Homeschooling Vs. Public School
Breckyn Fox
Mrs. Wiese
ENG177-3P
22 February 2016
Homeschooling
Homeschooling used to be very uncommon for families because most thought that homeschooling their children would make them different than those children who were learning through public schooling. Alisha, a mother who chose to homeschool her daughter said that, "Because of the many advantages offered by homeschooling, there is simply no better way to educate a child" (“Why People Homeschool”). Studies from the New Statesman journal have shown that since 1999 homeschooling has increased close to 75% and in the U.S. alone and more than 2.04 million families have chosen homeschooling for their k12 children (25). Homeschooling is more effective than public schooling because it allows the teacher to focus directly on individuals learning ability, it provides different styles of curriculum that takes stress away from the child, and it also helps avoid external factors from influencing the child in a negative way.
Homeschooling is considered by many families because it provides a balanced student to teacher ratio, which helps make sure that the student actually understands and comprehends what is being taught. When the student to teacher ratio is balanced it makes it easier for the student to learn at his or her own pace and ask any questions he or she might have at any time about a certain material being taught (“Why People Homeschool”). Dynamic News, an online journal, included a quote by a woman that stated, "We currently homeschool our older two and we love it! My husband and I are able to move at our own pace to keep the kids interested" (“Homeschoolers Speak Out”). It is very common for students in public schools to avoid asking questions in class because he or she might be too embarrassed, so they continue to hear the material being taught without actually understanding any of it. Most of the families who decide to homeschool their children have either the mother or father become the instructor because no one understands a child's background and past experiences better than their parent (“Benefits of Homeschooling”). According to Gina Purrman whose quote was part of the New Statesman journal, "The only qualification you need in order to teach your own children is love" (26). Another major factor involved in the decision of parents to homeschool their child is the ability for them to control what their child learns and when they learn it. In a televised interview on ABC15, Liza Kollham stated that, "Homeschooling is by far on of the best decisions we've ever made as a family because we're in control of our children's education and we get to monitor what they are being taught. It is amazing to watch our children excel in all aspects of life" (“Smart Family”). In public schooling it is very easy for children to learn material and information that the parent may not approve of.
Not only does homeschooling help an individual comprehend the material, it also gives parents many different curriculum styles to choose from in order to improve a specific students achievements and take any stress away that the child might be experiencing. An online article from The Pioneer Woman, informs readers that there are five main curriculum choices out there for people that homeschool, including methods such as; Charlotte Mason, Classical, Electronic, Unit Studies, and Unschooling. Charlotte Mason is a method that is centered on the belief that children deserve to be respected, so the children learn by first hand and real-life situations. Electric and Classical homeschooling are alike and picked by many because they teach children based on his or her phases of cognitive development, whereas Unschooling is a method in which the children learn naturally just like they naturally learn to walk and talk. The last curriculum choice on the list is one that most children in public schooling learn from. Unit Studies is an in depth study of all major subjects areas including Math, Language, History, Science, and Art (“Approaches of Homeschooling”). One major aspect to consider with homeschooling is that some curriculum can be very difficult to teach as a parent, but with the help of online quizzes, lessons, and tutors, the student can still successfully learn the material (“Curriculum That Works”). A homeschooling mother herself, in an article from Time 4 Learning says that, “Choosing a curriculum that was organized on an online site seemed to be the best option for my husband and I since we are very familiar with the internet. It is very easy for us to be involved in our son's grades and his progress because the specific online site we use allows us to have a parent login." (“Curriculum That Works”). By choosing what curriculum to use based on a child's individual learning type helps them not only succeed their grade level, but helps his or her succeed in higher grade levels. Today, 24.5% of homeschooled kids are enrolled in one or more grade levels above their nominal grade because according to Gifted Children Today, the curriculum styles provided help maximize individual students potential (Butler). Dynamic News, a journal that can be found of the web gives an opinion from a future mother informing readers that, "As a future mother I plan on homeschooling simply because I think it better prepared me academically and I want to give my kids that same advantage" (“Homeschoolers Speak Out”). Also included in the journal, Gifted Children Today, a parents who chose to have his or her children homeschooled points out that, "Homeschooling is successful not because of the special degrees help by parents who teach, but because homeschooled students and their families are serious about education its self." (“The "H" Word”).