Mainstream Homeschooling Article

Education Next by the Hoover Institution has an interesting article in their Winter 2009 publication. The article discusses Homeschooling going mainstream. Considering the current climate around what broadcasting (The View) allows to be said about homeschooling, I felt it was important to point out a sound article that explores the whys and wherefores of homeschooling.

In this article they discuss the many and varied reasons people choose to home school. Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, homeschool their children. Jada is quoted as saying that they choose homeschooling “so they can stay with us when we travel, and also because the school system in this country—public and private—is designed for the industrial age. We’re in a technological age. We don’t want our kids to memorize. We want them to learn.” This reminded me of an interview with Will Smith a long time ago, so I don't remember with who, but Will Smith pointed out that because he can read, he can learn most anything.

I love the reference to being in a 'technological age'. I look at all the things my son learns and I compare it to how I learned at his age and I must say he has far more knowledge then I had at his age. I was a top student and a bookworm. I did well in school but let's face it, computers took up a whole floor of a college building and remote access was a rare thing so when we learned about computers, it was in drafting an informational flow chart on paper, transfering it to tape or a punch card, to feed into that remote access modem to test it. Just the idea of explaining this process is so ridiculous! Research? When I was young, research required a trip to the library, hoping they had the books you needed, and usually, the information was not up to date unless you happened upon a recent magazine article. My son has more access to information then I ever dreamed was possible.

So why is it important that good articles are written about homeschooling? Well, for starters, because there are so many people out there not being respectful of choices different then their own. Also, because the state of public education in this country is coming under fire at the way it has failed so many. We need to stay attuned to the laws and lawmakers to make sure that in their attempt to 'fix' the educational system in this country, that they don't take away our rights to educate our children our own way. Times have changed and children need a much different type of education.