Back to Homeschooling with the Duggars

[lizziesmom]

The last time I saw the Duggars 'at school' most of them were at the computer working with a homeschooled program under their adult sisters' supervision. Michele was in the old sewing room I think with one of the older of the younger girls. (Can't remember which one). She commented that whoever it was needed quiet and one on one attention to learn. ADHD maybe or other issues?

[ljohnson2006]

The last thing I remember J'Chelle doing when it came to home schooling was pulling Hannie aside for a phonics lesson. This was a few seasons ago. If the kids do have ADD or any other learning issue, it'll never be properly diagnosed or treated. J'Chelle is holding her children back with what she calls schooling. Could they get into a university with what they've learned? Do well on the ACT? I doubt it.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Remember the other homeschooling episode, where Michelle was trying and failing to get James to sit down and do the work and he kept hiding and running off and stuff.

[ljohnson2006]

Yes. J'Chelle has no control over her kids, and they do not respect her. Maybe if she spent more time parenting them, they'd respect her more.

[doubleT]

J'chelle says:

"Our schedule changes depending on the season of life that we’re in. Right now, we’ve got a lot of older children that are working, driving, and coming and going. "

What in the world does that have to do with a homeschool scheduling? First off, which of the kids who are old enough to drive and are still being homeschooled are going off to jobs? Haven't heard anything about that. And wouldn't they tell their boss what hours they would be available to work so it wouldn't interfere with their schooling? Does Jill and Jana "coming and going" really affect when James' is schooled? I guess it does if Jill and Jana are the ones overseeing his education.

Duggar's always reading? Hahaha ... good one J'chelle.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I think Michelle departed reality long ago, and in her head the bullshit she spouts is true. She selectively ignores reality and adds in her own facts. In her imagination, she is the one teaching her kids, who are beautifully behaved and are still the "buy used, save the difference" frumper wearers that they used to be before.

[Dandruff]

J'chelle says:

Duggar's always reading? Hahaha ... good one J'chelle.

Maybe the bible. I want to watch Jackson read anything out loud. Last I remember they were working on the letter "B".

[IReallyAmHopewell]

The do Switched on Schoolhouse. Sit down in front of the computer and answer questions till you get a score high enough to go on. Exactly like the "alternative" school in our old district. Very BASIC.

[JenniferJuniper]

J'chelle says:

"Our schedule changes depending on the season of life that we’re in. Right now, we’ve got a lot of older children that are working, driving, and coming and going. "

What in the world does that have to do with a homeschool scheduling? First off, which of the kids who are old enough to drive and are still being homeschooled are going off to jobs? Haven't heard anything about that. And wouldn't they tell their boss what hours they would be available to work so it wouldn't interfere with their schooling? Does Jill and Jana "coming and going" really affect when James' is schooled? I guess it does if Jill and Jana are the ones overseeing his education.

I wouldn't be surprised if she's also referring to the twins, Joy and Josiah who are all driving now but haven't yet graduated from the table (at least I don't think Josiah has). I can see her sending them out to do errands for her all day while Jessa mans the computers, Jinger cooks, and the older two daughters are off doing baby birthing stuff.

[ILoveJellybeans]

What is the age limit for driving in Arkansas, I thought Jer and Jed were 13?

[walnut]

Seriously, DO PEOPLE BELIEVE WRITING IN ALL CAPS MAKES ONE LOOK EDUCATED WHEN DISCUSSING HOMESCHOOLING THEIR CHILDREN??

The comments make my blood pressure rise.

When I just took a glance at your comment, I thought you were enraged for some reason. :D They really talk like that? It looks like angry talk. Some people think that holding the capslock down equals making valid points while reasoning.

Before reading the comment it looked like a rabid anger attack. My. I will never read their comments.

[JenniferJuniper]

What is the age limit for driving in Arkansas, I thought Jer and Jed were 13?

I believe they are 15 this year. A junior license can be obtained at 14. They were shown earlier this year on the show helping Josh by driving cars between lots.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Wow. I feel really old now. They were all sooooooooooo tiny when the show started.

[Cleopatra7]

Why hasn't anyone done an exposé on the Duggars in the news media? They've been done on public figures much less famous than the Duggars. This family has been in the public eye for almost a decade (even more if you count local media attention in Arkansas) but most people have no idea of the Gothard connection. Why is this family like Teflon? Is their conseervative Christian viewership that big to keep the truth swept under the rug?

[doggie]

Of couse it is that they are good Christians and we don't question such people. How could a Christian be a bad person ?

[nelliebelle1197]

I was going to suggest advanced calculus, but now I'm betting on string theory.

Is that where the Duggar children try to guess the weight of a giant ball of string?

[luv2run]

Logistically, I don't know how they do it. I mean, I would go insane trying to make sure everyone was up to par.

I have six kids, but only home school the older three. My 1st grader has autism and goes to school, and my three year old will be starting Pre K at the same school because she needs speech (thank goodness for public education and free services).

I mean, I'm sitting here thinking, how on earth does one manage all of those kids and their education? Lots of things are bound to fall through the cracks, and I sincerely hope that the older kids are not helping teach the younger ones. They need to be able to be focused on their own education. My 7th grader helps a lot with my 4 month old baby, but during school time I tell her no. It's time for her to get her work done. And she does.

I would think they could afford to send their older ones to a co op or hybrid school. Those types of things are popping up all over the place. That way they can be in the classroom. I do think it's important, especially as they get older, to have that classroom time. My oldest is taking several classes, and she loves them (Chemistry! Can't teach that at home...I wouldn't try at least). But, now that I think of it, I've noticed a trend in our home schooling community that, even with the co op or hybrid schools, so much focus goes into the older kids, that the smaller ones get nothing. I looked into the hybrid for my daughter, but when I saw what it entailed, and how long we would be at the school, and that it was only for middle school to high school aged children, I asked how I would get school in for the younger ones (5th and 3rd grade). One of the mom's just joked and said she didn't do much with her younger ones, that they played in the study hall, and that she'd catch up with them when they got older. Um, okay...no thanks.

My third grader has a tutor also because she has mild dyslexia and an issue with phonemic awareness. At age nine, after two solid years of CONSTANT work from myself and the tutor, she's finally got it. But...what if we never worked so hard with her? I cannot image where she'd be.

I just don't get it. I think there has to be a fine line between when your beliefs are actually getting in the way of a child's education. Maybe they do well...who knows. The article states that they take state assessments, so I guess they are passing?? :shock:

[AlexIsAwake]

Seriously, Michelle? Are there really people who believe this line of bull? If her kids are reading all the time and love books so much, where is the evidence?? I have never seen any sort of pictures or footage showing a kid or five lounging on a sofa or chair somewhere, curled up with a book in which they are engrossed. Another poster mentioned seeing Jill and Josiah with books, but I don't think I've ever seen Jill with anything other than some schoolbooks on her bed and have definitely never seen Josiah enjoying reading a book. Point is, it clearly is not a common occurrence in her home for her children to read purely for the pleasure and joy that a book can bring. Book lovers, my ass. Of course, Michelle isn't overly concerned with evidence to back up the things she expects people to believe. We should just take it on faith.

[JesusFightClub]

I fucking love books.

Looking around me, I see my Kindle, a book I bought from a charity shop today, a whole tottering bookshelf full of books and a stack of books I bought and haven't got through yet because I started the first one and wanted to make notes and the notes consumed me and made me read more stuff online.

I am not an academic and, TBH, no intelligence prizes are coming my way. But I love reading.

Is that overwhelming love a characteristic of the Duggar kids? Or are they just pretending to read what they are told to read?

[lizziesmom]

I call BS on the Duggars loving to read. What exactly is available outside of the Bible and Gothard approved materials for them to even read. Unlike Anna, I've never seen the Duggars shown at a library and I suspect that they are heavily censored by Mama and Daddy as to what they are permitted to read.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Let's consider the reading possibilities. PROVERBS (they certainly don't read the New Testament, Elsie Dinsmore, GA Henty, Prince Charming, The Character Qualities stories. That can take awhile if you're 12 and still learning "B-b-ball" from the phonic song. Reminds me of the "Kid Farm" episode where the new kid thought school was lunch!

[Lillybee]

Seriously, Michelle? Are there really people who believe this line of bull? If her kids are reading all the time and love books so much, where is the evidence?? I have never seen any sort of pictures or footage showing a kid or five lounging on a sofa or chair somewhere, curled up with a book in which they are engrossed. Another poster mentioned seeing Jill and Josiah with books, but I don't think I've ever seen Jill with anything other than some schoolbooks on her bed and have definitely never seen Josiah enjoying reading a book. Point is, it clearly is not a common occurrence in her home for her children to read purely for the pleasure and joy that a book can bring. Book lovers, my ass. Of course, Michelle isn't overly concerned with evidence to back up the things she expects people to believe. We should just take it on faith.

I remember seeing Josiah on the couch reading a book of some kind. It looked big enough to be a textbook and it wasn't a bible. But aside from that and Jill doing College Minus on her bed, I don't remember anyone else with a book. I definitely do not remember seeing any picture books for the lost girls to look at. I have called out the Duggars before because they don't seem to have any creative toys for the howlers and lost girls to play with.

Aside from toys with wheels and baby dolls, the Duggars don't seem to have any decent toys for their kids.

Where are the legos, Lincoln logs or anything to build with. Do they even have puzzles for the younger kids?

As for books, perhaps Michelle is hiding them in the attic, to be pulled out when the camera crew is absent.

Actually, I think Mullet is lying about the children's love of books.