Pretty narrow minded viewpoint. I know lots of home-schooled people who are into the wrong crowd. Just because one wins a spelling bee doesn’t mean homeschooling is in any way better than public schools.

Hmm well i was homeschooled through highschool and im pregnant with tattoos…..? i wouldnt go as far as saying that homeschooled kids are smarter, but they defiantely have an advantage. they dont have the added distraction of peers during classes and socializing. Also, they are able to work at a pace that works best for them, and their classes are very personal and set for their particular needs.

cuz they dont have people hatin on em at school.
dont have to worry about clothes or nothin.
all they have to focus on is work no confusion of classes to go to.they dont have to hesitate to ask questions cuz there mom is the teacher.
no matter how many times they dont get it it doesnt matter cuz theyll go over it with them a thousand times.
bassicly no stress.
the teacher at home WANTS them to learn
i dont homeschool!

A tad arrogant and pleased with ourself aren’t we Madam Homeschooler?

It is a good way to learn for some people, but your question is just wrong.
The last two you mention don’t count–those generalizations aren’t true–there are plenty of engineers, mathmeticians and biologists that come out of public school. As for home school kids not getting drunk, on drugs or pregnant, I guess there is no chance of that if you have no friends or boyfriends and you let your parents run your life. (That was wrong–but since you were generalizing, it’s fair to say to you–to any other homeschoolers, I take it back.)

And for a spelling bee won by a homeschooler–this means someone decided that spelling was worth spending a lot of his school time on. If a kid worked on spelling all day and has a personal coach (even if that’s mom), it is a lot easier to learn all the words that are part of doing that hobby.

First off I’d like you to back up your original statement with some data other than one spelling bee. Show me some studies that show this is true.

Once you do that I’ll show YOU some studies that show how home schooled children lack the social skills of a public school kid.

weeder

I dont feel that, that is the case.. I believe that it is because homeschooled children are more or less away from of all that nonsense of and that well they dont have outside infulences. They dont always develop the strongest social skills either. When you look at those referenced professions up there tht is an understatement. I went to public school but I would’ve preferred homeschooling. You cant do everything from home even if it is the safest place most of the time.

Its not so much that they are smarter. They aren’t. They are just more/better educated. They have the advantage of one on one attention. Furthermore, they are not at the mercy of a government run school that wants to ensure that the graduates aren’t smart enough to remove them (the politicians) from power. Homeschooler’s teachers genuinely want their graduates to excel.

it seems as if your question may be biased and without a statistical basis. perhaps comparing 6th grade spelling bee champions and people in high-school is not fair as the 6th graders have not had the chance to get tattoos, drunk, or preggers. besides, how do you get pregnant (get someone pregnant) or drunk without a) having non-family members around or b) having no cool older kids to buy you stuff?

that’s not true! lately home schooled kids are DUMB! and not all public school children don’t become junkies, alcoholics, or pregnant losers! where you homeschooled? and sometimes home school children can’t go to college!

Are you saying that all our engineers, etc were home schooled ? You make it seem that all public taught kids are drunks, etc. It’s so easy to select in order to prove a point, but common sense will tell us that a great many of our scientists, etc were educated in public schools. And many home-schooled ended up in the gutter.

While I definitely agree that Home schooled kids have some advantage by being taught at home, I don’t think I would use the stereotype you just did to lump all kids from both schooling options together. I know of a lot of public school kids that turned out wonderful! Very smart and level headed. And on the other hand, I have met some home school students I felt would have benefited from going to school as their parents didn’t take the commitment seriously. I really believe it comes down to the parents. If they are involved in the child’s life and don’t just leave it up to some one else to raise their child, the child will do fine. The parent knows if the student will do ok in a public school or would benefit more from being at home. Each situation is different.

A lot of home schooled kids test higher mainly because they are working one on one and at their own pace. Public schooled kids can be very intelligent as well. But than again, a lot of home schooled kids can test very low. It all depends on the type of environment, teachers, resources and how much the teacher wants the child to learn. The child also has to want to learn.
So I believe the assumption that home schoolers are smarter can either be true or false. Each individual and their outcome is very different.

Ummmm let’s just say that there are plenty of homeschool kids that are drunk, drugs, tatoos, pregnant. It’s not just one sided, just because they are schooled at home doesn’t mean they don’t run into the same peer pressures. I would say though that most homeschooled children have more one on one time so they tend to do better.

that is not always true.trust me

They are not smarter.
They are better educated and better raised by their parents in general.
The proof is in the pudding.
But ask any spublic schooled kid about cross dressing, Heather’s two mommies, *** marriage and pride, various *** positions and practices and putting a condom on a cucumber or a weed wacker and they will have a quick answer.

HHMM. I HS, and I am all for those who do, but your statement is a bit askew. Generalizations like that are just plain bubkis.

OK, your profile says you are easy going and love fun so I am assuming you are being silly and having fun and don’t really mean this.
I homeschool my children and think it is a great thing to do. I do not think homeschool kids are necessarily smarter than public school kids. I do think they have a better chance of knowing who they are than public school kids because they are not constantly having to care who everyone else thinks they should be. That can make them look more intelligent sometimes.

It’s possible that these kids are getting the education with more one on one than those in the public schools. And being around their own parent’s more this way, the example is being set.
I’m not doing Home Schooling for my own child, but If I had the resources to do it, I would. I have a few friends that are doing it, their children will be going into the public school system after a while. Some already are and those children are 4.0 students. That’s not saying that my child isn’t smart, he’s above average in all his subjects. But with what goes on in the schools, he’s already coming home with language that I don’t approve of. That wouldn’t happen if he were home schooled. Because he wouldn’t be hearing it.
The one on one teaching from home schooling is best. (in my opinion)

none of that, excepting the spelling bee thing, is entirely true.

there are high achieving kids in both public and home school, and there are kids with problems in both public and home school.

I’m a home school advocate, but your statement is overly simplistic.
Homeschooled kids have the advantage of one on one teacher to pupil ratio. They’re not necessarily smarter.

Oh gosh, lots of reasons!
1. The parent actually CARES for the child and their education, teachers don’t.
2. Homeschool, you can take your time and make sure the kids learn one concept before moving on to the next.
2. Public school, teachers can’t do this. THey are mandated by the NCLB laws to teach a certain amount of things in one year. So, they have to keep going and cant’ make sure the kids learn before moving on to the next thing.
3. Some teachers feel bad about this, but some don’t care.
4. Homeschool kids are not mandated to follow the NCLB law, thank god!
5. THere have been MANY studies that show homeschoolers are much better than public school kids.
6. HOmeschool- there’s no peer pressure to do stupid stuff like other kids do.
7. Lots of people think homeschool is BAD and no socialization?

let my message speak for itself

There are public school kids out there too. Not that I’m pro-public school, but I was public schooled. A public school kid won the national geography bee. I know numerous people whom I went with to school that turned out to be lawyers, doctors, 2 pro sports players, an actuary, a translator of 5 languages, a high profile model (of course smarts don’t have to do with the sports and the modeling, but they are successful people). I, myself, am a licensed psychologist. And we were all public schooled. Now, that’s not the rule, it’s the exception, I know. That’s why my own kids are being homeschooled.

I find homeschool great. I am homeschooled an i should have been in 5th grade last year but i was in 6th. Also I took a CAT and was at 9th level. I Do think some homeschooled kids are smarter and better but not all.They can go at there own pace and have a good time at home that si why!!!

The items you include in your question aren’t mutually exclusive. I work daily with engineers that are as dumb as a box of hair, and know people with tatoos, kids that have gotten pregnant that are sharp as a tack. Making the wrong (from a broad societal view) decision doesn’t mean you are stupid. Having a degree does not mean you are smart. I’ve also worked with alcoholic engineers, and mathematicians with tattoos. If you are pregnant with a tatoo…that doesn’t mean you are dumb, and it doesn’t mean you are publicly schooled.

I am a homeschool parent, and I just don’t think that spelling bees are good measures of intelligence. They are good measures of memory, mental agility and dealing with pressure. Being smart, though, might look totally different to some. For me, extreme focus just on spelling isn’t a very smart use of the available time. For them, it works fine…it’s subjective.

Some studies have shown that homeschoolers do a little better on standarized tests. You can get at these studies by going to the website and going to their research link.

I think for the most part, homeschoolers are just able to stay with a subject until they get it, as opposed to having to leave a subject partially understood because the schedule is calling to the instructor. If you have the luxury of being able to stay with a concept that is troubling you until you get it, that is a huge advantage.

As to other comments about studies that show homeschoolers are socially stunted, I offer this link to an article in the Journal of College Admissions…it was by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

This is a report on a study done that shows homeschoolers in college are comparable to other students, and it goes into socialization specifically. Interesting reading. I haven’t seen a real study yet that was the other way around, but then I haven’t got a clue who would have a vested interest in proving it…we are such a small population, most schools just repeat the socialization issue as their mantra and move on. No facts are needed when there’s no interest in the answer.

All that being said, I don’t think that they are smarter. In some cases, they may be better educated, simply be cause of the academic environment they reside in. But intelligence isn’t really measured by spelling bees.

That’s an unfair stereotype. Perhaps statistically speaking, homeschoolers do better than public schoolers, but it’s unfair to say that all homeschoolers are academically excellent and none are on drugs or anything like that. I actually know some homeschooling parents who are quite into the tatoo/piercing thing and wouldn’t have a problem with their kids doing it once old enough. It’s also unfair to say that public school kids are all drunk, on drugs or other things like that.

If we can step beyond the generalizations and look at the tendencies, the reasons are clear:

*Homeschooled students in a good homeschool get one-on-one and have a more tailored education. It takes half the time, if not less, to do the same work that is accomplished in a school setting. Homeschooled kids may have the chance at getting more done. They also have the chance to master concepts before moving on. Sometimes all it takes is good mastery of one thing to enable a student to do well in that subject in the future. If they don’t obtain that mastery, they are forever struggling. Not to mention that because they don’t need to spend so much time on school work, they’ve got a lot more free time to study spelling words. It certainly gives them an edge! (Of course, this will be dependent upon how a parent homeschools, which varies from family to family.)

*As for character, who would be most likely to refrain from drugs, teen sex, and alcohol: the child who grows up in an environment where those things aren’t a focus or the child who grows up in an environment where those things are a frequent focus? It’s almost like asking, Why do kids born in Spain speak Spanish? Because that’s what they grew up around.

Homeschooled kids aren’t necessarily smarter than public school kids. It is possible to have a great educational experience in either environment (or a negative one for that matter).

However, homeschooled children do have certain advantages. They are less likely to be influenced by their peers and more likely to be influenced by their parents (this usually helps minimize some of the potential bad behavior). Also, homeschooled children have more time to explore topics that are of interest to them, they are less likely to be bored in the classroom, they are more likely to excel academically because a parent has greater visibility as to what learning challenges a child is facing and can address them quickly.

No matter which approach to education is chosen, there is no guarantee of the outcomes. However, the success of many homeschooled children does help to validate the effectiveness of home education.

I In my opinion,whether someone is home schooled or goes to public school will have little to do with there academic success.I believe personal motivation is everything when it comes to learning.If someone has no motivation to learn,the learning environment they are placed in will not matter.

First, I don’t agree with your statement at all. I believe homeschool kids may *appear* smarter for the reasons you have given, however, I don’t really believe they are truly smarter.

Homeschooling has several advantages over public school, including one-on-one teaching and the ability to move at the pace of the child’s ability. Since homeschoolers generally don’t have to wait in lines, wait for classrooms to settle down, wait for slower students to catch-on, they are able to finish a day’s work in just a few hours. This allows the homeschooler much more time to pursue other interests (such as studying spelling lists, geography, small engine repair, or anything else they are interested in).

I believe if you look at the proportions, you will find a high percantage of engineers, mathematicians, and biologists are products of the public schools.

Even as a veteran Home school parent, I find that a bit out of line.
Home schooling a child gives a parent no guarantee that the child will not make bone headed choices.

Home schooling gives children many advantages over the conventional school setting, both in academics, and in their social development, however this does not make them smarter, just privileged.
I know many great kids in our church that have attended public, and private school.
None of them turned out great because they went to great school, far from it; one of the tragic statements they make repeatedly is that they do not get involved with much of anything in the schools, however they had very involved, loving, and attentive parents, and that is where the credit belongs.

Do not think that smart equals intelligence, and that intelligence equals wisdom, or common sense.
The reason so many win these bee’s is they work hard, and have more time to devote to individual subjects when they find them interesting.

because they spend too much time studying and dont have any social skills and dont worry about social life like the public school student

We are a home school family but we don’t think that home school kids are smarter than public school kids. They just have more opportunities to study specific interests. That’s not a bad thing.
Congratulations to the winner. He did a great job!

Depends on the kid. There are many here who are frantic because they goofed off and are now going back to real school.

Homeschool is for self-starters and kids with parents who supervise and take an interest.

Without those factors homeschooler don’t do any better than they do in public school.

While I am homeschooling my girls, I really don’t like the thought behind this question. I went to public school and I have a PhD and am a published author. Not one tattoo on me and I’ve never done drugs. This is an unfair generalization.

Of course there are advantages to homeschooling. However, it isn’t for everyone. We chose homeschooling for personal beliefs and also because it was right for our children. I know many others who choose public school because they feel it is the right choice for their children. I am sure both sets of kids will turn out fine.

If you make a statement like that you need facts to back it up (they teach you that in public school).

I go to public school. I have never done drug. I do not drink alcohol. I am not pregnant, nor am I sexually active. As for tattoos (That’s tattoo with two t’s. What a great speller you are!), I don’t have any but I don’t see anything wrong with them. I am in all honors/A.P. courses and am planning on being an engineer.

Your generalizations do nothing but show your ignorance.

As for the winner of the National Spelling Bee being a home schooler, being good at spelling doesn’t necessarily mean that you are smart. It just means that you have a lot of time to practice.

I don’t know if home schoolers have been shown to be smarter because you haven’t given anything to back up your claims, but I can’t imagine that they have the street smarts that a public school kid has.

Well it actually isn’t a measure of intelligence. People are intelligent or not. Home schooled children have more focused education with very little excess crap like most public school children are exposed to. Public schools are litigated into not punishing bad behavior and tying the hands of the teachers to the point that they can not truly control the kids in a way necessary to teach effectively.

I went to both private and public schools. The social skills I learned in life came from public schools. In private schools and home schools you have a huge deficiency in social diversity and therefore ability to relate to people outside your own social group, so you make up for it by spending time studying and learning more book knowledge. It is great to be well educated, but is useless if you can’t function with diversity.

Hmm, you could have a better argument(I learned that at HOMEschool), but I agree to a point.

Homeschooled people(like me) aren’t necessarily smarter, they are often more educated, but intelligence is about average. I could give a speech on the benefits of HSing, but I won’t, I’ll shorten it for you.

Point 1) Homeschooled students usually have the advantage of moving at their own pace for work, they can go rapidly on easy stuff, or slower on hard stuff. Not so with Public school.

Point 2) As a homeschooler, I find stereotypes annoying.
Point 2-a) We are not socially crippled as many believe, many do extra-curricular activities[swimming, horse riding, ect.]
Point 2-b) I am not totally bent up on school and do many things[see 2-a]
Point 2-c) We do the same amount of work, days, and hours on school as you do. Maybe more, we don’t get snow days and have to make up sick days.

However, there are some things about Public school I would like to clear up…

1) Not all P.S.ers are prostitute, drug junkies with AIDS. Plenty are normal people that even go to collage.
2) My best friend is at public school, so that’s really mean.
2-a) I think that most people go to public school and since most people are NOT bad, so therefore public school is not bad.(an example of a good argument, irrefutable fact)

hah i would kill myself if i was home schooled i have trouble bieng at home for the time i am now and bye the way you got something against public school

i can see homeschool kids as doing well in jobs where people do not need to interact like mathematicians (sp?)

public school kids can’t legally get tattoos until their senior year.. i think you are just trying to make a point though.

Its required by law that the lowest students go to public school until they are 16. we are not giving them alot of options on trade schools or apprenticeships. at school the student to teacher ratio is 1:25 or much worse. for home school 1:5 might be higher than the actual average. Oh course if the teacher has a good background in math and science- they can prepare a student academically to be a decent engineering student in college. That doesnt prepare them to be a leader in their community or to interact with new and interesting people though. Look up gardners multiple intelligences. Those jobs only require high intelligences in a couple areas.

public schools get worse as funding for schools, drop in parent involvement, drop in % of intact nuclear families, drops in respect of education, and the drop in experience level of teachers(baby boomer retirement cycle), all have changed the state of schools. Ok so the introduction of more potent and dangerous drugs in our society in the past 20 years hurts too.

But the same protection that homeschooling offers could and has driven some kids to rebel in such a manner that they go straight to bad choices of binge drinking and drugs.

if the best parents are scared to send good kids to public school, then public school will stay at a level lower than it once was. private school and homeschooling pulls away those parents and students who would make a good school great.

unless you win, how does being in the spelling bee help you in the long run? its not a musical ability or a sport.
Suburban public school kids are not really much part of your description to a great extent. Drugs and drinking may occur at an even higher rate at private schools.
pregnancy isn’t a factor of what is happening at school , its more cultural, family to family, parenting, or religious even.

So you have magnet schools, school of choice, charter schools, and school boards and PTAs to make individual areas better districtwide. I put my money on public schools any day. Public schools are democratic. I may have to move and pay high property taxes to chose to be in an area with a great public school system, but its worth it.

Homeschooling is more efficient.

In school, they have to teach 30-40 (in cities, there can be 40 kids in a class) kids, and they teach to the lowest common denominator. If one kid doesn’t get it everyone else is held back.

A homeschooler can just read a book and learn from it. A school kid can only read certain chapters, has to answer loads of pointless, meaningless questions about it, and has to read it on a timetable.

It’s the system, not the kids.

I agree that your examples don’t really prove that homeschooled children are smarter, but studies do tend to show that they do slightly better on academic achievement tests, and generally have broader socialization.
I’m going to hypothesize something that hasn’t been brought up yet - it might have something to do with which parents choose to homeschool.
A lot of parents who are homeschooling are in intact families, able financially to live on a single income (suggestive but not proof of higher education or higher intelligence or more self-discipline), and they are willing to put in the time to give their child what they believe will be a better education and experience.
I read a study that showed that children in PS also did better if the mother did not work outside the home but was a dedicated homemaker.
Hope this helps.

I began homeschooling my only child in November 2006. However, I know your statements are not totally true. Please offer some statistics on the number of homeschooled children who now have careers as engineers, mathematicians, and biologists.

From everything that I have read, homeschooled children perform well in Spelling Bees and Geography Bees, but do not, generally speaking, perform as well in math and science.

It’s not appropriate for you to state the following:

Public School Kids = drunk, drugs, tattoos, pregnant

Your statements are inappropriate, inaccurate, and unkind.