Personally I look at public school as a way to teach my children socialization skills. I could teach them the academic things and I do afterschool or in the summer or on the weekends if I believe my kids need to know the information. I like taking them on field trips and talking to them about various concepts they are learning in school.
My son typically goes beyond what is expected when given a science project. I think the blessing is having teachers who recognize the uniqueness within each child and fostering it. Helping children learn to work together and valuing others talents and ability to help each other learn and get along.
However even bad teachers can teach students to learn the material independently, and the parents can help show them methods to work with someone who doesn't understand or cater to your needs (their bosses sure won't in the future). How to be polite and diplomatic even if you don't agree with them. How to work in a group and get a task done despite the other personalities, etc.
For me school is reinforcement of values taught at home and a test to see if they have internalized the morals we try to impart by how they handle situations they are placed in at school.
My kids know there are different views about certain subjects and I tell him what the commonly accepted view is but at the same time discuss with him history and how certain views have changed when new information comes into the picture.
He is seven and I don't know how much he truly understand, but I think he knows that humanity is still learning about the world and God's creation. We know more than we did in the past just as he knows more than he did when he was his little sister's age, but there is still a lot to learn and discover.
I think as long as learning remains fun and the search for Truth is allowed to flourish, it doesn't matter if you homeschool or public school.
However there is more to learning than academics. there is the social aspect and the physical exercise/ sports part of schooling some people neglect.
I would advocate a change in the public high school curriculum to incorporate apprenticeships and hand on training in various fields but that would involve getting businessmen and women to allow such things.
I remember in high school spending time shadowing various health professionals to see if that would be a field I was interested in pursuing. Then being trained and actually working as a nurse Tech in the hospital my senior year was great and definitely would not have been available for free if I was homeschooled.
Besides my mom can't read English, so homeschooling wasn't even an option for me growing up.
I love education. lol
I really don't care the method, just that people continue to learn.
