Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Should Homeschooling Parents Have College Degrees? Round Two.

I missed her first article but Round Two caught my eye by Laura Brodie Should Homeschooling Parents Have College Degrees? Round Two.

I don't think college degrees should be required of parents who choose to homeschool, after all there is nothing stopping parents from learning subjects along with their children. What did Laura Brodie have to say on the matter?

But once I stopped to consider the subject, I thought: of course a college degree could not be required for homeschooling. First of all, there’s the matter of economic fairness. We don’t have an educational system in which college is open to all citizens. Even at public institutions offering substantial financial aid, a bachelor’s degree has been priced out of many Americans’ reach.

Secondly, we all know brilliant members of American society who never earned college degrees. Bill Gates is the example most often cited.  F. Scott Fitzgerald and Robert Frost are two illustrious college dropouts dear to my English-teacher heart. I always tell my students that self-education, through constant reading and engagement in the world,  is the most important part of their learning—classroom experience is a small piece of the puzzle.

4 comments:

  1. I know people who, even without the benefit of a college education, are erudite, eloquent and well rounded in a number of topics and fields. Likewise I have made acquaintance with a number of people who, even with the burden of a college degree or two, still appear unable to follow basic instructions or hold a conversation not revolving around some vapid celebrity.

    Knowledge isn't something that can only be acquired in the echoing halls of some exalted institution. It is a willingness to allow the embers of curiosity and love of learning to burn without an expiration date. I didn't stop learning because I stopped going to college. Or did I ever go there....?

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  2. Several of my favorite authors don't have college degrees a few didn't even finish high school.

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  3. There's a stigma that homeschoolers don't need a college degree or should never pursue college.

    I don't think the traditional college model is really of any value to a homeschooler, however, I do believe homeschoolers should get a degree if their path in life requires that piece of paper.

    If you're a homeschool student or parent and you'd like to see how well prepared you are for dual credit or college, take this quick survey, it's great -- http://www.collegeplus.org/collegesurvey

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