I like this response as it seems schools are going back to the whole language with some phonics, too.
http://www.thepioneerwomansux.com/2011/02/giving-homeschooling-a-bad-name/
"Ironically, the fact that my mother was a school teacher for 30 years played into my decision to homeschool. I got to see how, over the years, the educational standards relaxed and deteriorated, leaving my mom very frustrated over the conflict between what she had always taught, and what the school board now deemed neccessary.
Example: In the olden days, kids were taught to read via phonics. That’s how I was taught. Then, at some point in California (my mom always said the latest education trends started in California) somebody got the idea that teaching reading via the “whole word recognition” concept was better. That was instituted and phonics got thrown out the window.
Years later, it was discovered that kids taught via whole word recognition were doing poorly on reading tests, while those kids still taught via phonics were doing much better. Phonics was suddenly in again.
Then, about ten years before my mom finally was able to retire, she was told to no longer teach spelling and grammar as separate subjects. (She was an English teacher—pardon me, Language Arts.) She asked, “How I am supposed to teach these kids to spell and use proper grammar?” They said, “They’ll learn while they practice writing. Don’t squelch their creativity by correcting their grammar and spelling in the meantime.” They took away the spelling and grammar textbooks…except my mom kept her teacher’s editions (which she paid for) and copied the lessons out of those and kept on teaching spelling and grammar.
Years later, I was teaching freshman composition at the university in my home town. After the first class, one of my students came up to me and said, “Um..is your mom’s name Ginny A____?” I looked at her, and said, “Don’t tell me…my mom was your English teacher in sixth grade.” She said, “Yeah. She was tough but fair.”
That student turned out to be one of my best I ever had. I never had to correct her spelling or her grammar."
But the reason I want to homeschool is to protect my kids from a) getting in trouble for normal things like talking, b) being invisible, c)watching other kids get in trouble all day. Caleb and Taryn both loved preschool and hated public schools. Sure they liked talking with other kids (Caleb a select friend or two), but they didn't like kids getting yelled at and kids misbehaving. I can't tell you how many times Taryn cried about the mean teachers (and she didn't get in trouble). Or how much abuse Caleb had at the hands of his fifth grade class mates (and the teacher said he was just too immature. Maybe he was, but is that reason to be subject to abuse). Now they've grown resigned to it; they don't want to not see their friends, but I wonder...
I have some of her whole face, however, she would probably kill me if i posted them.
