Spoon Fed Version for Clarity: What Happens When Teaching is Outsourced

THIS IS PART OF YESTERDAY'S BLOG POST What Happens When Teaching is Outsourced WHICH HAS BEEN PARTIALLY RE-WRITTEN FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT MY POINT WAS. I THINK THAT REGULAR READERS OF MY BLOG WOULD GET MY POINT BUT OTHERS MAY HAVE MISSED THE POINT, AS ONE COMMENTER DID TODAY.

SO HERE IS A SPOON FED VERSION WHICH I HOPE IS CLEAR ENOUGH.

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This fall was the most outsourcing of my kid's education in our family's history. My kids have been homeschooled "since birth". I am used to being in charge of the content and activities and selecting programs and books that my kids do.

My children's teachers were either:

professional teachers

subject matter experts

homeschooling mothers

or

two or more of the above (i.e. homeschooling mother formerly worked in industry X or homeschooling mother with teaching credentials who formerly taught public school).





Some things that happened that felt odd to experience with WHY (SHOWN IN UPPER CASE LETTERS).


1. Not knowing really what was covered in the class. Not knowing if reality matched the plan. Knowing what was supposed to be covered but not knowing if it really was. (I guess I'm supposed to assume the affirmative.)


HOMESCHOOLING PARENTS LIKE ME ARE USED TO HAVING A COURSE OBJECTIVE AND GOAL AND KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IS TAUGHT AND SEEING CLEARLY WHAT THEIR CHILD HAS LEARNED (OR FAILED TO LEARN). ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE TO THE TEACHING/LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO TRY TO GET THAT OBJECTIVE LEARNED OR THE THING MASTERED.

MOST HOMESCHOOLING PARENTS I KNOW ARE FOCUSED ON THE CHILD ACTUALLY LEARNING WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT NOT JUST EXPOSING THEM TO SOMETHING AND ABANDONING IT AND MOVING ON JUST BECAUSE IT'S TIME TO MOVE THE CLASS ALONG TO THE NEXT TOPIC OR CHAPTER OR UNIT OR TO MOVE THEM TO THE NEXT GRADE IN SEPTEMBER.

2. Having no sense for if my child really learned anything or if it went over their head.

HOMESCHOOLING PARENTS ARE USED TO HAVING A COURSE OBJECTIVE AND GOAL AND KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IS TAUGHT AND SEEING CLEARLY WHAT THEIR CHILD HAS LEARNED (OR FAILED TO LEARN).

WITH HOMESCHOOLING, ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE TO THE TEACHING/LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO TRY TO GET THAT OBJECTIVE LEARNED OR THE THING MASTERED.


IF THE HOMESCHOOLED CHILD IN A CLASS SETTING HASN'T LEARNED SOMETHING THE PARENT HAS A CHOICE BETWEEN TREATING IT LIKE SCHOOL AND JUST MOVING ON OR MAKING TIME IN THE FAMILY'S SCHEDULE TO RE-TEACH THE TOPIC FOR SUBJECT MASTERY OR UNDERSTANDING. HOWEVER IF THEY ALREADY SPENT TIME IN A CLASS, TO CARVE OUT TIME TO RE-TEACH IT MAKES FOR EVEN MORE WORK THAN IF THE CONTENT WAS TAUGHT AT HOME IN THE FIRST PLACE.

3. Not knowing if the course materials (i.e. textbook) was really used to its fullest (espeically when I spent $100 on one book I'm kind of curious how or if it was used).

IN MY STATE HOMESCHOOLING FAMILIES GET NO TAX BREAKS OR MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO BUY MATERIALS. ALSO OUR SCHOOLS, TOWNS, CITIES AND THE STATE DOES NOT GIVE US EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO USE. (MANY PEOPLE IN MY STATE ARE SHOCKED TO LEARN THIS FACT.)

THEREFORE, WE MUST CHOOSE OUR EXPENSES WISELY AS IT ALL COMES OUT OF OUR POCKET. I WOULD PREFER TO NOT BE FORCED TO BUY MATERIALS FOR A CLASS THAT ARE NOT ACTUALLY USED.

NO ONE IS FUNDING MY KID'S EDUCATION. WE ALSO STILL PAY FULL TAXES (I.E. PROPERTY TAXES) WHICH GO TO PAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLING IN OUR TOWN (IN THIS STATE THE SAME GOES FOR PARENTS WHO SEND THEIR KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL).

4. Not knowing if there is homework. More than once my child has said there was no homework but I have found out later there was homework and my kid didn't do it. We are now working on organizational methods but it's not working completely.

DESPITE THINKING MY KIDS 'HAVE IT TOGETHER WELL' THEY SEEM TO BE JUST LIKE SAME-AGED PEERS WHO HAVE ALWAYS ATTENDED SCHOOL. KIDS ARE KIDS. IN OTHER WORDS HOMESCHOOLED KIDS ARE PROBABLY MORE SIMILAR TO SCHOOLED KIDS THAN SOME HOMESCHOOLING PARENTS MIGHT LIKE TO THINK, WHICH WOULD BE A NEWS FLASH TO SOME OF THOSE PARENTS. I HAVE BEEN REALIZING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS AND THIS ITEM IS ONE MORE THING ON MY LIST OF PROOF.

ANOTHER POINT IS MY KIDS HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE CLASS AND THE TEACHINGS DUE TO THEIR ERRORS. CONTRAST THAT TO LESSONS TAUGHT AT HOME WHICH CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT HOMESCHOOLED KIDS NEED TO LEARN NORMAL CLASSROOM STRUCTURE (AND BEHAVIOR AND ETIQUETTE) IF THEY ARE TO EVER ATTEND SCHOOL OR COLLEGE. I HAVE DISCUSSED THAT ON MY BLOG NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST. IT IS COMPLETLEY REASONABLE FOR TEACHERS TO EXPECT KIDS TO COME TO CLASS PREPARED WITH SUPPLIES AND WITH THEIR HOMEWORK DONE.


5. Wondering how my child did on the test but not knowing when it will come back so I can see the score. Realizing a week later my son got it back but he just didn't communicate the outcome with me.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN LEARNING IS REMOVED FROM THE HOMESCHOOL PARENT THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENS TO SOME PARENTS WHOSE KIDS GO TO SCHOOL. NO MATTER HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL PARENT WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR KID'S EDUCATION THE DISCONNECTION CREATES A WALL THAT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO PENETRATE EVEN IF THE SCHOOL AND TEACHERS STATE THEY WANT 'MORE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT' OR 'PARENTS INVESTED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION'.

6. Prepping my kids to take school supplies to class with them. Buying the stuff and helping them get it ready. Explaining to them the necessity of going to class prepared. Then hearing later my kid(s) showed up to class without said materials and (along with other students) caused an annoying administrative problem (more than once) as they had no paper and no pencil to write with.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF KIDS ARE KIDS, THAT HOMESCHOOLED KIDS ARE NOT UNLIKE SCHOOLED KIDS, AND THAT MY KIDS ARE IMPERFECT WHICH IN THIS CASE LEADS TO A LESS OPTIMAL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE AND CREATES A NUISANCE FOR THE TEACHER.

WHEN I VOLUNTEER-TEACH CLASSES TO OTHER PEOPLE'S HOMESCHOOLED KIDS  I EXPECT KIDS TO BRING CERTAIN MATERIALS AND TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK. I MAKE THIS CLEAR. THE KIDS DON'T ALWAYS COMPLY. MY KIDS ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THOSE HOMESCHOOLED KIDS. HOWEVER IT IS A PROBLEM FOR THE TEACHER OR CLASS IF THE KIDS DON'T COME TO CLASS PREPARED. I HAVE DEVELOPED MORE EMPATHY (AND RESPECT) FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS AFTER TEACHING OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS AND ALSO AFTER OTHER VOLUNTEER WORK DONE AS A CUB SCOUT LEADER AND BOY SCOUT VOLUNTEER.

7. Having to deal with getting up earlier than our bodies were ready to in order to get ready and get out of the house to get to the class on time.

THIS IS USUALLY A LUXURY HOMESCHOOLERS HAVE THAT SCHOOLED KIDS DON'T HAVE. IN THIS CASE WE ARE ACTING JUST LIKE FAMILIES OF SCHOOLED KIDS. HOMESCHOOLERS WHO WANT A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL LIFESTYLE HAVE ASKED ME WHY I CHOSE TO DO SOME THINGS THAT PUT MY KIDS IN SITUATIONS THAT ARE THE SAME THINGS SCHOOLED KIDS DO THAT THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO AVOID DOING.

8. Realizing in the rush to get out my kids did one or more of the following: 1) forgot to brush their teeth; 2) forgot to eat breakfast; 3) forgot their backpack with necessary papers in it; and/or 4) forgot to bring their lunch (having left it on the counter).

KIDS ARE KIDS AND MINE ARE IMPERFECT JUST LIKE 99% OF OTHER KIDS (WHETHER THEY ARE SCHOOLED OR HOMESCHOOLED).

9. A kid can't do their homework as they didn't understand either the concepts taught in class or don't understand what is being asked for. As the parent I sometimes cannot help them as I have not been teaching this material and either haven't worked with this in 30 years or never learned it in public school or college myself! Thus I do various things to scramble to teach myself the information or operations in order to wing teaching it to my kids in a rush. (Then later not knowing if I helped them or hindered them.)

NOT ALL TEACHERS HAVE A POLICY THAT THEY CAN BE PHONED OR EMAILED FOR CLARIFICATION. THE INABILITY TO DO HOMEWORK PROPERLY CAN CAUSE A GLITCH IN THE LEARNING PROCESS.

IT IS A SHIFT FROM BEING THE HOMESCHOOL PARENT WHO TEACHES A CONCEPT TO ME FEELING MORE LIKE THE PARENT OF A SCHOOLED KID. IT FEELS STRANGE.

OUR CLASSES ARE NOT EVERY DAY SO THE HOMEWORK IS SOMETIMES LONGER, MORE IN-DEPTH AND MORE CRITICAL TO THE LEARNING PROCESS. THUS IF ASSIGNMENTS ARE MISSED THE STUDENT CAN REALLY GET BEHIND. WHEN REALLY WANTING TO LEARN THE CONTENT THIS CREATES A PROBLEM.

10. After homework is done not really knowing if it was looked at, if it was correct or incorrect. Having no sense if my kid is on the right track or is completely lost. I note that more than once my kids thought they had the information aced and mastered but they were completely wrong.

THIS IS AN ODD FEELING FOR ME TO EXPERIENCE SINCE WHEN TEACHING AT HOME USING MOST METHODS OF HOME EDUCATION WE'VE TRIED I HAVE A SENSE FOR WHAT THEY KNOW AND LEARNED. AGAIN I'LL RESTATE THAT MY GOAL IS FOR MY KIDS NOT TO JUST ATTEND CLASSES BUT TO ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING.

11. Pushing my son to study for a test when he feels there is no real reason to be tested and thinks he knows it. He studied but not enough in my opinion but what do I know? Later I see he scored a 67.5 on the test. So who was right? (Update clarification: after finishing the test my son thought he aced it and that it was easy. The test was handed back with checks and 'x' marks and no scoring. He told me he thought he got around 87%. I asked to see it, I scored it at 67.5% by assuming the points per question. The point is the mismatch between my son's perception and reality, and that he was confused about how he really was doing.)

IT IS A NEW THING FOR MY KIDS TO TAKE CLASSES WITH OUTSIDE PARTIES WHO REQUIRE TESTS. THIS IS AN ODD FEELING TO PUSH TO STUDY. IT IS FRUSTRATING WHEN A STUDENT THINKS THEY ARE DOING GREAT WHEN REALLY THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY ARE NOT LEARNING THE CONTENT.

ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR HOMESCHOOLING IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE OUR KIDS LEARN THINGS.

THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TEACHING THAT IS NOT RESULTING IN LEARNING HAPPENING, OR MY CHILD MAY NEED TO IMPROVE HIS STUDY SKILLS, OR BOTH.

12. Being told a class would cover a certain topic then hearing from my child later that no such thing was ever done. No reason is given for this. Usually this is some kind of "dumbed down" experience (when I'm  made aware of it because my kid complains that the class was so ridiculous and a waste of time).

WHEN I PAY FOR A CLASS OR FOR EXPENSIVE MATERIALS FOR A CLASS I HOPE THEY ARE USED AND THAT LEARNING TAKES PLACE. WHEN I AGREE TO USE MY KID'S TIME IN THAT CLASS I HOPE THE TIME IS WELL SPENT, NOT WASTED.

13. Getting no feedback from the teachers about my child at all. No clue what is going on. (Hey at least in public school you have at least two parent-teacher conferences a year.)

AFTER WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH HOMESCHOOLING AND HAVING IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK ON HOW WELL OR POORLY MY KIDS ARE DOING LEARNING SOMETHING TO BE KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS IS VERY STRANGE AND NOT GOOD. I WANT MY KIDS TO ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING AND SOMETIMES CAN'T TELL IF THEY ARE LEARNING.

14. The class ends and still I have no idea how my child interacted in the class, if they mastered the content, or anything else. What choice do I have but to assume the goals of the course were met and the learning objectives were mastered by my son?

AGAIN I WANT MY KIDS TO LEARN SOMETHING FOR THE TIME AND/OR MONEY WE'VE SPENT ON THAT CLASS.