Recruiting forum off topic thread (no politics, covid, or hot button issues)

[engineerVOL]

My niece home schools her children. My only concern is the lack of socialization involved.

That’s oversimplified. If they have church and sports they have plenty of social interaction. In fact, in those settings you get to choose your friends, at school you’re forced into relationships. My kids had no real friendships when they were in school.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Which shouldn’t be a problem as it used to with the amount of networking groups out there today. I’m divorced and have little control on that right now and I’m concerned the opposite direction in the things they learn at school that I wouldn’t approve of.

Yes there are groups. Theyre usually all involved in same EC stuff.

 

[Leeleesteeth]

its horse ****.

Second year of homeschooling for us. We’re introducing forest school stuff this fall semester. I know not everyone is in the position to stay home and educate but it is awesome. Very hard. But a great decision. I hope we can keep doing it.[/QUOTE]
Anybody homeschooling I would encourage you to look into Khan Academy online. Have used it for remediation and to supplement instruction during Covid shutdowns.

 

[Weezer]

I don't think they're part of a home school group, but they do have church.

Most of my concern, I think, is the idea that when you enter the work force, you don't always get to choose the type of people you work with, so you have to learn to adjust. I worry about their ability to adapt.

But it's probably unfounded, just being a concerned uncle.

 

[hooperj75]

Second year of homeschooling for us. We’re introducing forest school stuff this fall semester. I know not everyone is in the position to stay home and educate but it is awesome. Very hard. But a great decision. I hope we can keep doing it.

Anybody homeschooling I would encourage you to look into Khan Academy online. Have used it for remediation and to supplement instruction during Covid shutdowns.[/QUOTE]
We used the umbrella school Home Life Academy for admin purposes. They handled transcripts, recommendation letters, scholarship and were great for just getting advice. We have lived in 6 states since my kids have been in school and every state has different laws to navigate. They are based out of Jackson TN

 

[UTMVol76]

I don't think they're part of a home school group, but they do have church.

Most of my concern, I think, is the idea that when you enter the work force, you don't always get to choose the type of people you work with, so you have to learn to adjust. I worry about their ability to adapt.

But it's probably unfounded, just being a concerned uncle.

But by that time you hope you’ve built a foundation that helps them in those situations. Problem with today’s schools are kids are being introduced to a lot of things that either they can’t process mentally or they appease to for popular will.

 

[VolsDoc81TX]

My favorite teacher ever was one of the football coaches. You didn’t goof off in his class but you learned and he was great.

One of my favorite teachers was also a coach. He was excellent at both. It was health class. In the 70s health was a separate class for boys and girls. (The good old days )

We briefly covered cancer. Then he obtained permission to show us Brian’s Song. At the end of the movie, every one of us was crying including the teacher. He stood up and apologized to us. He thought it was a good idea (hadn’t watched the movie before showing us) but thought it was too much for junior high.

Actually, everyone in the class thanked him. He was given our total respect thereafter.
Looking back, I was blessed with teachers that were there to make a difference.

 

[Rishvol]

Anybody homeschooling I would encourage you to look into Khan Academy online. Have used it for remediation and to supplement instruction during Covid shutdowns.

Khan was huge during those stupid virtual days.

 

[drvenner]

First time in 8 years I’ve seen “auspice” used on VN. Well done.

Medium rare or gtfo.

 

[drvenner]

Never understood the teachers need better pay rant. They get fall break, winter break, spring break and summer break. On top of that they get personal time off during the year. They work less hours in a year than most working people and most teachers don’t do it because it means something to them to help a child prepare for life. I can only remember a few teachers that really had a talent for teaching.

Also, if they aren’t smart enough to know the average teachers salary before they get their degree are they really that smart?

Maybe that r felt led to do it? My wife, like most teachers, put in a ton of extra hours after school lets out.

 

[Ace]

Here is a good read on the state of education in the US by UT professor.


He also has a blog called Instapundit

 

[drvenner]

Not really. The thought of teaching sounds like a very noble profession and it does take a special person. It seems like we get more teachers that want summers off or to coach. They don’t go into it to help prepare kids to excel in life.

There are good and bad teachers, just like every other profession on Earth.

 

[drvenner]

I feel like they are paid fairly for the number of days they work.

How much do teachers in your county make?

 

[drvenner]

Not impressed by all teachers where I work, of course. You make a bunch of generalizations, lump most teachers in with a few bad apples, I am going to defend the profession. However, I agree that teachers in UNION states tend to whine more about money, but that comes with the territory. Unfortunately there are also some in the coaching end that just occupy a teaching slot, but in my experience, lazy teachers tend to make lazy coaches. Best Science teacher, English teacher, and History teacher I ever saw were also outstanding coaches.

I was terrible at Geometry when I first started that class. Thank goodness I had a dedicated teacher who saw me struggling and basically ordered me to get to school by 7am and he would help me out. I eventually got it and never had more struggles in that class or any other high school math class. Yep, he was a football coach.

 

[UTProf]

Here is a good read on the state of education in the US by UT professor.


He also has a blog called Instapundit

Glenn is a dyed in the wool libertarian and law professor but he's mostly known for his blog. His field of study is law rather than education but he was one of the first bloggers to jump from the internet to mainstream media appearances. Really, he was one of the first bloggers to put together a big following - right up there with Kos and the DailyKos (who incidentally also started out as a libertarian). His father, Dr. Charles Reynolds (founding editor of the national Journal of Religious Ethics), was one of my professors and loved to brag on Glenn's blog all the time and how it was growing. I wouldn't discount the book but do keep in mind that this a political book rather than a dispassionate study of K-12 education. This isn't his field and Glenn definitely has an agenda. Ironically, Glenn's father helped lead and organize the protest against Nixon on UT's Campus back in the day. He's following in his father's footsteps but in an odd sort of way since their politics don't completely align.

As for his dad...

Nixon visited us during the height of his unpopularity assuming it would be friendly territory and an easy media appearance because of our location. To further make that point, he was using the cover of a Billy Graham Crusade to make it look like a warm reception on a college campus when sentiment on college campuses was firmly against him due to the Kent State Massacre as well as the then-recently announced bombings of Cambodia and Laos and the nation at large was starting to turn against him. Graham only found out about Nixon's intentions the day before and later said that he regretted that Nixon wasn't a forthright witness to Christ that day but also said he rationalized it to himself that Nixon was simply tired due to the burdens of his job. At the time though he said he believed that the protestors were misled but that he loved them anyway.

It's commonplace now but back then and even when I was growing up many were deeply offended by the mixing of politics and religion and that drove a number of the protestors and was at the core of the protest. In fact, "politics! politics!" was what they shouted when Nixon took the stage surrounded by republican office holders (Rev. Graham and the First Lady were the only non-elected individuals on stage). The protestors did not protest Graham or the Crusade at all but participated in the Crusade as though they were non-protesting attendees. Still, they were photographed by KPD and Nixon's security detail and arrested for 'disrupting a religious service.' The Mayor of Knoxville vowed to prosecute all of them (everyone from the Mayor to Duncan Sr., Howard Baker and Henry Kissinger were in that audience or on the stage with Nixon at Neyland - and the local and state leadership who had set the stage for the president's coming out party after a period of self-imposed isolation from the public eye were embarrassed when it didn't go exactly as they envisioned despite the protest being mostly silent and fairly non-disruptive -- Nixon was drowned out by audience members booing the protestors rather than by the protestors who either stood silent or shouted "politics" when Nixon spoke). How in the world KPD identified everyone back then is anyone's guess but I'm guessing the feds helped given the lack of resources and tech on the local end and the feds' record of monitoring 'radicals' and protestors back in the day.

I know that was a rather long aside but it's an interesting piece of UT history. UT was the only southern college to protest the war or Nixon in any way that drew national attention and the protest was centered around Nixon inserting himself into religious event although the Vietnam War, Kent State and other events were certainly motivators and had already soured many young people's views on Nixon. While the protest itself didn't amount to much, Nixon's appearance at a Billy Graham Crusade marked a major change in American politics. Prior to this event at Neyland, there was a strong separation of church and politics. The two simply didn't mix, especially at the presidential level. Nixon broke that taboo and once broken the marriage of religious beliefs and the ballot box began.

And that's how Richard Millhous Nixon managed to upstage Johnny Cash at Neyland (no, really Johnny Cash was at the Crusade as well but he's definitely not the story).

 

[Catbone]

A warning to everyone

I was homeschooled

Nuf said

 

[bignewt]

That’s oversimplified. If they have church and sports they have plenty of social interaction. In fact, in those settings you get to choose your friends, at school you’re forced into relationships. My kids had no real friendships when they were in school.

Being forced into relationships is what builds character and builds empathy. Sounds like you just want them to be around people that think the same way. Could present issues but good luck.

 

[engineerVOL]

Being forced into relationships is what builds character and builds empathy. Sounds like you just want them to be around people that think the same way. Could present issues but good luck.

I think I know my own kids and how to parent my particular ones, but thanks.

 

[SweetasSoda]

Being forced into relationships is what builds character and builds empathy. Sounds like you just want them to be around people that think the same way. Could present issues but good luck.

Yes, because children really need to learn to fend for themselves and be able to judge character at a very young age. Just send them over to spend the night with children whose parents are child molesters. That should quickly build character and empathy..... I know some of the horrors that happen in schools. So tired of that argument. I also know a lot of home schooled children. Would choose them 9 out of 10 times.

 

[drvenner]

Yes, because children really need to learn to fend for themselves and be able to judge character at a very young age. Just send them over to spend the night with children whose parents are child molesters. That should quickly build character and empathy..... I know some of the horrors that happen in schools. So tired of that argument. I also know a lot of home schooled children. Would choose them 9 out of 10 times.

The argument being made is that the socialization home school kids get at church and in youth sports leagues does not provide socialization with many different cultures. The people you go to church with are likely, but not always, socially and culturally similar to you. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to raise their kids. If home school works best for your family have at it. I had a great experience in public schools but I know that many kids do not.

 

[Glitch]

I think I know my own kids and how to parent my particular ones, but thanks.

Not likely. Newt knows what is best for our children despite actually having any of his own. He is an expert on parenting and all that comes along with it.

 

[Weezer]

I think I know my own kids and how to parent my particular ones, but thanks.

It takes a village.....


And every village has the village idiot.

 

[volKano]

Not likely. Newt knows what is best for our children despite actually having any of his own. He is an expert on parenting and all that comes along with it.

Especially when a parent is going above and beyond to try and provide their children with a better life. I wish I could be more like Newt.

 

[bignewt]

Especially when a parent is going above and beyond to try and provide their children with a better life. I wish I could be more like Newt.

Get in line bud.

 

[bignewt]

Not likely. Newt knows what is best for our children despite actually having any of his own. He is an expert on parenting and all that comes along with it.

Too easy you touchy little B's.