My spell checker seems to have eliminated some of my words and thus my 
sentences are mixed up.  This is a reposting of my note to Charles 
Beams:
DT>CB>Quotes are taken from a message written by Dan to Sheila on
DT>CB>06/30/96...  
DT>CB>DT>We cannot control the mix (ok yes we can to some degree through
DT>CB>DT>classroom assignments) and the many other variables are not
DT>CB>DT>within our  control either.  But class size is a variable (of
DT>CB>DT>classroom success) and  we can control it.  
DT>CB> 
DT>CB>Your arguments in support of class size are excellent.  I have
DT>CB>tutored  students 1 on 1 and found that I can cover a lot more
DT>CB>material a lot  more effectively than I can in a classroom of 25+.
DT>CB>Ideal class size  would be one student, if we could ignore the
DT>CB>cost factor.  
DT>CB>I have often felt that homeschooling would be the ideal situation
DT>CB>for any family wherein the parents had the ability and dedication
DT>CB>to do the  job correctly.  Too often that is not the case,
DT>CB>however. 
DT>I find the ideal class for me to be around 24 (and that's at the high
DT>end).  As far as home schooling goes, I know of several parents who
DT>are  home schooling their children.  Parents choose home schooling
DT>for many  different reasons and it is their right to choose this
DT>educational  option.  I also know of home schooled students who are
DT>now graduated and  moved on to college and are doing quite well.  I
DT>know of others where  the opposite is true.
DT> 
DT>You hit the nail on the head when you said ability and dedication in 
DT>order to homeschool.  I think that dedication is a must.  If one 
DT>chooses homeschool then it becomes a full time job.  There is no
DT>room  for slacking off.  
DT> 
DT>As an educator in a public school while I don't oppose homeschool, I
DT>don't favor it either.  Usually the students that are homeschooled
DT>are  the more well-behaved.  The parents are the ones I can count on
DT>to help  out in the classroom as volunteers.  They are dedicated and
DT>dependable.   I have had parents (3 families) send their children to
DT>my kindergarten  class, and as their children grew they decided to
DT>finish their education with homeschooling.  These were the  best 
parent helpers I have ever had.  We are
DT>still good friends to this  day and their children play on my school
DT>chess team.  Still, having them  in the regular school setting was a
DT>plus for our school.  Now that they  are no longer active they are
DT>missed.  We need more parents like them in  the public school system
DT>as they were fully supportive of education.   They mainly left public
DT>education because of the series of violent acts  they witnessed
DT>(hitting, swearing, attitudes).  But I don't think one  can fully
DT>insulate children from the world around them.  Children are  amazing
DT>at adapting to their surroundings.  Public schools need  community
DT>support and homeschool is not supportive.  I am sure  others
DT>in this echo have insights into this subject.   
DT>Dan 
DT> 
DT>* CMPQwk 1.42 445p *Innuendo: Where your cat sits to look outside at
DT>the  birds.
DT>--- 
DT>(1:352/256)                                                  
* CMPQwk 1.42 445p *Television is democracy at its ugliest.
--- GEcho 1.11+
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