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My dad said
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My dad said
My dad said that studies showed middle-graders in public school have trouble identifying basic animals, like a frog! I am a homechooler, so I wouldn't know the truth of that statement. Everyone, tell me it's false, or our generation is coming to ruin!
submitted by Emily L., age 13, WA
(August 12, 2008 - 12:33 pm)
(August 12, 2008 - 12:33 pm)
I'm in high-school so my middle school experience is a bit dated, but I'll share anyway. How good your education is really depends on the schools. Even though we moved a lot my parents always tried to get us into better school districts. When I was in 4th grade we new what frogs were (we even disected one!). But as I get older I definately see that schools aren't as hard as they used to be. My brother (who was a 5th grader last school year) would complain about his homework. When I took a look it was basic math(like long division) in worksheet form. He would complain about the spelling lists and he chose the words! When I was in grade/middle school we had much harder homework and were separated into groups based on skill level. Now it seems they try and lump everyone together. Also kids seem to be getting lazier. But don't worry! It gets better in high school. You get to pick your classes and work right at your skill level. (oh and I've never been homeschooled...what's it like?)
(August 15, 2008 - 8:24 pm)
Well, the main difference is that your mom is the teacher. Sometimes that's good, and sometimes it's bad. For instance, it means your teacher hangs around to make sure you do your homework. On the good side, you can learn at your own pace, even if it means being in fourth grade in math and sixth in spelling and fifth in history. They had better not make it illegal in Washington state. If they do our family is going to move.
(August 17, 2008 - 5:58 pm)
I find it hard to believe that kids would have a hard time identifying frogs, even in public school. What I do notice is that kids who are homeschooled are generally a little more polite to adults and kinder to kids their own age than public schoolers. (I'm not saying this is always the case, it's just something I've noticed after being homeschooled my whole life.)
(August 17, 2008 - 3:58 pm)
I noticed that too.
(August 17, 2008 - 6:15 pm)
yes, we can identify frogs. you guys can't label us as "public school kids" We are not one solid group. Everyone is different. maybe one stupid seventh grader can't identify a frog, but I can. Home schooling and public schools both have their pros and their cons. You can't say that homeschooled kids are more polite. Being polite is something that I learned at home. Sure, it's reinforced at school, but being kind and courteous was something that I learned at home. I personally love going to public school. Almost all of the kids are nice, and you learn how to deal with the not nice ones. For lots of kids, homeschooling was never an option. I think it's great that you guys are homeschooled, but don't label us.
(August 18, 2008 - 10:42 am)
were not trying to label anyone. It's probably just telling the difference between frogs and toads, though, I don't even know if I could do that. It makes more sense.
(August 18, 2008 - 3:28 pm)
Okay, first of all Emily didn't you say public schoolers coundn't be able to tell basic animals, such as a frog? That doesn't have much to do with being able to tell the difference between a frog and a toad.
(October 5, 2008 - 10:56 pm)
AH HA HA! *gasp* politeness! enforced in school! I wish...
To give a transcript of a conversation in the halls of PHS would be to give you a long line of asterisks, racial slurs (which is weird because we don't have anyone to be racial against), abuse of various teachers, students, and the cafeteria food, playground insults (i.e. STOOOPID), more asterisks, and some homework-stealing.
Sigh...
Quinn and I were homeschooled once. And then we went to public school.
(September 7, 2008 - 5:23 pm)
I completely agree. It's not fair if I said you homeschoolers are always "stuck up and can't fend for themselves" is it?
You're extremely lucky you can learn at your own pace. For us, we have to slow down, or even stop, or go zooming down the highway at 100 mph, blindly turning the wheel. In fact, I take 8th grade math and I read at a college level. And I'm proud to be a "Public School Kid" because I get to see my friends every day for 6 hours, and doze off, or think of ideas for books, while my teacher talks about "interrogative and declarative sentences" because it's wasting my time. I like being able to break every rule, and get punished by people who don't even know me. And check out books for free! I envy you, Emily. I really do. But how can you enjoy being home, when you're home all the time?
(September 13, 2008 - 2:43 pm)
Thank you, you and The Man For whatever understand my point of view.
(October 5, 2008 - 11:02 pm)
i can identify a frog
im public schooled
(August 18, 2008 - 3:16 pm)
On the other hand, you didn't capitalize anything and you're missing an apostrophe...
Really though, public school is great if you actually learn, but kids in my English class look at me funny if I say something like, "The fact that the speaker referred to these people as being YELLOW may indicate that they are sick or diseased, since jaundice is one of the key signs of liver failure!"
Everyone else: What?
And it vexes me so.
(September 16, 2008 - 7:37 pm)
Excuse me! My brother,sister, and I all have above a 4.0 grade average and go to public school. Being brilliant has nothing to do with where you go to school.
(August 19, 2008 - 12:26 pm)
I have two B's because I fall asleep in class. I also performed at a "12 grade+ level" in math, reading, science, and writing, while I was in eighth grade. I also wouldn't give a pineapple about my grades, except that colleges have stupidly decided to base a larger percentage of their acceptances on grades.
Grades are not a measure of intelligence, Grasshopper. Be wary of undue pride, or ye shall become a Narcissist.
Really though, just because you get straight A's does not make you "brilliant". Einstein, for example...
(October 3, 2008 - 8:05 pm)
Yup, you are so modest.
(October 6, 2008 - 5:58 pm)