Learn about advantages and disadvantages of home schooling so you can make the right educational decision for your child and family
There is no certain arrangement a parent must have to homeschool their children. A parent might choose to have certain times for learning everyday much like public school, or they may choose to be more relaxed and flexible with their learning schedule, melding the child's education with normal family routines.
Parents who choose to homeschool their children see many advantages in doing so. One of the most obvious advantages is the educational flexibility. Children who are homeschooled can learn at their own pace. Topical information can be explored at the time when it best fits the individual child, not an entire class. If a child understands something well enough, they can move on. If they have trouble with the subject, they are able to spend more time with it. Parents who homeschool theoretically have more flexibility in how they approach different subjects, and are able to design their curriculum to fit the learning habits of their child.
Many homeschooling parents appreciate the educational control they have. By choosing to homeschool your children, you can highlight the information you feel is important for your children to have as they grow up and enter adulthood. You can emphasize the concepts and ideas you most want them to understand as important for a successful life. And although not a priority of every homeschooling family, choosing to homeschool your children means religious or political beliefs can be freely taught at the same time as traditional subjects.
Some parents choose to homeschool their children because they fear public school is becoming increasingly unsafe. Homeschooling parents find advantages in protecting their children from school violence, teasing, bullying, profanity, and inappropriate fads.
There are several disadvantages to homeschooling, as well. The biggest criticism of home education is the lack of socialization that homeschooled children experience. This, however, depends entirely on the type of home education they are receiving. If a child is taught at home and never leaves their house, this may be an issue. But in most homeschooling arrangements, a child is exposed to many real world situations and may possibly experience more social situations than a child in traditional school. One could say that the disadvantage is that the child's socialization falls completely under the category of parental responsibility.
Another disadvantage is the possibility of feeling overwhelmed at the task of being solely responsible for your child's education. Some parents begin homeschooling with high expectations, only to throw in the towel because they didn't know it would be so much work. Although there are several different methods to home education, they all require a high level of parental involvement. A closely related aspect which is sometimes viewed as a disadvantage is that the parent is with their child the majority of the day. Some parents look forward to the time that their child enters public school because the parent can go back to work, start a new job, or enter a new phase of their life. Choosing to homeschool disallows this break, and is difficult for some families to handle.
Many parents considering homeschooling are concerned about the cost of educating their children at home. Homeschooling can be expensive, but this depends entirely on the materials and curricula that are used. You can educate your children as frugally or as expensively as you choose. There are several ways to reduce the cost, such as making use of the public library, shopping for materials at thrift stores, or sharing materials with other homeschooling parents.
A child's success in their educational future depends greatly on the choices their parent makes for them regarding their method of schooling. When considering homeschool as an educational option for your child, be sure to research all aspects involved so you can make the right decision for your child and family.
