Pros and Cons of Home Schooling
Over the past twenty-five years, parents have really begun exploring the option of teaching their children at home. There are a number of reasons cited for doing so, but opponents to the home schooling curriculum state an equal number of reasons why kids perform better in a public school. Here are a few of the pros and cons to the decision to home school.
Kids love the idea of home schooling at first. They get to sleep late, watch television, hang out at home, and have a lax schedule. Unfortunately for them, parents take the idea of home schooling seriously and those dreams are quickly shattered. These are just some of the preconceived notions about the entire process of home schooling. Kids get more time to play and less time to work. Actually the opposite is true.
Pros:
1.
Home schooled children score higher on standardized tests than public school children. These facts amaze people, but think about it for a moment. The problem in public schools is the size of the classroom. At home, the classroom is made up of the parent and the child(ren). Individualized attention translates into a better understanding of subject material.
2.
Home schooled children have their academic and social needs met adequately. In a classroom setting, the teacher has fifty minutes to teach the lesson for that day. He or she doesn’t have time to address different learning styles. At home, the parent can tailor the curriculum to meet each child’s individual needs so they learn better.
3.
Less worry about the child’s safety. The social dynamics of a school are unpredictable. We’ve all heard about bullies, shootings, and other incidents on school campuses. Protect your child and help them concentrate on a love of learning at home where the social pressures that plague public schools are less relevant.
Cons:
1.
Parents struggle with teaching subjects that they are not good at. Every parent is not meant to home school their children. If a parent doesn’t understand the material it will be hard to teach that information to the child.
2.
Home schooling is expensive. When just starting out, most parents use an established curriculum to give them guidance. Depending on the grade level of the child, these curricula can cost from $500 to $2,000.
3.
Time is a problem for busy parents who decide to home school. Kids need quality time spent on school subjects, not just busy work. Coordinating the proper amount of time along with getting housework and job commitments tended to is a difficult task.
Home schooling is not for everyone. A thorough researching of the subject will let parents know if it is a feasible option for their family.
