English Homework (for Rey writer only)

HOME-SCHOOLING 7

Is Home Schooling Good a Idea?

Ron Cager

Columbia Southern University

Is Home Schooling Good an Idea?

Introduction

Green & Hoover-Dempsey, (2007) defined Homeschooling as the process of educating children at home rather than taking them to public schools where children from various backgrounds are taken. The child is taught the subjects that are taught in standard schools while they are at home. Their brothers and sisters and parents, as well as students, can teach the children. There are several advantages and disadvantages that are related to homeschooling which contributes to the decisions made by parents whether they should home school their children. It is evident from the recent homeschooling statistics that the idea of home-schooling is increasing becoming more acceptable as an education method and even trendy (Ice & Hoover-Dempsey, 2011).

Literature review

However, some arguments have come up whether the method is good for children. There are several arguments for and against home schooling which can be used to upset the educational foundation of a child. The advantages and disadvantages are discussed, but in my individual opinion, it is not good for child development.

Arguments for home-schooling

Homeschooling enables the child to receive individual teaching attention. The constant population increase has resulted in overcrowded schools in several parts. This problem is made worse with the current economic struggle that has made most schools to close or lay off teachers. This leads the teachers to be overwhelmed by controlling classes of more than 40 students at a time (Green & Hoover-Dempsey, 2007). Teachers are obliged to thinly stretch themselves to be able to offer individualized attention to the children in their classes, and this means that a child might not get the entire benefit of teacher’s support.

The educational struggles of the child may potentially go undressed, and this leads to poor test scores and even falling behind. Homeschooling enables the children to have undivided attention, and it is easy to address bad behaviors and any learning issues hence helping the child to attain full potential.

Homeschooling provides personalized learning to the child. The guardian or teacher will be able to tailor the lesson plans to fit the child. In the contemporary class environment, classmates learn at different speeds, and this helps the slower learners to be on track with the rest of the class(Green & Hoover-Dempsey, 2007). However, it leaves the brighter children distracted and bored. Therefore, home-schooling enables kids to learn at their own pace. When combining the individual attention provided in a home-schooling environment, most of the children that are enrolled in home-schooling finish ahead of the school schedule. This environment also helps the parents to integrate subjects that may not be in the common school curriculum such as foreign languages. There is also assured safety for home-schooled children. The safety of the learner is guaranteed, and the child is protected from social issues such as fights, bullying as well as other school violence related issues that are non-issues when a child is learning from home. It helps the child to avoid all the peripheral issues that result from violence in school, and this includes disciplinary actions, therapy sessions as well as school trips.

Arguments against home-schooling

First, home schooled children to lack special needs because they do not receive guidance from trained teachers who are trained to guide them. Parents and even the older siblings may have a high-quality education, but they may not be having adequate qualifications needed to teach. Teaching is an art, which needs the capability and talent to understand a child’s physiology that also requires training through a course that focuses on children education (Green & Hoover-Dempsey, 2007).Therefore, children’s special needs are not met, as trained teachers do not guide them. Similarly, at a particular age, children require special learning aids as well as teachers that have had experience with several children. Thus, they have to be provided with proper guidance that might have a positive influence on their education.

Additionally, particular subjects have various teaching methods, which are possessed by trained teachers, and parents may not have a knowledge of these teaching aids. Parents can teach their children using old techniques that may not replicate the current trends. Similarly, parents can experience homeschool burnout that can result from managing various responsibilities at work and home along with sparing some time to teach children (Ray, 2015). This may lead to stress and tiredness that can come from undertaking these activities. This is different when comparing to specialized teachers who take teaching as part of their daily responsibilities.

Children that are schooled at home are not exposed to the social life due to loneliness, friendlessness, and they find themselves in an isolated environment especially if they do not have siblings or other children in the neighbourhood are taken to public schools. Having a social life is very critical in their future life because it enables them to build friendships quickly. Bonds will assist them to know the significance of sharing as well as being there for one another contrary to being dependents on their families and getting isolated from the traditional exposure standards of education. Therefore home-schooling holds back the child development through limiting their social interaction.

Also, children that are taken to public schools are often exposed to different cultural backgrounds which influence the interpersonal skills of the children positively compared to home-schooling which does not have this aspect hence proving to be detrimental to the homeschooled children (Ray, 2015). Public schools offer children an opportunity to be exposed to a range of social activities such as sports, debates as well as other competitions that portray the real world situation. These extra curriculum activities optimize the social, psychological as well as the emotional development of the children (Huerta, 2004).

Children that are taught at home are not subjected to regular and standardized exams. Most often the people who teach them at home base their exams on what they have thought the children who may not match the required level or standard that the child may be in. However, in public schools, there are regular periodic tests that are provided to children to be able to prepare them for the next level that is marked through promotions top the next class, and this motivates the children to work hard. Also at home, no quality competition can advance the academic growth and development of the children.

Conclusion

While most parents may try hard to ensure their children are taught at home, standard schools are the best option for most children. Public schools may not be a perfect choice, but they are a proven way of developing children in facing the real world.

References

Green, C. L., & Hoover-Dempsey, K. V. (2007). Why do parents homeschool? A systematic examination of parental involvement. Education and Urban Society, 39(2), 264-285.

Huerta, L. (2004). Cyber and homeschool charter schools: How states are defining new forms of public schooling.

Ice, C. L., & Hoover-Dempsey, K. V. (2011). Linking parental motivations for involvement and student proximal achievement outcomes in homeschooling and public schooling settings. Education and Urban Society, 43(3), 339-369.

Ray, B. D. (2015). Research Facts on Homeschooling. National Home Education Research Institute.