer, but sometimes another person works best.

Many families with strict religious beliefs home school their children. The way things are nowadays in public schools I might seriously consider it if I had school aged children. Maybe.

I think alot depends on how the children have been raised and taught at home before they enter school. Plus, the parent doing the teaching has to be a stay-at-home parent. Also, just because a child is home-schooled doesn't mean the parent doing the teaching is qualified.....or has better morals and standards than a public school teacher. If little Johnny is taught by a Mom or Dad who's dishonest or otherwise has no ethical conscience then being home schooled probably isn't going to benefit him.

Our local newspaper just ran an article on home schooling and it was very positive. These kids don't just stay cooped up inside the house all day. There is a home school "society" that is very tightly bound and they have all kinds of social events for their kids. It's definitely a full-time job for whichever parent does the schooling. I agree that it's very sheltering and protects these kids from the more urban element that the public schooled kids see. But, in some ways, that's not so bad. I think we can teach our kids how to be safe out in public without overexposing them to more information than they need. Believe me, they're going to hear about stuff from their friends no matter how sheltered a life they live.

On-line homeschooling has been around for at least 10 years. We looked into it at one time for our youngest son. It's just another option and tool for parents who chose to home school. Like any other means of educating children, it's only as good as the parental involvement.

Very true, TKTC. And I would add that the child's personality is a big factor as well.

I tried it with DD21. While it seeming was working, in reality it was not. She would get up around 9 a.m., eat breakfast, and hit the computer. We would lay out what she was going to do for the day and set the timer for each subject. I went about my business while she did her schoolwork. Only, that was not what was happening. I just assumed she was doing the work but I started getting e-mails and calls from the home school office. (The program is run by our school district but it is all online). DD was not submitting her work. It then became constant battles and arguments over her school work and much closer monitoring on my part. Then she was doing all the work, I saw it, but she was not submitting it.:confused: Eventually, she got her GED and passed with almost 100%.

There are homeschool groups. I know several people who belong to these. All the homeschool parents work together to teach the kids. A lot of the work is done online but the teaching/tutoring part is done by the group of parents. In one group, the parents got together and worked out who was the best for each subject based on expertise and education and stuff. My friend was a science teacher. She did all the science sections.

I agree (parental involvement). I don't have such an issue with the online option, if I know the parents are taking an active role in their child's education and learning, while also supplementing the social aspect in other ways (sports, dance class, horseback riding... whatever gets the child interacting outside the home with other children in their extracurricular time).

My worry with the online school is that the parents consider this a 'break' from having to home school the children themselves, or having any hand in the education process. Sit kiddo in front of PC and turn your back to watch soaps on the television.... kinda what comes to mind for me.

There are very good points (hello Ali!) about situations where this would be an excellent option, again with parental/guardian involvement in the process being a component.

My daughter was home schooled. It didn't work well for her because of the teacher, my ex wife. BU that is the once side of a coin and as Dr. Phil says, no matter how flat you make a pancake, there's always two sides.

My pastor and best friend and his wife homeschool all 4 of their kids. (ages 14, 11, 8 and 6). they have a room in their house called the classroom and she spends 6 hours a day in there with them teaching all the subjects. SOME people say the kids need interaction with other kids in school. To help with that there is a co-op in AZ for all homeschoolers. AND home schooled kids get equal access to all public school facilities such as if their son wants to join the football team, he can, they can use the pool, library and everything else. Throught eh co-op they are very active with other kids BUT DO NOT get the bullying, the harassment, the bad teachers, and possible predators. I really admire them.

A shining star on top of his family is he is also a professor at the local Christian College, the oldest daughter (remember she is 14) is in her second semester of COLLEGE and when she "graduates" high school she will ALSO have her Associates. They also learn year round so are doing fantastic.

As far as the online school, I think it would work as long as the parents don't check out" and help. I would rather teach my kids at home, in a safe environment than some of the schools these days.

In our generation, teachers became teachers for the passion, the love for the kids, NOW they become teachers for summers off, possible tenure and job security. Its not the same. in Arizona the school systems are HORRIBLE!

IF you have kids that are school age, and the district you live in is not great, I see the online school is an excellent alternative.

I don't live in the city of Atlanta (thank goodness! :eek:) but their school system is the pits. Just Google "Atlanta Public School Cheating Scandal" and you'll see what I mean. It dominates the news here and heads are rolling because of the Admin turning a blind eye to what they knew was going on. It's really a mess.

When I was a child (in the 60's) my first grade teacher was my Mom's best friend. I not only saw her at school but at church, at my house and at other non-school events. I loved her. She was strict but we all knew she loved us and only had our best interests at heart. Things are so dramatically different these days. I'm so glad I don't have school aged children any more. If I did I do believe I'd find a way to home-school.

I do just want to mention that Online Schooling does not just involve sending a kid to the computer and that is it.....

there are teachers assigned to the students and they are very involved, with regular phone calls and monitoring, plus testing etc.

Although my son went to regular school, he had two periods in his life with multiple health challenges when online school was a big blessing...one in elementary 5th grade when he was too ill to attend school for 6 months and again during the last year of high school when he suffered a very severe flare of Crohn's Disease

I know a number of homeschooling parents who find the online choices to be a tremendous help in their overall curriculum.

Plus, for some kids who are mercilessly bullied at school (a growing and serious problem :(:mad:) ...having the ability to still succeed by doing online schooling is a big help!

From my experience, most people who choose this option have a very good reason, and the kids I have seen come out of it are motivated and well educated. They usually also have a social network via extra curricular or faith based etc activities, so they are not socially lacking either.
It has been around since the late 90s

just another perspective to ponder.....

:)