Blair on the Radio

[kybearfuzz]

On my way to work this morning, I came upon a Christian radio broadcast where they were interviewing the former actress who played Blair on The Facts of Life, who left show business and is out promoting a book. In the conversation that was making me cringe, she stressed how much she loved being a stay-at-home mom and home-schooling her kids.

The latter part of that made me wonder. I have coworkers who home school their kids, but they seem to be well-rounded folks with science backgrounds who simply don't like the public schools in their areas. Former Blair was Bible-thumping hard and it makes me wonder what the home school curriculum her kids must be going through. I'm sure she's not telling them about evolution or anything of the sort, but I wonder if she includes other books besides the Bible for the kids to read or includes any science in the curriculum. Is Shakespeare wholesome enough?? Do her kids know about the whole heliocentric spin of the solar system? How can these children compete when they eventually go to high school or to college with other kids who have been exposed to more liberal education? And I mean "liberal" as well rounded, as I myself went to a small non-denominational Christian liberal arts college myself.

Just curious, I guess... Do home schooled kids have to pass an exam to "graduate"? The more I thought about it, the more I thought "those poor kids...."

Comments

[daltxfurry.livejournal.com]

Being as I seem to live in an area where Home Schooling kids is the norm, I can tell you some things....

1. They are required to take and pass certain tests each year.
2. They have to log a certain number of hours for schooling.
3. I believe the parent/teacher much abide by a certain curriculum to be considered a home schooler.

About 5 or 6 years ago, when my other half was seeking a more stable job, he met a woman who home schooled her kids, along with a a few other kids who varied in age. The mothers would alternate "teaching" days and schedules. They asked him to come up one day and give the kids a lecture on opera, so as they kids could get an idea and feel for the music. He put together an afternoon lesson plan that went over not only the particular operas, but also the composers histories, the countries they were based from and the politicial/sociological/spiritual climate at those times.

The kids loved it immensely and wanted him to come back and teach them more.

Admittedly MOST (maybe 90% or more I am guessing) home schooled kids are in that holy roller/heavily religious family, but a few aren't.

As Buffy said to Willow at the beginning of season 3 "There's always home schooling. It's not just for religious zealots anymore"

[queensheba.livejournal.com]

I've heard that the requirements for home schoolers vary widely by state, though - so some states might have lots of requirements, and some might have almost none.

I'm sure it can be done well, but it's not what I would want for my own (theoretical) kids. In my mind, school is a normal part of a person's life, and it's your introduction to the real world.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Well, I know my coworkers who home school their kids make sure that they participate in school sports and one's kids did go to public high school once they were old enough.

[daltxfurry.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way.....some of the kids I have done shows with that are home schooled are, shall we say, socially retarded.