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Comment by Lisa Brown on August 19, 2012 at 10:34pm

I've had my 3 1/2-year-old son enrolled to start preschool this year, but I've decided to homeschool him instead for many reasons. First and foremost, my son is a people person. He'll talk to anyone... anywhere. But, this is where the problem begins. He's made to interact with people - old, young, of every race and ability. And, I believe that putting this child in a room full of kids he shouldn't talk to would be nothing short of torture to him.

Of the valuable life skills he needs to know, I feel that sitting quietly and not talking to people falls at the bottom of the list. I don't believe that the world is changed by people who can sit quietly in a chair and do what they're told.

I've also been taking note of how he learns. Ideally, I'd LOVE for him to learn through being instructed, or through reading. But right now, that's simply not how he learns most effectively. He learns through watching videos - mostly documentaries & educational tv shows. And, educating needs to be in the best interest of the child, I can continue to reach him through the avenues where he learns the best.

I also legitimately enjoy spending time with my son. I love teaching him, watching him learn, and grow as a person. I also feel that it is ultimately my responsibility as a parent to educate my child. While I understand that many parents choose to outsource this responsibility, it is something I am choosing to take responsibility for.

I agree that the learning process begins at birth. So, in that aspect, my son has already been attending homeschool for 3 years now. He's learned to much, and is becoming a very caring, thoughtful individual. I don't see how it makes sense to take something that's already working, and change it.

If the US is falling in education ranking, maybe the answer isn't more school. Maybe the answer is to change the way school is being done. If the system is broken, than fix it. Don't make it longer. 

I agree that preschool is NOT JUST about learning to count, learning the alphabet, or silly songs ;) The foundation blocks for creating a positive, successful PERSON are laid. Are children able to learn this the best by hanging out with other 3-year-olds? Sure, my child is thoughtful, polite & courteous, and all of these other amazing things. But, I know from experience that he's quick to pick up bad habits from other kids who weren't raised this way.

Children learn about schedules and routines in preschool, but they can also easily learn this at home.

They learn how to be community members in preschool, but it isn't the real community they would experience. The preschool community is a group of children who were born around the same time, who live in the same area. Learning to interact with preschoolers only serves them while they're inside the four walls of the school. What happens when they leave the school building? How will they know how to interact with a diverse group of people? In my opinion, the actual community is a much better place to interact with the community. They can see all sorts of people at the library, grocery store, post office. They see the community by living in it and experiencing it every day. 

Socialization is just as important as the academic. I completely agree, and my children naturally socialize with people wherever they go. They learn how to live in the real world instead of inside of a classroom. Trust me, my son is the most social kid you'll ever meet... and he has yet to step foot inside of a classroom.

That's just my opinion. I understand that it's not a path many people decide to take, but I'm looking forward to it. :)

Comment by Ashley on August 19, 2012 at 7:34pm

I fully support the idea of preschool. My daughter started at 3 and my son will be doing the same. The kids in her class that didn't get that early start fell behind academically