What are your reasons for considering education alternatives for your children?

[Raindrop]

True teachers do have it hard time but that's not a tight to abuse the kids and make them fill less then human

Abusing kids and make them feel less than a human is the exact opposite of what a teacher is... That does not mean all teachers are what they are supposed to be. I am sorry you had rough times at school (saw another post from you). No teacher or any other person for that matter has the right to abuse kids or abuse any other person no matter their age.

I have been working with kids since my teenage years then tried different things but always came back to working with the children. It is a privilege that comes with a great deal of responsibility. Even if I cannot teach "religion" my class knows we are big on values like respect, gratefulness, no perfection seeking but doing our best whatever that best is today ... Everyday being challenging as talked above is more because of the pressure to do things against Bible principles (national anthem, celebration...) and kids will be kids. Yes, it is tiring but very rewarding. When they tell me at the end of the day how much fun they had, that is the best reward just because they learned without knowing it... That is how school, at least in Kindergarten should be and that is what I strive for.

Though it might look like it to you, some teachers really have the best of their students at heart and work hard to find ways to make learning fun and easier for everyone.

[PrairieGirl]

I do believe there is some good teachers out there, no doubt.

 

When I went to school, teachers were allowed to abuse children... in fact all my teachers kept a wood board 2x4 with a handle and holes drilled in it.. (even my K teacher)... they were allowed to beat us at any given time... I will say I personally was only beaten once with the board.... but I was always afraid of it... and the boys were usually beaten daily. And at that time my parents NEVER beat me with a board, belts yes... but not a board... I believe if parents had been beating their children with the same kind of boards at home, we probably would of been taken away. The abuse I mainly suffered though was more mental.. being called names, and a REAL hate for witnesses... a despising of witnesses. Because I wouldn't sing holiday songs, they would actually encourage boys to beat me up and slam my head into things-broke 4 of my teeth that way... my dentist was not happy... I will also say I was the ONLY witness in that school... every one else took their children out of that school and sent them to other schools... other moms would even beg my mom to take me out of it... but my mom said I needed to learn to deal with how people would treat me... and needed to toughen up and learn how to take it.

But, that's not my only reason for homeschooling. I believe that Jehovah has commanded parents to teach their children... and I believe in that very whole heartily and I don't take that command lightly.

Edited March 29, 2015 by PrairieGirl

[PrairieGirl]

oh more add... in Middle school after I was taken home to do "home study" because of a back surgery (body cast for a year) when I went back to middle school, a girl pushed me down the stairs... and broke the rods in my back from the back surgery. About 2 years ago, she did find me on Facebook, and said she wanted to apologize to me. At the time though... the school did nothing. Turned their head the other way, and said how could they know, that I was telling them the correct person who pushed me down the stairs, maybe I was confused, etc...

[Raindrop]

I do not even know where to start Heather! That is awful!!! I am sad that you were left to endure that when there was a way out. We are no fanatics and are not looking to be martyrs! Even Jesus walked away when the time called for it.

The school system is not all good and let's not forget that it is part of Satan's world! I am an ECE so will only work with Kindergarten. That required 2 years only to study. I am happy with it and not looking to become a teacher nor do I want to teach higher grades.

The deeper in the end we get, the more convinced I am about waiting to become the perfect Mom for the perfect kids! Until then be there for the kids, and help other parents in whatever way I can is all I can do.

[bobby]

look im just saying that kids with disability are often rennet off and not saying that every teacher is bad 

it not just me i have some friends that have a child with disability i was there when they got a call telling them 

​that there worthless kids was taking up room at school and they should just get ride of it 

this teacher for get we have filling to and we all ready inbearist that were are behind or  just don't get  

i sayed part of the reasoning i didn't go to collage, is i felt doum stupped, 

 im 42 years old do you see what i am doing right now im reply 5 years a go i would not have done this

why because of feer, and ever one say hay look at that grow man he is so stupped he cant spell 

i had this drumed in to my head as do all kids how are disability i know young bro and a young sister i help them to see thy 

are strong and to stay with jeh. i felt so bad about my self i didnt even wont to get bapt i told a friend, jeh dose not wont me

im to stuped and he only like smart people this stuff stay with you all your life and i think teacher dont get that 

 

 

that all im saying i know and am shear there are good teach out there but most of the kids like me dont get them 

Edited March 30, 2015 by bobby

[Raindrop]

Hi Bobby, what you describe is unfortunately a reality and I am terribly sorry you were subject to such an injustice!

Though the system has somewhat changed, I can see it still happening.

Where I work, we do have many inclusion strategies implemented. There are educational assistants, specialized educators, child and youth workers in the school to help out in the classroom. They are not for one particular student tough so he does not feel apart. There is just an extra educator in the room.

As an adult being a model, I try really hard to watch what I say because, just like you some words have hurt and scared me for life. Just knowing that , it pushed me to make conscious effort. My advantage is that we are 2 in the classroom and it is a big help - one can take over when the over is overwhelmed, we usually communicate better with different kids too so if help different ones...

You know, I worked with a worldly girl who deals with dyslexia. She is creative, has a very good and effective communication with children - easily draws them out and she is incredibly enthusiastic! She is by all means better than me!

But you love Jehovah and have him. This girl did not want to know anything about Jehovah... Jehovah can make you even stronger! So I am proud of you for over coming that obstacle that others put in front of you. It is unfair, unjust, flat wicked that you were treated the way you were. It is unjust that you have to bear the consequences of someone else misconduct but Jehovah raises you up, strengthens you and he is the one who will make things straight when te time comes.

 

I have read somewhere (worldly source)) - sorry do not remember the source...But it said that if one reads all the issues of Awake and Watchtower, we would be at the same level as someone coming out of some renown university. I really believe that Jehovah can make us all come to one level through his organization. We come from different backgrounds but we would understand each other right away even in different languages. That is how great the education, information from Jehovah is. And it is free. 

[PrairieGirl]

Bobby even with out having disabilities, often times children with no disabilities are made to feel stupid, not always on purpose either... but still do. I've been reading books by John Holt, you may want to read the one I finished last week, called Why Children Fail... mainly it's cause they feel stupid... never feel embarrassed about lacking in spelling, reading etc... all things that Jehovah does not care about.. he only cares about your heart... every thing else can be worked out in the new system.

[Raindrop]

... never feel embarrassed about lacking in spelling, reading etc... all things that Jehovah does not care about.. he only cares about your heart... every thing else can be worked out in the new system.

So well said!

We all have something that needs to be straighten out by Jehovah. That is why we are encouraged to always consider others to be superior than us because in some ways, our brothers are. (Philippians 2:3) We may be very impatient whereas another brother/sister is incredibly patient. Then we have a quality they lack.

[Joey]

HiBob,

You said 'But I always entertain the idea of returning to OHDELA'...

We used OHDELA but it has changed.B.O.S.S. was awesome for my son.I know other Witnesses who use Buckeye Online School System and some who have graduated from it.Just a suggestion to look into.

Our son has been attending a public school for his high school years.That has worked out really well.Next year he is either doing 2 years at State college or the vocational school.

I had read alot about schooling and one educators comments impressed me the most.He said many send their children to elementary and middle school then home school for the upper grades when actually the opposite would be better.Homeschooling during the formulative years,when our beliefs and values can be more deeply instilled and send them to public school when they need further education for a career.

That's what we have done.

[Áine]

Although my homeschooling days are gone I am still very glad that I did. ..and now we are living in a world that is deteriorating so quickly I can see every reason for parents to consider it.

There may well be a time in the future when you are glad that your children are not in school.

[PrairieGirl]

Nancy that's how I have always felt the formative years, is the most important to help guide them, and form their choices as much as possible towards Jehovah... in schools they not only get overt opposition to Jehovah's principles, but it's the subliminal messages in many of the text books to make them politically aligned with what ever country they live in, and such as that that worries me even more so during those formative years. By high school while they aren't finished baking, they have a much better and refined conscience and can usually start weeding out more of the truths and lies... I have always been open to sending mine to a high school, if it offered what they needed. In NYC that would of been a vocational high school-so they could graduate high school with a vocation career. But... at this point not sure what we will do.. we'll see what happens when the time comes.. may keep them home and just send them to a vocational "college" that takes homeschool kids during high school years for free.

[Elijahsmama]

In the recent jw.broadcasting when education was discussed, a great warning was given to those going to college. They were succumbing to influences like evolution. So even at 19-22 their brains aren't completely formulated.

[bobby]

some time collage can go agenst you how 

 the job may want to Tran you there  way and not how the collage trained you 

[Motherhen]

Where've I been? I'm really glad to see this category. I wasn't in the truth when I was in school, but I remember my best friend talking a friend of ours who was a JW out of the truth. She left the truth after that and never came back. That always stuck with me, but oddly I came in the truth partly because of the good example of that sister's brother. If they had been home schooled and I didn't get to know them, maybe I wouldn't have been as receptive to the truth.

But what I've observed about some of the kids in different congregations that I've been a part of is how stressed they can be. One sister in high school had chronic fatigue syndrome from getting up so early to go to school particularly after meeting nights. There's a lady who worked in the Reagan administration in the education division named Charlotte Iserbyt, and today she is one of the foremost opponents of the public school systems and has many videos online. She was appalled by where she saw public education heading, and shows how kids are basically being indoctrinated to be good little workers for the corporations running the country. While there are many good teachers, I really feel for them, because they are pressured to cover what the state wants them to so their students will pass the tests.

We home school our high school aged son although in the past have been able to sign him up for classes in alternative schools. Years ago, kids were finished school when they were 14 so that they could help work the farms, and when they decided to keep kids in school through senior year, they had to invent classes to teach them. Kind of a waste of time from that stand point. But mainly a lot of what they teach especially about history is totally wrong and presents the US as the good guys. A couple of years ago a baptized brother joined the military after he finished high school, partly because he really believed the US was making the world better. He was a smart brother, too. Sad. I wanted my son to know the truth, and see history as well as current events from all sides.