bostonbubble.com

GenXer · Joined: 20 Feb 2009 Posts: 703

I guess its a very difficult question. At the core of it is a premise that somehow, public/private schools are just as good if not better than homeschooling. This completely discounts the possibilities open for homeschoolers, though. Given statistical results, homeschoolers win on all fronts, actually. Are there poor homeschooled students? You bet. But at least, the responsibility is on the parents to do a good job teaching their kids. It is not offloaded to a bunch of strangers who are in many cases underpaid and possibly over-worked. How easy is it to control 3 young kids? Imagine now you have 20 of them. Just because some public school kids turned out fine is more a testament to their parents (and possibly their genes) than to the school system. They did it despite everything.

Some people say that Eastern European schools are very good. Thats a bunch of baloney. I came from these schools, and so did my wife. One method to fit them all - that's what it was. And I did well in HS because I was LUCKY to have some brilliant teachers, especially Chemistry. My math wasn't as good even though I worked my butt off with private tutors. I learned how to take tests, and thereafter I did well on TESTS. The problem is, that once you get to REAL LIFE, it matters very little. If anything, studying Machiavelli would be time better spent than studying for the SATs.

How many people can actually take a quantitative finance paper or a paper on vaccine or drug trials, and actually understand what it says without being a specialist in either field? You can teach your kids to do just that without them getting an MBA or an MD. I think in the case of homeschooling, the whole is greater than the sum of all parts. This can not be said about public schools.

Boston ITer · Joined: 11 Jan 2010 Posts: 269

Kaidran · Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 289

I have seen my attitudes change over the 3 years my daughter has been alive. I assume they will change in the future as she grows. I am not making any plans and will take things as they come. I value Xenos opinion through direct observation more than third hand anecdotes but everything is in flux.

I'm really going to stop writing about this now because it is just getting nowhere.

john p · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 1820

I think everyone's input has been excellent and because the school systems have been such a driver of house prices, I'd bet a lot of young familes are having the same types of thoughts.

Years ago, college athletes played to get a college education and then there was a game changer when the money got huge and then they went to get into the professional leagues and the degree was secondary. Today, for the really talented the game changer is going right after high school i.e. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. These guys are seasoned veterans and they're still young.

The question is whether the high water mark of 2005 which is almost holding in many of these "immune" towns is still relatively a good deal given the economy and the better value in other areas. Have there been any "game changers" for this?

You guys are top shelf and this line of reasoning has certainly elevated my thinking in this regard.

Boston ITer · Joined: 11 Jan 2010 Posts: 269