The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling
The third installment in our pro/con series (the first two can be found here and here) examines the pros and cons of Homeschooling, a recently revived educational option whose popularity has steadily increased over the last thirty years.
But first, a brief history:
Up until only recently, the term Homeschooling did not exist because home education was considered the default worldwide for most ‘regular’ or ‘common’ people. In North America, it was the official norm in European colonies due to a lack of educational infrastructure. If parents wanted literacy for their children, they needed to do the job themselves as schools were nonexistent and private tutors were restricted to the wealthy.
By the mid-1800’s, the first public schools opened, and compulsory attendance laws were enacted. Beginning in the cities and trickling down to rural areas, fewer and fewer children remained at home for their education, and truancy laws prevented families from exercising this right.
In the 1960’s, a number of published books began to criticize the public system, and an anti-public education movement took hold, gaining momentum until 1993 when homeschooling became legal again in all 50 US states. Since this time, the homeschool population has increased at a rate of 2-8% per year, reaching a high of 3.1 million children homeschooled during the pandemic.
Today, homeschooling is considered a viable option among current educational methods. Pros and cons to consider for this form are listed below.
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Better performance on achievement tests
Many studies indicate that homeschooled students perform better on achievement tests than their publicly educated peers.
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More individualized attention
Homeschool groups tend to be small either as families or community groups, enabling children to learn at their own pace and more fully comprehend skills.
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No timeline for learning skills
A homeschooled child has the gift of time and the flexibility to adjust pace. If a certain skill poses difficulty, he/she can take more time to learn it. If a skill is absorbed quickly, the student is able to move ahead.
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Learning is customizable
Homeschooled students are able to customize learning according to interests. If a certain subject is appealing, the majority of academic skills can be taught through that lens, enabling flexibility in learning.
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Educational Freedom
Parents are able to present curriculum in whatever form they choose for their children, constructing environments for learning that suit their educational, social, and moral philosophies.
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Less exposure to government bureaucracy
Some families homeschool to lessen the influence of public systems on their children from an early age.
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Vibrant resources and communities
Today’s homeschoolers have access to virtually unlimited resources online and in the community, including study groups, play groups, extracurricular organizations, and homeschool support networks.
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Less peer pressure and exposure to bullying or school violence
Many families choose homeschooling today to lessen their children’s exposure to peer pressure, bullying, and increased violence in public settings.
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Flexible scheduling
Homeschooling offers a high degree of learning flexibility for students, making it possible to travel, take classes, and participate in activities that might otherwise be off-limits.
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Special Needs Accommodations
Students whose needs cannot be accommodated within the framework of a larger school may benefit from a personalized setting.
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Less childhood stress overall
Many studies indicate that homeschooling on the whole is less stressful for children than a formal education setting. There is more flexibility, less pressure, and fewer requirements to conform with the expectations of a larger group. Children at home also tend to have more input in their learning and are physically healthier as well.
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Opportunities for socialization
A common argument against homeschooling cites a lack of exposure to diverse groups of children. In order to prevent an overly narrow social experience, efforts must be made to ensure independent exposure.
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Lack of structure
Since some children benefit from greater structure than others, care must be taken to customize learning to the child.
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Demand on the family
Homeschooling requires more work and family investment than any other form of education. Activities must be planned, paperwork must be managed, and children must be incorporated into family life more fully.
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Financial strain
Homeschooling often demands that one or both parents sacrifice time, work hours, or even employment in order to educate their children. While modern solutions have created options in this area (with virtual work and learning, etc), families must be willing and able to accommodate the expense. Purchased curriculums can be expensive and materials take time to research and acquire. Learning Pods, a new incarnation for this style of learning, may cost upward of several hundred dollars a week.
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The kids are around more often
Homeschooling generally entails being in proximity to one’s children for much longer periods of time than their formally educated peers. Mental health breaks may be needed, and should be accommodated in the schedule.
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Concerns about missing skills
Many parents worry that their children are missing the skills that are normally taught in schools, and this can serve as a point of stress.
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Parents may feel unqualified to teach
Many parents do not feel up to the task of educating their children, concerned that their own educational experiences were inadequate.
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Limited Resources
Families of limited financial means who live in isolated areas may struggle more often to provide social or educational resources for their children.
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Knowledge gaps
A potential for gaps in knowledge may exist if families fail to consider the skills that children will need to manage their futures. If college is a future goal, care must be taken to ensure that the necessary entrance skills are taught.
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Lack of services for children with special needs
Though public availability of special needs services will vary, homeschooled families may have less access in certain locations.
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College access
While most colleges today readily accept homeschooled students, there are still a few who do not. Potential future options must be researched ahead of time in order to plan for this contingency.
Conclusion/Wrap-Up:
Of all the educational methods listed in this series homeschooling is by far the most intensive, requiring a considerable investment in time and energy. While results prove its potential to produce highly educated, functional adults, it is a long-term commitment that requires thought and consideration. Not every child is homeschooled throughout their entire academic career, and some may only be absent from formal schooling for a short while. Many of the cons listed above have either been resolved or ameliorated for today’s homeschoolers, but research is still required and families must be willing to innovate alongside their children.