The Plowboy Interview: John Holt

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HOLT: Yes, they are. And I try to help them as much as I can by publishing advice from-and the experiences of-other home schoolers in G WS. At some point, though, a parent has to take a leap of faith and get started in spite of her or his lack of confidence. Those who do so discover that teaching is a lot easier and more fun than they thought.

PLOWBOY: But how can people find the time to teach their children for six hours a day, as the schools do?

HOLT: Name a school that teaches children for six hours a day! Observers who've used stop watches to time classes have shown that about 35 minutes out of every classroom hour are devoted simply to maneuvering around and getting ready to work. And the rest of the time consists mainly of either teacher demonstration or repetitive drill in a workbook. I know from my own schooling-and I was a good student in good schools-that I rarely got 15 minutes of real teaching a day.

Furthermore, the schools themselves admit this by their own actions. When a sick or injured pupil has to stay home for a while, the youngster's school will often send a tutor around to keep the child caught up in her or his schoolwork. And how much time does a tutor spend with one youngster? From as little as an hour and a half to a top figure of five hours a week!

PLOWBOY: Have you considered that, nowadays, few families can even afford to keep a parent at home all day?

HOLT: The question of how working parents can raise a home-schooled child is important, but you should realize that the problem is basically a custodial one . . . because the parents can easily provide enough adult help in the evenings to keep a child's learning progressing. When I meet people who are disturbed by the "day care" dilemma, I say, "If you have a very young child, you'll have to find someone-like one of your own parents, or a livein baby sitter-to be at home while you're both at work. But you ought to be able to get your child to the point where, at age eight, the youngster can occupy her- or himself perfectly happily and usefully during those hours of the day when you're away."

PLOWBOY: You would recommend leaving a child alone for eight or nine hours every day?

HOLT: It doesn't have to be that long a time. Remember, once school hours are over, the youngster will no longer be an "outlaw" and can go to a friend's house, the local library, etc. In addition, you could probably find an older person or hire a student to spend a couple of hours doing something interesting with your child to give the youngster a break in the day. But even leaving a child to her or his own activities for the full working day is better than sending the youngster off to a destructive school.

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