17 July 2008

School vs. Home School

Many mothers that I know, who are now facing the reality of sending their cute little preschoolers to kindergarten, are considering home schooling their children. Their was a meeting at one of the local library branches to discuss the benefits of home school and the resources available. I am not sure how long home schooling children has been an option for parents, but I had the opportunity to home school one of my daughters for a little over a year and it can be very beneficial in many ways. By getting one on one attention, children learn much faster and receive more help in the areas where they really need it. If they have trouble with reading, their parents can focus on teaching them to read more. They can do the same for writing and math. The school day is shorter for them, because morning announcements, recess, lunch, music "class", art "class", etc. are not scheduled in. It is much more focused and goes much faster.

Many are concerned with the lack of a social setting, however, many cities have home school groups who get together often for private "recess" periods and even field trips!  It is a wonderful option for parents who are scared to put their little darlings in these unpredictable schools. It is not just the curriculum or the students assigned to a particular school that is a concern, but what unpredictable event that can happen at school that day. Schools have been plagued with gunmen and kidnappers which trigger school "lockdowns", which trigger parent panic, etc.

 I would recommend it for those who can afford to do it and can live with having their little ones (or older ones) home 24/7.
 

Filed under: Children

Comments

# Altair said:

I've heard a lot of negative comments against homeschooling, saying it will socially stunt the growth of your kids and you need to have them in schools so they don't become antisocial. When I really tracked it down, it was the public schools who were all saying this. Unfortunately, they need to keep enough kids in their schools so they will tell you what you need to hear to keep you faithfully supporting them.

What they don't mention is that your social settings in public schools are generally extremely bad, especially teacher-student interactions. Most kids have some form of social anxiety as a result of the situations they are forced into by going to public schools. When homeschooled, the children and parents can choose the social situations they will be a part of. Many public schools allow homeschoolers to participate in after school programs and sports teams, where they can find all the benefits of that social venue. There are also many homeschool organizations where you can get all the benefits of school social interaction.

If your kids aren't the type who fit easily into the mold, blend in with the crowd, and do well with the "Sit down and shut up" philosophy, you might want to seriously consider homeschooling. Just make sure you have the time and funds to devote to your child's learning. The one-on-one teaching that can actually be shaped to fit your child's learning style is probably the most important part of homeschooling. It does require a lot of time and commitment on the parents part.

There was a large group of homeschoolers who were in a lot of my classes, and they were almost all in the top grade rankings in my class. They were also some of the most confident, mature, and socially adapted kids in our class.

It's not always best to teach a kid to swim by throwing them into water that's over their head. Swimming lessons take a little longer, but they usually have better results in the end.

Thursday, July 17, 2008 5:44 PM

# the horn said:

   I  suppose  home   schooling   can  be  a  good  thing.

  It's  understandable  that   some  parents  are  concerned  with  the  poor  quality  of  education   that  many,  but  certainly

 not  all   students  get  in  America   get  today.  

   But  unfortunately,  some  parents  who   are  religiously  and

 socially  conservative  home  school  their  children   because

 they  are  afraid  of"secular " education,  and  that  exposure

 to   the  idea  of  evolution   will   corrupt  their  children's

  morality,  which  is  ludicrous.

   It's  also  true  that  the  agenda  of  political  correctness  

 and  multiculturalism  is  just  as  bad,  though.

      What  our  public  education  system  really   needs  is  a

 radical  overhaus.  We  need  to  build   new,  state  of  the  art

schools  and  renovate  existing  ones.  And  to  concentrate

 on  basics   such  as  reading,  writing, math,  science, languages,  and  to   return  art  and  music  programs.

   We  need  to  teach  American  and  world   history  in  an

accurate,balanced   way  instead  of   brainwashing  kids

 with  multicultural  and  politically  correct   garbage,  and  to

  teach  them  about   geography   well,  too.

      This  will  cost  an  awful  lot  of  money,  but  the  alternative  is   far,far  worse  in  the  long  run.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:53 PM