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Mary Saville

Educator - STEM, ACTS Homeschool Teaching Support

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Homeschool, Public School, Private School, Unschool - what choices have YOU made regarding your child's education?

There are many forwarding thinking debates here, and I appreciate them all. Right now, I want to pause and ask the question, what are you actually doing? What educational choices have you made, and why?

I have feet in several camps, with children in public school while I teach at an educational co-operative for homeschoolers. I attended private, faith-based school for twelve years from elementary through high-school, loved some of it and hated some of it.

I've gotten to see pros and cons of each system.

I have chosen public schooling for my children because of convenience, support services available, low cost, and because I believe that public schooling will expose my children to a diversity of people and ideologies.

I chose to teach at a co-op because it has been the easiest way for me to support my family while reaching young minds.

Please refrain from debating or commenting negatively on someone else's choices. Let's openly and honestly share what we are actually doing, and why - and let the esoteric debates lie still for just a minute.

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Topics: education homeschool honesty parenting private school public school
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    Taulant Llolluni

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    Apr 24 2011: I think its hard to say which school is better for education , i mean if you go public you will have more contacts with people of different cultures , religions and mos of all different classes , because in a public school you have the poor and rich ( in some cases ) and in a private school you don`t have so much different impacts on you education , you will be educated in a small environment , with most of your friends that are richer than others and if you are learning just from one side of society it`s hard to be educated well , because you don`t have the respect for people from other orders and classes.
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    Scott Armstrong 50+

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    Apr 22 2011: I do not rely solely on any education institution to educate my boys.

    Public schooling is easiest and cheapest. The kids get to mix it up with friends and peers. I don't care about curriculum content, religious or cultural 'lip service'.

    At home, I don't get into formal schooling. Just lots of media and talking about it all. More talk. Loads of reading. Books every night. Singing and music.

    You don't need any "Systems"for sale. They may work to motivate some kids but I'm willing to bet that the real payoff comes from parents spending more time with their kids.

    I've put this quote on TED before but it's the key to our current 'issues' with schooling:

    "A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." George Santayana.
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    Mary Saville

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    Apr 22 2011: There has to be a person or two who is willing to ante up, no?
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