It seems like, with each passing day, we hear more and more about the declining quality of public education. With reports that students spend more time preparing for standardized tests than actually learning, many parents have been looking at their other options for their children.
When it comes to private schools, not only are they expensive, there are not very many secular schools, which even faithful parents often seem to prefer. This has led more and more people to choose homeschooling for their children. It is important to understand the varied elements that are involved in making the appropriate transition.
However, it should be noted that there are some benefits of public or private schooling outside the home that are more difficult to obtain when homeschooling a child. With homeschooling, children are not exposed to different personality types and people of different backgrounds as they are when they have to go to a public school everyday. On the flip side, homeschooling also provides many opportunities for parents to provide a higher quality, more targeted, and personalized education to their child. One-on-one teaching, like you get with homeschooling, does have a lot of proven benefits for the child.
There are a lot of things to consider when making this rather momentous decisions. What follows is a brief rundown on the pros and cons of homeschooling versus traditional schooling. It is a tough decision to make and not all parents even have the luxury of such a choice. It should be noted that it is not the right decision for everyone and should be very carefully considered before taking action.
One of the biggest upsides to homeschooling is the personalized education your child gets. This makes it easier for the child to learn at their own pace, on their own level. There have been tons of studies done and, as time has gone on, students who are home schooled consistently score better on many placement and other tests related to college admissions. What this indicates is that home schooled children actually learn more and are better prepared for college than their publicly-educated counterparts.
This is not a hard and fast rule. The quality of the education a child gets anywhere is going to be directly related to the quality of the teacher and their ability to educate the child. There are good public school teachers and there are bad ones, there are good homeschooling teachers and there are not so good ones. One of the difficulties in making the decision to home school is that, as a parent, you have to be able to distill a wide breadth of knowledge to your child without the aid of a school system.
One of the arguments against homeschooling is that the children do not get the social and cultural stimulus that children who go to public or private school receive. This is true, but that does not mean that children who are home schooled cannot get the same type of exposure and experience, it just takes a bit more effort on the part of the parent/educator. There are tons of extracurricular activities that are not directly related to a particular school. These include educational clubs like debate or a science club, as well as athletic programs.
There are also groups where home schooled children get together to socialize and the parents can mingle as well. Since home schooled children do not get educated with and exposed to other children outside their family on a daily basis, parents have to make an effort to ensure that the social and culture aspect of their child's development is also attended to. While the book studies are important, it is also fair to say that the social aspect plays an incredibly vital role in proper development as well.
With the declining quality of public schooling and the ever-increasing focus on simply preparing children to take more tests, many parents are taking their children's education into their own hands. Homeschooling is more popular now than it has ever been, and there are many good reasons for the upswing in this trend. Studies are showing the kids who are home schooled tend to be better prepared for college than their publicly-educated counterparts. They tend to have a fuller, more rounded understanding than their counterparts.
It should be noted that one place that homeschooling lacks is their social and cultural element. There is much to be said for the benefit of children having to interact with others who are different than themselves. This, almost as much as education, is what helps them prepare to enter the adult world. When a child is home schooled, the parent has to make a real effort to develop this aspect of their child. That is not to say that it is impossible. There are tons of different community activities and private groups that will give a child these skills as well.
References:
https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/brain-health/top-7-ways-to-keep-your-childs-brain-sharp.html
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/home-schooling/what-is-homeschooling/
Author Bio
Kelly Everson is an American author and having MA in English literature. After spending time as a writer in some of Health Industries best websites, she now works as an independent researcher and contributor for health news related website like Consumer Health Digest. In her spare time, she does research work regarding Beauty and Women Health, Solvaderm Skincare and overall health issues, which acts as a fuel to her passion of writing. When she is not researching or writing, you can find Kelly staying active, whether it be practicing yoga or taking swimming classes. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
