Home Schooling and the DR.

pi2

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Oct 12, 2011
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I have met a couple of gringos that are home-schooling or partially home-schooling their children. It is getting easier with huge internet resources.
Good article:

Would You Ever Home-School?

Have any contributors experience of home schooling in the DR? Seems to be one answer to the education problem.

pi2
 

La Rubia

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Jan 1, 2010
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I have met a couple of gringos that are home-schooling or partially home-schooling their children. It is getting easier with huge internet resources.
Good article:
Would You Ever Home-School?
Have any contributors experience of home schooling in the DR? Seems to be one answer to the education problem. pi2

It's an option that takes a considerable commitment. Not sure it would be an answer for the majority, but certainly the Internet facilitates the availability of resources. I imagine that expats supplement their children's education beyond the school day, even if they don't homeschool. Might be an interesting poll.
 

dsmad

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Dec 30, 2010
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We did it a few years ago when living in Samana. It was our best option as the kids spanish was poor when we fisrt arrived.We brought down most of their school work with us. Whenever friends where coming down to visit we would have them bring us more work and or return the kids work back to Canada. Once a week the kids would have an online class with their teacher back in Canada. All in all it worked well for us. The kids were at the grade 5 and 7 levels at the time. The most important part of the internets role was for my spouse and I to learn grade 5 fractions at night.
The teacher asked what we did for PE class, sent her photos of the kids surfing and scuba diving.
Now that's an education
 

LaTeacher

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May 2, 2008
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i partially homeschool my son - he goes to pre school three days a week and we use an online program and lots of supplements at home. however, it's not really "legal" to homeschool - technically all students must be enrolled in a school with a code and registered with the secretaria de educacion. i don't think anyone would ever go after homeschoolers, but who knows. the authorities here are crazy.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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Have any contributors experience of home schooling in the DR? Seems to be one answer to the education problem.
pi2

i am pretty sure that "education problem" does not touch gringos in any way, shape or form.
majority of gringos have sufficient funds to send kids to whatever school they may fancy.
majority of gringos have education and knowledge from their own countries and are capable of teaching kids at home and teaching them well.

"education problem" is only concern of poor dominicans, who have no means to provide for their children's education or stupid dominicans* who do not value education at all and do not encourage learning in their kids.

(by no means am i saying here that dominicans are stupid, btw; only that there are stupid people who do not care about education education, in DR those people happen to be dominicans)
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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just out of curiosity, as I do not have any kids here. But what about the validity of home-schooling? Do they have to take certain exams afterwards in order to obtain a diploma?

And in which country do they have to do this, if this is the case?

As I said, just curiosity, no comment on home-schooling.

BelgianK
 
Aug 21, 2007
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I know little about homeschool programs from other countries, but programs offered in the US should be accredited. Then, students DO graduate with a valid diploma. Additionally, many states offer public online education for home schoolers within their state. Since they are paying state taxes for education, they qualify for their state's online program at no cost as an option to public schooling. Canada also provides online education, I understand from Canadian friends. However, I am not expert enough about it to pass on any further information.

Anyone interested in doing online learning for their children should thoroughly research the program, the accreditation, what the student to teach ratio is, what classes are offered, whether textbooks are provided or do they need to be purchased at an additional cost, what the cost of the school is, and whether teachers are available for additional help or to answer questions for the students.

There are programs that are free, there are programs that cost a few thousand dollars, and there are programs that are extremely expensive. They run the gamut.

Anyone considering online homeschooling should take into consideration their child's ability to work independently, their level of responsibility and self discipline, their activity level (can they sit in front of a computer for an extended amount of time), and their follow through. Parents also need to realize that unless a learning coach is hired, the parent will need to take part in some supervision. For parents who often find themselves arguing with their child about homework or chores, this might be a challenge.

On the North Coast, I know of several homeschooling families. The parents have formed a sort of support system. There are also other parents here who are considering homeschooling for the upcoming school year. It might be a good idea for those considering it, to ask around and find other parents are going through this who can answer your questions from a first hand perspective.

Lindsey
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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I can understand this for the US, Canada, Europe, whatever. But if f.e. a Canadian family decides to do home-schooling here in the DR, how do they get accredited?

Once again, no comment on home-schooling, just curious to how it works from a foreign country. I also believe the answer to this question will help a lot of people considering this option.

BelgianK
 
Aug 21, 2007
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They register with the home schooling program. The people are not accredited. The school is, just as schools are everywhere. (Well, most.) The student must complete work, send it back, take tests, complete projects, and receive grades, which are recorded.

These are the schools of the future, in one shape or form, I believe.

BelgianK, think of it as an online membership. You complete the information, send your credentials, pay (if required), are accepted, and then access the program. You are required to produce school work to continue in the program or to receive a grade. When you complete the program, you receive a grade card and when you graduate, you have a diploma.

Did you know that more students world wide are enrolled in online universities than there are those attending at campuses? This is the same thing.

I have no leaning one way or another about what is best. It depends on the student, the parent, and the school.

Lindsey
 

cobraboy

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Every child should be home schooled, even while enrolled in traditional schools. That is among the top priorities of ANY parent: constant edumacation of their spawn. No parent should abdicate that responsibility to the state or a private school.

I recall as a precocious yout' having Mom CB work academics with us after dinner every night...a requirement to watch television for the evening! Readin', writin' and cybering. We had to do different memorizations...Greek alphabet (forward AND backwards), "times tables", presidents in order and other things...for desert. It was a game we played and it was fun!

When I got grounded, I had to write a paper on an assigned subject...the length was the punishment, and the grade determined when I got off parole. I knew my way around the World Book Encyclopedia, guaranteed. And Mom CB was a strict grader.

It shouldn't matter if the curriculum is approved or not by the gubmint. Edumacation is for the brain and not to please the state.
 

belgiank

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My question is a valid one, if only out of curiosity. I know you need ACT's, I believe, to be admitted to a university in the US...

So how do you get these, if home-schooled outside of the US.

BelgianK
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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Every child should be home schooled, even while enrolled in traditional schools. That is among the top priorities of ANY parent: constant edumacation of their spawn. No parent should abdicate that responsibility to the state or a private school.

i dare to correct you here, robert. my parents only have primary education. it takes my dad about half an hour to read 2 or 3 pages (never put him off reading even thou the books he likes are the same ones i read as 12 year old...). they could not possibly educate me at home. they would not know where to start. granted, i was encouraged to learn multiplication table by the gentle means of belt, cable or whatever other thing could be used to smack my a**. but nothing more than that. maybe my parents were not ready for spawning :)
my parents are simple people. but they always recognized the value of proper edumacation. they supported me and my brother throughout our school years. both financially and emotionally. they are very proud i have MA degree - one of the few in entire family.

in case of dominican families you have to remember that poor parents often have so little education they can hardly read and write. taking that aside they have very little general knowledge too. there is no way they could educate their kids at home. they are not capable of that. there ain't even time for that because in poor families everyone has to work. if kids do not work on the street (limpiabotas and so on), they work at home: clean, cook (older ones), take care of their siblings and so on.
now, i am not saying here that poor and stupid people should not breed (although in some cases i can totally see the point ;) ), i am saying that DR ain't happy and fat america where mama CB can aford to spend time and energy on teaching her kids.

and no, even 4% will not help. DR education system is f**ked (i used this word a lot in my latest posts, righ? i should better stick to "for the love of god"...) all the way from the bottom to the top. generations will pass before it is fixed, if ever...
 

cobraboy

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i dare to correct you here, robert. my parents only have primary education. it takes my dad about half an hour to read 2 or 3 pages (never put him off reading even thou the books he likes are the same ones i read as 12 year old...). they could not possibly educate me at home. they would not know where to start. granted, i was encouraged to learn multiplication table by the gentle means of belt, cable or whatever other thing could be used to smack my a**. but nothing more than that. maybe my parents were not ready for spawning :)
my parents are simple people. but they always recognized the value of proper edumacation. they supported me and my brother throughout our school years. both financially and emotionally. they are very proud i have MA degree - one of the few in entire family.

in case of dominican families you have to remember that poor parents often have so little education they can hardly read and write. taking that aside they have very little general knowledge too. there is no way they could educate their kids at home. they are not capable of that. there ain't even time for that because in poor families everyone has to work. if kids do not work on the street (limpiabotas and so on), they work at home: clean, cook (older ones), take care of their siblings and so on.
now, i am not saying here that poor and stupid people should not breed (although in some cases i can totally see the point ;) ), i am saying that DR ain't happy and fat america where mama CB can aford to spend time and energy on teaching her kids.

and no, even 4% will not help. DR education system is f**ked (i used this word a lot in my latest posts, righ? i should better stick to "for the love of god"...) all the way from the bottom to the top. generations will pass before it is fixed, if ever...
Then you misunderstand me.

You yourself said you were encouraged to study and advance. IMO, that is the very essence of what parents should do.

Even though minimally edumacated your parents understood the importance. That is a HUGE first step, and you have to start somewhere.

And while there are parents with *zero* skills, that's no reason why others shouldn't pushpushpush their spawn.

It's an imperfect world. You can only control your behavior. And for parents, that behavior should include all the pushing and home schooling possible.
 

dv8

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looks like i did not, robert, i thought you meant educating in general, within parents intellectual means.

i am not so sure about dominican kids being encouraged to study at all. after all they strive to succeed in baseball (or whatever you call this sport with bats and balls) not in education. their idol is sammy sosa, uneducated medio polvo (no offense to his athletic skills which i am sure are impressive, personally i do not care for sports) and not equally rich and famous juan luis guerra who studied philosophy, literature and music. yes, i know, sammy sosa was too poor to go to school but it does not mean that other poor kids today should skip classes in order to swing a bat trying to hit the ball (not sure here, my entire knowledge of this baseball thingy comes from calving and hobbes; and you can hardly say that calvin was an examplary sportsperson...).
 

cobraboy

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i am not so sure about dominican kids being encouraged to study at all. after all they strive to succeed in baseball (or whatever you call this sport with bats and balls) not in education. their idol is sammy sosa, uneducated medio polvo (no offense to his athletic skills which i am sure are impressive, personally i do not care for sports) and not equally rich and famous juan luis guerra who studied philosophy, literature and music. yes, i know, sammy sosa was too poor to go to school but it does not mean that other poor kids today should skip classes in order to swing a bat trying to hit the ball (not sure here, my entire knowledge of this baseball thingy comes from calving and hobbes; and you can hardly say that calvin was an examplary sportsperson...).
I was (and to some extent still am) Calvin as a child.

And because Dominican kids...and many American, Cananadian and Euro kids...are neither home schooled nor encouraged to strive for edumacation, their cultures and societies will eventually fail as those who do will, ultimately, be unable to support them. That's what this sovereign debt crisis is all about, inability to support masses of people who cannot support themselves...

It's not about skill. It's about desire.

(Nothing wrong with sports as long as there is a back-up plan in place.)
 

bob saunders

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I would say the vast majority of the parents that send their children to my wife's basic private school genuinely want their children to learn and suceed in school. There are some children, for sure, that can read better in Grade one than their parents.
I know many people here in Canada that home school their children.