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Homeschooling: An Appealing Educational Alternative
Carren W. Joye
According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA),
an estimated 2 million children in America are being
homeschooled, with that number rising by 15 percent each year.
Indeed, home education has become an appealing alternative to
classroom instruction in recent years for various reasons. These
reasons are the issues that all parents consider before deciding
on public, private or home school.
Safe and Nurturing Environment
No school is as safe as the home. No one cares as much for the
wellbeing of your child as you do. In the nurturing environment
of a home, homeschooled students have few distractions and can
focus their attention on schoolwork. They do not have to worry
about bullies, harassment or violence. They also don't have to
concern themselves about being popular, wearing the latest
styles, hearing the latest gossip, or getting on the teacher's
good side. Instead, they can focus their time and energy on their
lessons.
Academics
Schooling at home allows for regular reinforcement of academic
lessons, integration of the curriculum into other aspects of
everyday life, and individualized attention. With parents'
intimate knowledge of their children, they can personalize the
curriculum to suit each individual child's talent and skills.
Also, with the instant child-to-parent feedback in the homeschool
situation, they also know in what areas their child needs
improvement. This results in the higher standardized test scores
for which homeschooled students are so well known.
Flexibility and Economy of Time
Homeschooling allows a flexibility that can't be beat! You don't
have to school from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Friday,
August through May. Indeed, very few homeschoolers follow such a
rigid time schedule. Some families prefer morning hours, while
others devote the afternoons or evenings to study. Some families
homeschool year-round, so they can enjoy long vacations
throughout the year or four-day school weeks. Others alternate
two weeks of school and one week off.
Whatever schedule is preferred, schooling at home provides free
time for extracurricular activities, such as gymnastics, dance,
sports, clubs and community service. Also, it allows
homeschoolers to work around illnesses and family emergencies
without missing any schoolwork.
On average, homeschooled students spend about three hours on
schoolwork in a typical school day, less for the early years. In
a classroom, the entire class can proceed only as fast as the
slowest learner. Even then, if the slow learner doesn't get the
concept, the class will eventually move on without him. A
homeschooler, on the other hand, can spend as much time as he
needs to learn a difficult concept, and he can move at an
accelerated pace if he understands the work.
Character Development
Home education encourages better character development because it
imparts parental values, reduces risk of peer dependency and
encourages independent problem solving. Parents are the best
persons to explain and pass on their morals and beliefs to their
children. Although friends play a large role in any kid's life,
particularly in the lives of teenagers, peer pressure is
significantly less in a homeschooled environment than in a
classroom situation.
Indeed, when schooled at home, children learn to rely on
themselves in ways that a student in a classroom cannot.
Homeschooling encourages independent problem-solving and improves
self-esteem because there is no classroom of other students to
fall back on or to deflect attention. Without other students in
direct competition for grades or for the teacher's attention,
homeschoolers avoid that destructive competition that damages
self-esteem.
Socialization
Homeschooling encourages relationships between all age groups.
Rather than being confined to a classroom with 10 to 20 other
children their own age, homeschooled children spend time with
other kids of all ages. They are comfortable with and learn to
get along with toddlers, adolescents, teens and even other adults
and the elderly, all from varying levels on the socio-economic
ladder. After all, as an adult, when was the last time you were
the member of a group where everyone was exclusively your own
age?
Since homeschooled students are not pigeonholed into their own
age or grade groups, they become active members of various
groups. Indeed, to counteract accusations of isolation,
homeschooling parents compensate by having their children
participate in various extracurricular activities, such as clubs
and sports, where kids spend quality time with their peers. They
also organize numerous field trips with other families and get
involved in their local support group activities and churches.
Family Unity
The final benefit to homeschooling is the cohesiveness it brings
to the family unit. Homeschooling gives families precious time
together as they learn, read, solve problems, work on projects
and just hang out together. This is valuable time together that
public and private school children do not get. A strong reliance
on and appreciation for the family is usually the result.
Now that you know the benefits for your child and your family,
consider homeschooling as a viable educational option. You will
probably find other benefits that are unique to your family. In
any case, chances are that you and your children will be glad you
decided to homeschool.
About the Author:
Carren W. Joye is the author of A Stay-at-Home Mom's Complete
Guide to Playgroups (ISBN 0-595-14684-8). A homeschooling mom of
four children, she has founded four successful playgroups and one
homeschool support group, and helped start countless other
playgroups around the world. Visit her web site at
http://www.OnlinePlaygroup.com
for more information about
playgroups.
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