Right-wing extremism means homeschooling surge in US should concern us all - eviltoast
  • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    I used to sell books to homeschooling parents and I still shudder some times. It seems like the least capable people were trying to do their own education.

    I had one even ask “Where are the books on government weather control?” and I was like “You mean seeding rain clouds?” (which is actual science) and, no, they were adamant that the government was out creating or dispersing hurricanes and tornadoes…

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I don’t think I’m especially crazy or highly ignorant (but who knows?) and yet I still had a ton of trouble doing virtual (not even solo homeschooling) schooling with my daughter at the height of COVID. She did see a teacher on video chat for 90 minutes a day, but the rest was up to me.

      I’m not a teacher. I know nothing about pedagogy. Being able to do fourth grade math and being able to teach a fourth grader how to do fourth grade math are very, very different things. I don’t think my experience was especially unique in that regard, I just think a lot of homeschooling parents suck at what they’re doing with their kids. And, based on a lot of the homeschooled kids I’ve met, that bears out.

      Yes, there are some homeschooled kids that do well. They’re the minority.

      • crusa187@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Well is the goal of these parents actually to educate their children, or to prevent them from learning certain things?