Is home schooling beneficial?

Posted: November 27th, 2013

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Is home schooling beneficial?

            A research was conducted, and showed that home schooled children performed better than children who have attended public and private schools. The research further indicates that parents gave their children more attention than a teacher would give in a classroom as the parents try to give their children the best education. Ian Slater (2009) research noted that the education level of the parent tutoring the student has not affected the performance of the children. Parents who did not have college degrees have their children perform better than their counterparts who have attended public schools. As a result, the teaching environments of being taught at home produced individuals who contribute positively to the society.

Suicide rates have reduced among young people who have been home schooled, as their self-esteem is high. Karl Bunday (1999) noted in his article, such children are taught self-love and acceptance. Home schooled children are emotionally and socially stable. Some of the concepts they are taught include how to socialize with their friends, importance of community service and how they can offer their services to the community, how to be good leaders and self-esteem. The research confirms that home schooled children behave better and are more mature. Their social skills are improved compared to those who have attended public schools. Some of the concepts taught in home schooling enable students to realize their talents; what they want to achieve in life. These life skills are not taught in public and private schools.

Interviews conducted reveal that most parents prefer home schooling their children because they are not happy with the learning environment of their children especially the rising cases of violence, negative influence from other children, and the quality of education in traditional schools whether public or private. Others interviewed said that they wanted to have influence on their children’s religious beliefs. They wanted to teach their children the moral standards acceptable to them as parents and society. Home schooled children are protected from evils associated with public institutions for example peer pressure, bullying, drugs, alcohol and unhealthy sexual relationships that they might engage in as parents are not able to monitor them while at school. Parents say that no loving parent would teach their children bad morals; they teach children behaviors that are acceptable by the society.

Further interviews conducted revealed that classroom set-ups did not impress the parents especially those of public schools and so they have opted for home schooling. Some parents who have children with special needs considered home schooling the best option, as the parents were able to cater for their child’s needs in a familiar environment. Children with special needs feel at home while at the same time, they get quality education from their parents. Some parents do home schooling because of discrimination due to a child’s religious beliefs and color. They feel safer when they give their children quality education in a home based environment.

Other parents who were interviewed said that their work requires a lot of traveling. Home schooling for them is the best option, as their children do not miss anything that concerns their academics. They continue learning even when they are away from home. There are people who live in remote rural location or have moved to another country temporarily, and home schooling has worked for them as it allows them to travel with their children. Children who are talented in areas such as acting, music or athletics are home schooled as this gives them time to practice and improve their talents at the same time continue with their education. Some parents were not happy with the way teachers and tutors in public and private schools treat their children, and they felt that home schooling was better. This would ensure that their parenting style was not influenced by anyone else as they teach their own moral standards.

Those parents who were interviewed and have home schooled their children, confirmed that children who are home schooled learn at their own pace and are under no pressure to move to the next grade as they are able to know their weaknesses and strengths in different subjects. With this in mind, a child with the assistance of the parent can accomplish more academically. Parents support this system, as they are able to concentrate on areas of weakness and help their children overcome such limitations. Parents are able to know their child’s talent, and they help nurture it.

Relationships between the parent, child and other siblings are enhanced as it draws them closer because of the time they spend together while getting an education at home instead of going to school and spending a lot of time away from each other. Parents are able to monitor their children’s friends and advice them accordingly those in public schools the parents may never get to meet their children’s friends.

Parents who were interviewed confirmed that their children easily accept their moral values and religious beliefs, as there is no outside interference. Public schooled children are not exposed to other people their activities and associations in the classroom are limited to their age mates. They never get a chance to associate with other children who are not their age mates and grown ups. Children socialize better if they are taught social skills by their parents, not by spending time in class. Like children who go to public schools they spend most of their time with their age mates. Children who are home schooled offer their services to the community without feeling that it is a bother or a waste of time. Some parents felt that children who learn in public institutions are not given responsibilities as everything in the class is done for them, this makes them not to realize their talents and are not given an opportunity to know what they want in life and pursue it. Things that are taught in home schools makes a child become self-reliant, and most of them turn out to be independent and most of them become self employed as they are taught life skills that other public schooled children do not learn while in class.

Majority of the parents who were interviewed felt that home schooling enables their children to face the real world. They said that their children are able to relate well with adults and other children as what they are taught is based on things that happen every day in the society. Parents also said that they are actively involved in their children’s social activities, and this helps them overcome negative peer pressure. Home schooled children are taught positive social skills unlike those in public schools where behaviors like rebelling, immature behaviors, immoral practices like those that lead to unhealthy sexual behaviors are commonly found.

Children who attend public schools undergo so many social problems; one parent noted that they are subjected to rivalry, ridicule and competition, as they tend to forget their own values. Home schooled children accept who they are, and they do not try to look and sound like some else. Parents who home school their children have discovered that the syllabus encourages kids to know who they are. Moreover, they enjoy participating in extra curricular activities like dancing, music classes and many other social activities because of this they are able to discover their passion in life. Public schooled children never get time engage in social activities for example visiting places like museums, parks and participate in girl and boy scouts.

Works cited

Slatter Ian, New Study Shows Homeschoolers Excel Academically http://www.hslda.org/docs/media/2009/200908100.asp, August 2009

Bunday K.M, Socialization: A Great Reason Not to Go to School, http://learninfreedom.org/socialization.html, 1999