First of all they're primarily interviewing a homeschooler who has gotten 5's in 8 AP subjects. Not only is the student very gifted to start with, but the parent is exheedingly accomplished (or rich enough to purchase the absolute best correspondance test prep classes).
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<br>You see, there's this little initiative called No child left behind. We teach everyone. We test everyone. We (and I disagree with the practice) have all or most of our kids take the SAT's and ACT's. So while public schools have to air their dirty laundry and test all of their special education kids, home schoolers don't. This report makes big claims but only gives a short lip service to the validity of the tested pool.
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<br>Is one on one instruction an enormous advantage? Sure it is! Are parents as qualified to teach their kids as certified teachers? Hell no! This doesn't mean, however, that a parent can still get more accomplished with their kid than a teacher can. Especially if the kid is gifted and talented.
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<br>I'll tell you some of the pressures and problems I face in a small-town public high school when I get back home from chaperoning a dance. The point I'll try to make is don't go blaming the teachers or the school. The problem is average america's value of education, not the system itself.
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