Teachers vs. Homeschoolers, an analogy

by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger

08 Jun 2009 06:37 AM

Is it really necessary for teachers and homeschoolers to be at such odds? I spent some time at the Teacher Revised blog this week as writer Jesse Scaccia found it necessary to write a series of articles about homeschooling.

Article number 1, The case against homeschooling poked lightheartedly about the flaws of homeschooling. Both point 10 and point 1 clearly stated that homeschoolers were nerds. This blog post was a bad idea and homeschoolers made it a point to say so. The hundreds of angry, insulted, and hurt comments made that clear... not to mention the dozens of blog posts written all over the internet in response.

Article number 2, Homeschoolers: Do they care too much? Pointed out even more homeschool flaws such as teaching from a parents world view, and having too much control over what a student learns. Yeah, another diatribe based on lack of understanding. Once again hundreds of comments followed that tried to defend, and explain homeschooling while others slung insults back.

Article number 3 Homeschool teacher, meet public school teacher. Now hug attempts to tell homeschoolers that they are getting worked up over nothing. I kind of agree... Sticks and stones.

Article number 4 Not to invite myself over or anything... asks homeschoolers to let them come over and judge... err, I mean supervise, err... I mean observe a day of homeschooling practices. I really don't see any value in this.

And what did I learn from all of the fun that this teacher managed to dig up? I learned that if you wanted moo-goo traffic for your blogs, that you should trash homeschoolers in it.

While my first response was to ignore this homeschool-teacher war, I decided to call (even more) attention to it instead. You see, while I am a homeschooling teacher/mom, I am also the daughter of a teacher, the sister in law of two teachers, the friend of numerous teachers, and I have a great respect for teachers.

Now many teachers feel justified in trashing homeschoolers online because they say we do it first... fair enough. There are some homeschoolers who have justified their reason for homeschooling by constantly talking about how bad teachers are. But for the most part, homeschoolers are too busy homeschooling their kids to bother insulting or even worrying about classroom teachers. Still, every few months there is a big honking article from an educator that does it's best to ridicule and turn the world against homeschoolers. With that said, I will offer a few analogies in hopes that homeschoolers and teachers can circle their own territory and leave the other alone.

Homeschooling mother is to classroom teacher, as home baker is to grocery baker. Homeschool student is to classroom student as Momma's pie is to a Supermarket pie. Homeschooling father is to classroom teachers as a dad with a grill is to McDonalds. Homeschool student is to classroom student as Dad's burger is to a Big Mac,

A mother is no less qualified to bake pie than a baker... but the baker is better equipped to make a hundred pies in a morning. A dad is no less qualified to make a hamburger than McDonalds, but McDonalds is better equipped to serve millions.

It's all good... they all have their place. But now I've made myself hungry, so I'll end this now.

If you liked this you should also read my blogs at the home blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.

You will also like:

I'm Still Sort of Really Qualified to Homeschool a Gifted Child. . .I Think

Homeschooling puts the individual above the group

Famous People who Homeschool their kids

Learn more about Andrea Hermitt

Andrea Hermitt is a native New Yorker currently residing in GA. She has been married for over 16 years and has two teenage children.

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