Home School vs. Private School vs. Public School

[Aquatic_blue]

This just came to my mind. Throughout my life, I have gone to all public schools. I'd never been homeschooling because I couldn't imagine being home all day and not seeing my friends from school and I liked to get out of the house. However, I knew a lot of people that had the same beliefs as me at the time that enrolled their kids in private schools and a lot that believed in only home schooling, whether it was internet homeschooling, textbook homeschooling, etc.

Public schooling has a big effect on me. I heard such foul language every day - the language wasn't as bad as it was in elementary/primary school as it was in middle and high school. The language got so bad that it was impossible to drown out. I found perverted jokes to be hilarious and curse words in my opinion sounded funnier than using a different word in place of that. In public school, I ran into a few teachers that cursed in their classrooms and because of this - the students said they were "cool" teachers. I remember in high school there were occasions of students doing things on campus they absolutely shouldn't be and some of these actions people consider "private" were done under stairwells, in the elevator, in the bathroom stalls, and elsewhere. It was distracting to getting a good education. I remember one day I saw a pregnant student in this high school and stared and thought, "Whoa o.o! Is she...p...pregnant?" in my mind and she was - I could not believe it. However, as time wore on - I had pregnant girls in my classes from time to time and see them around campus a lot and they'd be having a rough time because they would have to drop out or keep on going with school and have someone watch their child. Students would call them ugly names and they'd be gossiped about a lot. School a lot of the time felt like a zoo - you never know when something would go terribly wrong.

I do not regret going to public schools, and I have seen how it has corrupted other youths and how strong the peer pressure is to try things that aren't right with God. I thought about joining their Christian organization before until I saw their display in front of the school. They were being rude to the other students that normally would hang around in that spot in the morning and I was one of the kids that hung out in front of the school. The Christian organization playing music and sat in many groups in a circle and closed their eyes - meditating. I didn't even know what they were doing and when other students that normally would hang around were talking and goofing around away from the group - the group said over their microphone, "Shut up! Can't you see we're doing something here?!" and would play obnoxiously loud to drown us out and I found out later who the leaders of that club were. They could've turned it into an amazing witnessing tool on campus, but instead smashed people who didn't believe the way they did and saw themselves as better than everyone else so people didn't enjoy their company.

I never liked the idea of home school because I felt the need to get out of the house and do something and didn't like the idea of private school because I liked dressing in my own comfy clothes - jeans and a t-shirt. Public school was the only schools I'd go to.

In the end, after all that I've seen. I know that when I have kids one day - the first few years of school - I will home school them and if they want to try public or private school then I'll enroll them and see if they enjoy it better or feel like it's more for them. If they come back because they prefer home school, I'll keep going with that.

It just worries me how public schools are at times and I've heard some students enjoy private academies better. Some people enjoy home schooling as long as the parents aren't overbearing.

However, one thing I have not done is go to a Christian school. Around here, there are a few, but they believe things that I don't. One day, I want to go to a Christian college. I know which one and have seen the campus - it's absolutely beautiful, but I will not mention the name of it for my own privacy reasons. I wish I would've had the opportunity to go to a good Christian school and have God involved in my education. Although, I still know I couldn't have made it through high school without God because I failed algebra once and geometry about 3 times. I passed the standardized testing needed to graduate - both the algebra and geometry portion without passing geometry. Only God could've gotten me through that one. I wish I could've gone to a good Christian academy where I involved God into my studies.

So, I would like to see people's views on this matter because education is an important matter. Here are a few questions to answer:

1. Did you go to a home school, private school, christian school, or a public school?
2. What was your experience going to the schools you did? Was is excellent? Was is terrible?
3. If you could've had any other type of schooling - would you choose different (ex. home school, private school, christian school, public school)?
4. Is home school better than private or public schools? If yes, why?  

[ll-0RACL3_kun-ll]

I studied in a private christian school and it wasn't that bad coz the teachers are friendly enough to be friends with students. They would hang out in houses and resorts in summer. High school there was different though. I've experienced people cursing, ranting in social networking sites that gave them probation, posting a scandalous pic, and some who got into drinking. My classmates even videoed themselves being drunk and vomiting and made fun of it. I didn't think it was funny coz it's a serious matter. By the way, they're believers of God, but don't take the bible seriously by reading it. They practically read only if it's homework. I don't think I would consider any other type of schooling coz I like it how my school promotes christianity and it's education is advance. I wouldn't go for home school either coz people who prefer that might have a hard time socializing and I rather be exposed to the 'real world' y'know?  

[Aquatic_blue]

ll-0RACL3_kun-ll

I studied in a private christian school and it wasn't that bad coz the teachers are friendly enough to be friends with students. They would hang out in houses and resorts in summer. High school there was different though. I've experienced people cursing, ranting in social networking sites that gave them probation, posting a scandalous pic, and some who got into drinking. My classmates even videoed themselves being drunk and vomiting and made fun of it. I didn't think it was funny coz it's a serious matter. By the way, they're believers of God, but don't take the bible seriously by reading it. They practically read only if it's homework. I don't think I would consider any other type of schooling coz I like it how my school promotes christianity and it's education is advance. I wouldn't go for home school either coz people who prefer that might have a hard time socializing and I rather be exposed to the 'real world' y'know?

Hmm...I suppose I didn't think that Christian academies would have a few similar problems that public schools do. I can see how people may fall into reading Bible as routine homework instead of working to get closer to God and how that can happen. That might also be more likely if the decision to go there was influenced by the parents and the child had no true foundation.

That's good that you are content with the schooling you received in life smile

With home school, the socialization may be an issue and that's what I thought growing up, but after doing research on it and talking with friends that were home schooled - some learn better in a classroom environment and enjoy it better. I've noticed some that like home school created Christian home school groups or joined one and made friends that way and got involved in church activities and other hobbies such as sports. I can imagine that with the right effort from the parents as well, the kids can have a good social life and still be able to get out and do stuff. We meet people from places other than school like at the park, our next door neighbors (depending where you live, of course), church, bible study groups, or out doing other activities smile  

[musasgal]

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1. Did you go to a home school, private school, christian school, or a public school?

hmm....I kept changing schools, including high school. 3 of them was public, the other was more private. Two of them was non-christain, and two were christain.

Quote:

2. What was your experience going to the schools you did? Was is excellent? Was is terrible?

My first school was Cathloic, well, I really didn't have a choice since my sisters went to that school. I really didn't enjoy it since I was bullied there, than I had a good bond with the priest. sweatdrop Ended up breaking silently though.
My second school, it was non-Christian, but they did have Bible-in-Schools, which I met two women who is part of the church I'm now at. And I loved that. And that's when I met my true best friend.
My first high school experiance was HORRIBLE!! So I had this mindset that when I become 16, I'm going to drop out. Did graduate first year with merit. Then I moved schools again.
My second high school experiance was....interesting. Yes, this was the private school....which was Christain. What I love about the school was everyone was so friendly, and I can easily talk to teachers. What was interesting, was that it was also a primary school, and it was Dutch Reformed.....and where I tried a sweet called Droppies. They are soooo good. Anyway, they didn't believe for girls to wear shorts and pants, including muffti. I was able to create a muffti day for a project for my church too. Another interesting thing that they have 4-5 timetables each year, and each week, you have to do memory verses. I sucked at that. But I graduated at the end of 2009 - the year that the current minister came. I also gave my heart to the Lord in 2007, when I was Yr 11.

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3. If you could've had any other type of schooling - would you choose different (ex. home school, private school, christian school, public school)?

Hmm....I like the schooling I had, so I won't choose another type of schooling.

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4. Is home school better than private or public schools? If yes, why?

In my opinion, I don't think home schooling is better than public. Not only you don't have the extra support, but you don't get much social skills at all.  

[Imopoki]

Pardon the late entry into this discussion (and the wall of text):

I've always attended public schools. While I've had a couple teachers who were Christians and who encouraged the faith of any of their Christian students, I've also had teachers who were the opposite. Some teachers of mine would mock students who brought up their religious beliefs and actually get into arguments with them, trying to prove that they were wrong. Any lessons taught about "Christianity" in public schools involved the crusades, the Salem witch trials, Manifest Destiny, etc. The students who attend public schools could also be a potential problem… I can't count how many atheists and Wiccans I shared classes with. Public schools are convenient, but they aren't a healthy place for a Christian to grow.

However, students who attend Christian schools aren't any better, in my experience. The students from the private Christian school where I live tend to look down on anyone who attends public school. They either dislike us because we can't afford to attend their school, or because they think we're heathens. (You should see the faces/comments they make when we walk past their school…)

My little sister is currently being home schooled by my mom, and it's done a lot of good for her. Though she can be a pain, like any 5 year old, some of the things she says and does are just astounding. Sometimes I'll find her in a room with her arms in the air, and if I ask what she's doing she'll say, "I'm praising Jesus." If she were to do that in a public school, her teacher would probably stop her. There are times when a family member will be feeling sad or when they'll get hurt, and she'll remind them of God's presence and love. She's recently taken to saying her own prayers at dinner and before bed, too.

The different schooling situations remind me of the parable of the sower. (Matthew 13:18-23) Public schools are like the rocky ground, where seeds are lost to persecution; private/Christian schools are like the thorny ground, where the thorns choke out the word and the seeds are unfruitful; and home schooling is like the good ground, where the seeds bear fruit.

I made it through public school alright, so I wouldn't change my schooling if I had a choice. But I'll definitely home school my kids when I have them (at least during their younger years), so that I can help encourage spiritual growth.  

[apiyo]

I went to public schools from pre-K to college. There were positives and negatives. Grade school wasn't so bad because most of the kids and faculty were Christian or proclaiming Christians. Of course there was the standard cursing and loose morals, but Christianity wasn't constantly under attack. In high school one of my English teachers got away with teaching Bible stories. College was really liberal and Christianity was under attack. The good thing about that was I became aware of how important Evangelism is.

For the moment am partial to homeschooling, because they can't be indoctrinated by the negative teachings from public school, which are getting worse all the time. There's different types of homeschooling with different levels of parental instruction and even groups of families. I would have liked to been home schooled. I have no social skills, despite going to school so it wouldn't have made a difference. With homeschooling, parents would be able to spiritually direct their children without the teachers and peers undoing it.  

[Rae of Hope]

1. Did you go to a home school, private school, christian school, or a public school?
I went to public school
2. What was your experience going to the schools you did? Was is excellent? Was is terrible?
My experience was okay, not any worse than the average high school experience. My experience was somewhat similar to yours. I was a bit lost in my faith until I joined the Bible club at my school. The people there were great, and my faith really evolved. I go to a private Christian College now and I doubt I would have even considered applying if it weren't for my experiences in the Bible Club.
3. If you could've had any other type of schooling - would you choose different (ex. home school, private school, christian school, public school)?
No, I doubt that I would have been happy with the other options.
4. Is home school better than private or public schools? If yes, why?
I personally would not have wanted to be home schooled and I wouldn't want that for my future kids. I think it is better for kids to experience what is going to be like in the real world. After they graduate they'll have to face people who don't share the same views as them and I would rather they be prepared for that. Also I have a friend that absolutely hated her private Christian high school. And from what I have seen, kids who go to private schools aren't necessarily more Christ-like than the average public school kid. I've heard that they behave just as badly, if not worse.

I strongly recommend going to a private Christian college (though mine is considered to be on the more liberal side compared to some other Christian Colleges) I go to one and I love it a lot. I have definitely grown in my faith significantly and I am so happy to have people who I can go to who will pray with me. Most of my high school friends are Atheists, so it was a new experience for me to have that. Because we share our values I feel a stronger love and connections with them than with my friends from home. But even at a Christian school there will probably be people who's beliefs differ from yours. I have met a few people who have said or done things that I didn't expect from people at a Christian college. But I found plenty of wonderful friends who share my values and are really wonderful people.  

[i r i d e s s i c a n c e]

I went to public schools my whole life. I have to admit, unless you had your bearings down and knew how to deal with socializing (who to drown out and how to respond), life would be hard. Sometimes, it can help make you stronger, but for people who or more sensitive, it can really hurt you. Since I moved in elementary school to another one, life changed, people were tougher at the more rich academic public school than the homely, friendly, activity involved school.I grew up in. In middle school things were a little more rough, but things evened out. No one was pregnant. Life was based on what you had, you got it you flaunt it. Derogatory terms weren't used or you'd rarely hear them. Basically, puppy love relationships and no one did drugs. When I got to high school, first year things were okay. But sophomore through senior year, things got more rough and tough as far as obscene vocabulary, vulgar activities inappropriate like private things on the stairwells during lunch. Also more drug usage, pregnancies, and more. Perversion and vulgarity were left to what I'd refer to as "misfits" mixed with band members, geeks, etc. I was a misfit. And, during the time, even today I will admit I find perversion as far as the jokes of it, to be something to lighten up the day or life. Especially since times are tough since it's been 3 years this coming June since my class graduated. If I could have went to another school, I probably wouldn't have chose a different one. Only because the experience of coming in contact with others in the real world, you can experience it. I mean, worst comes to worst I will enroll my children in a private school for their safety since the school shootings. But, I will teach my children the importance of life, what's right and wrong, basically real world things they should know early on. I was raised oblivious to the real world. When I was young I didn't know how big the world was. I thought it was so small and only a group of people lived in it. I didn't know about the wars, the news, nothing. Yes, it helped me with the innocent side, but at the same time, there are things I think should be taught earlier on. And,I'm sure God will find a way and lead me to where I should let my kids go to.

Instead of saying which one is better, here's my viewpoint. Homeschool would be a safe option, you can watch your kids learn and teach them everything you know. Yet, they could become lazy, restless, secluded, and unsociable compared to those in private in public schools IF and only IF they aren't educated right in homeschooling. I believe private schools would definitely be a better option than homeschooling because your children could socialize and have a firm academic career, but at the same time the friends they meet, they don't have much of a choice, BUT the security is good and you'd have less chance of dealing with vulgarity as compared to public schools. But, private schools cost a lot more than public schools. Public schools I believe are best for molding children for the real world. Unfortunately, they are the least safe in option and at times they can be influenced into the wrong crowds and peer pressure is definitely an issue. Yet, they have diversity and freedom to shape themselves and find out who they want to be. And, it gives them the choice to deal with what they choose and to find themselves than forcibly molding them into something they may not want to be. But, a downfall is, your child can come in contact with a lot of children that are sick, but at the same time, it will strengthen their immune systems.  

[MiracleRayray2]

I go to a public school. I like it a lot. I have Christian and non Christian friends.  

[Aquatic_blue]

Thank you for posting your thoughts, everybody. I apologize for responding late and not being able to read all of your posts promptly. I do enjoy seeing opinions on this matter ^_^  

[Aporeia]

I think Public school is the best approach. Children need to experience the world, sheltering them is as good as lying to them.

They have to grow up with it, or once you set them loose, they won't have a frame of reference.  

[KayyyCee]

1. Did you go to a home school, private school, christian school, or a public school?
2. What was your experience going to the schools you did? Was is excellent? Was is terrible?
3. If you could've had any other type of schooling - would you choose different (ex. home school, private school, christian school, public school)?
4. Is home school better than private or public schools? If yes, why?

1. I'm enrolled in a Private Catholic School
2. I never enrolled into a public school but even though I'm from private school it doesn't mean that all of the students are nice. All schools really has a student with different characteristics. Some students are saying foul languages and even saying bad things behind the teacher's back, they keep on breaking the rules and just do whatever they wanted to do. I've been bullied emotionally by them but I always think that they just don't know me and they don't have the right to judge me. I just pray for them and trust God with everything. Exciting because I have my friends who understand me and also put God first in everything.
3. I want to try home school but my family cannot afford that and they also want me to have friends and experience being a normal student.
4. I don't know... But for me... I think being in a private or public schools are more better because you can meet every people with different characters... We can influence them or be influenced by them.  

[Wildear19]

I was home schooled right up until college and honestly while I did learn a lot I had no real social interaction until I went to college, but I think being home schooled had a good impact on me because I learned the importance of time management and how good it feels to get things done ahead of time.  

[Frogsnack]

Aquatic_blue

1. Did you go to a home school, private school, christian school, or a public school?
2. What was your experience going to the schools you did? Was is excellent? Was is terrible?
3. If you could've had any other type of schooling - would you choose different (ex. home school, private school, christian school, public school)?
4. Is home school better than private or public schools? If yes, why?

Oh man, are you still interested? because I feel very qualified to give an opinion about it!

1. I was home-schooled twice, went to three different public schools, and one private Lutheran school before I graduated.
-Kindergarten and First grade was public and rural (there were Amish kids in class),
-2nd-4th grades were in a public school in a farming community (no Amish but less diverse)
-5th & 6th grades I was home-schooled
-7th & 8th grades I was in a public school in the suburbs of a big city (very diverse)
-9th & 10th grades were once again home-schooling
-11th & 12th grades were in a private, Lutheran school in the big city.

2. 'Excellent' and 'Terrible' cannot define it. What I noticed the most was that each school had a feeling, almost a spirit about it (and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case). Some schools had friendly people and some had cold people and some had bratty people and some had fearful people. In some I had more friends than I could remember the names of and in others I was a social pariah. It taught me empathy, but it also taught me the invaluable truth that you shouldn't try to be the people around you. One of my best friends growing up just became so different because she was caught up in what mattered to her school, her community (and believe me no other school could have cared about most of it) and her peers that she just wasn't someone I knew anymore.

Here are some examples- The rural farming community school was very closed minded and kids were clicky without knowing they were. This was the cold school, but I think the teachers had a lot to do with setting the tone where they were just your instructors for the day so they didn't pay attention to your needs at all.

-The suburban school was full of kids who wanted to be better than each other, who all emulated the few popular ones and compared stories about how bad they could be (one girl was popular because at age 13 she was dating a 21 year old O_o I'm still disgusted by that).

-The rural school with Amish kids was friendly and open (but it was first grade, so?) It was diverse because there were the Amish and 'the Yankees' as some Amish called us non-Amish kids, so even though there were differences there was an expectation that other people aren't automatically wrong, right or anything, they're just different. I loved that school.

-The private Lutheran school was one part friendly people and two parts people who were hurting, and struggling for all the world to make it seem like they had it better than the next kid. A few people there embraced themselves, but most others seemed starved for acceptance. The few friends I had there were incredibly cool and real people (even if our religion teacher and school 'pastor' did tell us that Martin Luther's books are going to be added to the bible one day...yikes!).

- In home-school there was diversity depending on if we were living near other home-schoolers or not (like classes could be combined etc) but most of our study was self study while our mom worked even though we'd help each other in greek and math. The biggest difference for me in Home school was that when I went back to public each time, I tested about year ahead of the current curriculum. Our study material was largely these 'lifepac' booklets that I didn't take very seriously because they seemed so easy, but in contrast they presented information very clearly and didn't go out of their way to be tricky with teaching or testing (like so many public schools do). One great thing about home school was that the material was a few hours each day, not 8 with crazy homework. Because we were at home, it was so much easier to focus. Also, a lot more fieldtrips to museums and things are possible when you don't have public school that can only afford one trip every three years. We went to plays, some museums, and libraries etc. most of it still was at home. We played basketball one year for gym. Also youth groups at church helped a lot with socializing, although at times i was behind kids in public school socially because I was naive and awkward (but also, they were very desensitized so I don't think that's a good thing now).

3. Honestly, I wouldn't pick anything different for myself because I met so many people and learned so much and I truly feel God's calling in my life will involve the need for me to be able to talk to diverse groups and to not be offended easily, or even to bop in and out of someone's life to help them, then move on. I am definitely stronger for the experience, even if it was lonely moving so much. For my kids I'd like them to see both public or private school and be home-schooled (especially in early and late years) so they see the world that they are called to be 'in but not of'.

4. Sort of covered this above, but yeah home school is safer. Literally safer. Nobody came into my house with a gun but someone came into one of my schools. But morality is so easily corrupted. My niece went to Christian schools until high school and then was in public, where suddenly she took on beliefs of the world and now is gay, liberal etc (she was very active in her drama club and wants to act, but the teacher there was gay and crow-bared gay couples into the school plays wherever he could and she wasn't going to a youth group, so the kids in drama club became the group she grew up with and that I think was damaging to her faith- though I think those kids were sweethearts, she just needed to have more believers around her when she was working trough problems and stress!)  

[Meili Kyumee Youichi]

1. Private Christian and Catholic school
2. I prayed to get into the best senior high school in my city (Catholic one). However, I was rejected and I can only get into this new Christian school. I was initially mocked because I was from a top middle high school. Yet in this new school, I received entry scholarship, got first rank parallel which also assisted me to get scholarship abroad, and this school is actually one of the few who have class in full English which prepared me better to study abroad. I now realize how God has planned His best.
3. I wouldn't choose differently because I believe God prepared the best for me! Undoubtedly 3nodding
4. I did not have much experience of home schooling except private tutoring. It was helpful to catch up with school and increase study motivation. smile

Proverbs 19:21 ESV
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Romans 8:28 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 21:30 ESV
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.