-=> Quoting Dan Triplett to All <=-
 DT> My spell checker seems to have eliminated some of my words and thus
 DT> my  sentences are mixed up.  This is a reposting of my note to Charles 
 DT> Beams:
 
 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.  
 We all know that 1 on 1 is pretty much an impossibility unless you are
 rich and can afford the expense yourself.  What most parents complain
 about if the 30 or more children teachers have and can't control or can't
 help the children who need it.
 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. 
 
 This can be said for regular school.  Some kids turn out great. Others
 don't.
 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.  
 You are right that it takes lots of dedication.  But it is worth it.
 
 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 
 DT> parent helpers I have ever had.  We are
 I was one of those parents who involved myself with the school system.
 I fought hard not only for my childrens rights for the rights of teachers
 not having mixed classes or too many children.  Well in my last year of
 this I decided not to enroll my children in all the extra programs the
 (after school and summer time) the school offered.  I remember one of
 the teachers remarked that I would most definetly be in the program because
 I was involved in everything.  Well the problem was they weren't teaching
 my child.  I have 3 children two with problems.  One severe, one with a
 slight problem that could of resulted in a worse problem.  I fought for
 extra help to no avail.  I had them tested (after much fighting) and they
 didn't even test all the way.  Finally I had them tested independently.
 All of a sudden the school wanted to cooperate.  Unfortunately, I didn't
 want my children's or my time wasted anymore.  So the dedication I gave
 at school is now directed solely on my children.
 This is not the teachers fault.  This is the system in which the board
 members decided to put more emphasis on the gifted and the sports.  When
 I have my children caught up to where they should be and taught how to
 learn and how to study and how to....................then maybe their
 choice will be to go to regular school again.  Until then or until changes
 are made I can count on I will assume that role.  A teaching certificate
 does not make a teacher.  A dedication to helping one grow does.  And so
 this is where so many of us "homeschooling mom's" are today.
 Regina
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