Homeschooling

As a public educator, I cannot help but feel a little threatened by the idea of homeschooling. After all, could this just be a parent telling me I am not doing my job well enough? I was surprised, however, with how my mind opened up to the homeschooling initiative after researching this topic.

In Colonial America, homeschooling and school houses were prevalent means of education. It was not until the 19th century that states started to adopt education laws requiring all children to attend public schools until the age of sixteen. From that time forward, homeschooling was primarily found in extremely rural communities in the United States. In the 1960s, however, the homeschooling movement began to take hold again after laws removed prayer and bible study from the public school curriculum. Religious education advocates, finding private schooling too expensive, started to explore homeschooling as a viable alternative. This, coupled with negative propaganda toward public schools, helped homeschooling build momentum throughout remaining half of the twentieth century.

Today, there are almost two million children that are homeschooled, according to the U.S. Department of Education. However, the causes of this expansion have spread into the secular arena. In 2007, 88% percent of parents reported choosing homeschooling due to concerns over the current school environment, with 73% of parents reporting dissatisfaction with current academic offerings in the public school system. These parents have weighed in on the pros in their choice of education. Although I initially approached their views with speculation, I can now see validity in many of the parents’ arguments.

Homeschooling enables students to excel without waiting. That is, the curriculum can truly be customized to each individual student by moving as fast or as slow as the child needs. Also, the small environment enables the parent to provide immediate feedback on a child’s work. This is invaluable in education. Students are able to see and correct mistakes immediately allowing them to master one skill before moving on to the next. Often, parents can move swiftly through material because there is no wasted time with assemblies, meetings, and snow days, for example. Furthermore, labeling, which can degrade a student’s self-esteem or place an inordinate amount of pressure on him or her, will not follow a student as it does in a regular school system. Parents and students also have a more flexible time schedule for appointments, field trips, and family vacations. Most importantly, homeschooling enables parents to instill the values and morals they want on their children, ensuring the children are raised as the parents deem fit. This environment forges stronger family relationships and has also been noted to limit discipline issues.

While parents do create a compelling argument, there are also limits to what homeschooling can provide. For instance, although parents may be able to move through material more quickly, homeschooling is often a taxing time and financial commitment. After all, with the responsibility of education falling on one parent, the family is often limited to a single income. Furthermore, homeschooling is an awesome responsibility on the parents. They must find ways both learn and teach all subject areas to the point of mastery, as homeschooled children are often still subject to state tests. Many students who are homeschooled also suffer from social stigma as they grow older and encounter their public-schooled counterparts. In addition, many have reported that homeschooled children have fewer socialization opportunities. Homeschooling advocates would argue that students are still able to be involved in several clubs and activities outside of the home, but their opposition debates the authenticity of these experiences. Moreover, many believe that the responsibility of homeschooling can put a tremendous strain on a family as it struggles to maintain a learning environment in the household.

Homeschooling’s effectiveness is highly debated in that some studies indicate that students perform above grade level, while others indicate the opposite. Due to these students’ various locations and learning experiences, gathering a truly randomized group of homeschoolers for performance analyst tests remains an obstacle. The only indication of success in homeschooling currently comes from the parents themselves. Although the parents’ perspective remains biased, it is clear that there are benefits to homeschooling children. But thanks to the challenges, this educational route is not for every family. So teachers can rest assured in having some job security in spite of the growth in homeschooling.

Major Sources:
US Department of Education http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/
Home School Info http://homeschoolinginfo.org
Home Schooling: An Overview article by Lynnn-nore Chittorn and Heather Newton