JW's and home schooling?

by semelcred 52 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  kitten whiskers

  In my teen years, we switched congregations and I met a couple who pioneered and "home schooled" their kids.

  Bah. All they really did was use them as pioneer partners! These kids had no education what so ever! They should have been in high school with me and the other kids at the Kingdom Hall. (It was a baby boom...there were lots of us in high school at the same time!)

  Giving a talk and studying for meeting were used as classroom work! It was laughable.

  It was really very terrible.I remember thinking how much they were missing an education.

  I've only known one successful story of home schooling and it wasn't JW! She started with their eldest daughter due to medical problems and continued with the next two. They did wonderful and are a sweet, close family. Each girl is going or has been to college (a chuch affilitated college) and are turning into the most beautiful young women you have ever seen! Beautiful personalities and skills. A rare jewel in the home schooled department!
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  musky

  "What are your comments good or bad and do you think the option to home school is abused by the witness community?"

  I think that is possible.But,I certainly would not say that it is exclusive to the Witnesses.Parents usually want to do what is best for their kids.some Witness parents may feel it is better to take the kids away from an atmosphere where they know they may not exactly fit in well.

  And I wonder why we sometimes think it's so important for our kids to fit in or be "normal". I want my kids to be their own persons.Not feel like they have to fit in.I know what is considered normal for most people.I don't exactly think that is so great either.

  I agree with Emptyinside's comments.

  Well,in the end I just hope I will not regret how My kids are being raised.I want to do a good job.And I always want them to know that I love them a lot.home schooled or not.
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  VoidEater

  My cousins were home-schooled. For 2 out of 3, it enhanced their paranoia and bigotry and stunted their problem-solving and abstract thinking. I don't think these 2 have read a single book as adults. One is a homeless addict, another assembles guns in a factory. The third, though, overcame things very well.

  And I wonder why we sometimes think it's so important for our kids to fit in or be "normal". I want my kids to be their own persons.Not feel like they have to fit in.

  There's a difference between this and being able to function within a group, interact successfully with other people. Be brilliant, be an individual, be artistic, be eccentric - but also know how to have a conversation and negotiate, what makes others tick as well as yourself, engage with others where you need to.
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  dig692

  I think that many witnesses do abuse the home schooling program in the sense that they really are only looking for their kids to advance in their ministry and aren't interested in broadening their minds and exposing them to the world. Many of the JWs I know that were home-schooled have some serious social limitations, are very selfish, paranoid, manipulative, deceitful, one-sided in their opinions of people, etc....but that could just be because they are JWs And for the most part they aren't very intelligent people, and I can't say much for their street smarts either. I took a look at one of my ex friend's workbooks (supposedly 12th grade material) a few years back and it was barely at the level of a 9th grader. It looked like very basic math and reading material at best.

  IMO the home school program could be better than public school, (especially with what I see that goes on in public school nowadays) but it depends on what program of home schooling is being used and how much social interaction the children are getting, and how involved the parents are. I went to public school my whole life but I was very much an academic-oriented person, so despite having the opportunity for social interaction with different types of people, I didn't take much advantage of that and so I started out my adult life slightly more naive and shy than "normal" (not a good thing at all because I think that's partly what contributed to me taking an interest in JWs). I do think that had I been home-schooled I would have been much worse off though. But that's just my opinion on me.

  I think with the right kind of home-school program, along with a healthy dose of social interaction with different types of people in different situations (and with parents that aren't idiots and actually take an interest in what their child is learning and have goals other than pioneering in mind), the child could really become a well rounded individual that can function very well in society.
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  choosing life

  Home schooling is what you make of it, like most things in life. I home schooled my kids, off and on. It was a very nice experience, but also very demanding of your time. It depends a lot on each child and how motivated they are too. I found it best to follow a curriculum from a reputable home schooling program.

  My kids have all gone on to be college educated, so it didn't hinder their potential in that way. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. I cherish all the close time I spent with them, but I also think children need the social aspect of school in their lives.

  I did see some witnesses who did not take the time to really teach their children and some can barely read to this day. That is abusive, in my opinion. If the parents are not educated enough to handle the lessons, I feel they should not do it. Most parents want their children to have a better education than them.

  That witnesses are taught that education is not important, except to preach.
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  dgp

  From the perspective of a non-JW, the problem is that kids are home-schooled to keep them away from the rest of the world, and sometimes the quality of their education suffers. With my worldly eyes, and apologizing to anyone who deserves an apology, that is the same as doing serious harm to your children for the sake of the dictates of an organization.
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  GoingGoingGone

  I know many families here who home schooled their kids, and all but one were tragic failures. Yes, tragic... the kids can't read, can't carry on a conversation to save their lives, and one girl - at the age of 16 - still hides behind her mother if anyone tries to speak to her. The successful home schooling family has the kids in dance class, gymnastics, piano lessons, and follows a strict and demanding school schedule... the kids are smart, and the mother (aka 'teacher') makes sure they are being challenged and working up to their full potential.

  I don't know how successful home school parents do it. I had to home school my son in 1st grade, and thought I'd die of terminal frustration... the kid was impossible to motivate! I was so glad when he could finally start public school. He's now at one of the top universities in the country.

  I Heart Public School.

  GGG
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  sammielee24

  The success of homeschooling depends on the reasons for home schooling and the commitment and regime both initiated and supported by the parents.

  I know of 3 families who home schooled their kids. Two of those were JW families and in both cases the reasons for home schooling were to keep the kids away from 'bad association'/ worldly kids and activities. The parents worked and the kids pretty well did what they wanted. In both families, the kids were socially immature even in their late teens and all ended up having to take courses later on in order to get their GED. The parents were not stupid - they were simply very comfortable knowing their kids were not subject to outside influence - Jehovah comes first - Armageddon will be here soon - no need to plan for the future including school.

  I have nothing against home schooling but for those that I have seen in that situation, the lack of parental commitment to the process, was in direct relation to the low level of growth in their children. sammieswife.
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  GLTirebiter

  We were a home schooling family, and from experience I agree with several major points expressed here. Remember though, we were a "mixed" family, so my Worldly Influence offset some of the usual WT antagonism to academic achievement. At least, I want to think it did!

  #1, Home schooling is not easy and definitely not for everybody. My Ex is an intelligent woman, with particularly good reading, writing and spelling skills (I handled the math and science). Combining that with professional curriculum (we used several over the years, with the on-line "virtual academy" operated as a charter school being the best IMO). If you don't have the ability, dedication, or patience (lots of that!) to teach your child, don't try to do it. It will turn out badly!

  #2, You need a good support network. The virtual academies usually have one, but it may be too spread out geographically to be as much help as you'd want. We were very fortunate to be involved with a group run by a licensed former Public School teacher, who ensured all the curriculum exceeded state standards and handled the standardized tests and other government paperwork.

  #3, Socialization is a must. The virtual academy and the local support group provided some of that, including the field trips to the museum, zoo, etc. We also encouraged our children to be active in outside activities with other (non-JW) kids.

  #4, By high school age, the combination of class requirements (lab science, etc.) and adolescent socialization makes home schooling increasingly difficult. Know your limits and your child's limits, and put them into the regular high school. If you did things right for their primary schooling they will thrive ther, juste as our children did.

  I have seen sucesses and failures from both JW and non-JW families. It's the parents' attitude and commitment that makes the biggest difference, just as it does in public schools. If the parents don't show respect for and dedication to education, then "No child gets ahead!"

  GLT

  (edited for sxpelling at 0047 GMT)
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  NINfan05

  My parents had me do pearblossom home school. The crazy thing is that some of the credits that were acceptable were studying and answering the questions at the end of each section in the young people ask book. It was a witness run school. I never finished but recently got my GED. Funny that my parents would rather me go out in service full time rather than graduate high school. STUPID CULT!