Table of Contents
- What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages Of Homeschooling?
- Advantages of homeschooling
- Disadvantages of Homeschooling
- How to Decide If Homeschooling Is Right for Your Family
- How to Make Homeschooling Easier
- The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Public School Vs. Private School
- Homeschooling Tips For Parents and Students
- Resources and References:
What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages Of Homeschooling?
The decision to homeschool your children can be a tough one. A number of parents are considering the possibility, and for good reasons: studies show that homeschooled kids have higher academic achievement rates than those who attend public schools. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some serious drawbacks to consider before you commit to homeschooling your child full-time.
Advantages of homeschooling
1.Flexibility
When you homeschool your child, you get to decide all the rules regarding curriculum and time management. You can focus on what matters most to your child’s current level of understanding while considering his age and interests. You have complete control over how much or how little work is assigned, allowing you to gauge your child’s progress and maintain your sanity.
2.Multitasking Skills
Homeschooled kids learn how to manage multiple responsibilities at once, such as doing their math homework while talking on the phone with a friend. This habit translates well into adult life, where employees are often expected to juggle multiple projects and meet tight deadlines.
3.Good Value
Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive. Depending on your child’s interests and the subjects you teach him, all he might need is a few textbooks or workbooks. The internet has made it easier for homeschool families to purchase affordable educational materials online.
4.Greater Parental Influence
When you homeschool your children, you play a vital role in their education. You don’t have to worry about your child being influenced by outside factors, such as drugs or alcohol.
5.Child-Centered
Homeschooling allows you to tailor your lessons to your child’s needs and abilities, rather than having him conform to what works best for the institution. In other words, the focus is on him, not you.
6.Better Parent/Child Relationships
One of the biggest benefits of homeschooling is that it helps strengthen family bonds and improve communication between parent and child. Your family will benefit from the time you spend together, and your child will learn valuable life skills that can only be taught through hands-on learning.
7.Formal Acknowledgment of your Child’s Work
If you homeschool your child, a diploma or certificate is yours to keep forever. No one can go back on what it represents—your child’s academic achievements.
8.Safety
Homeschooling helps ensure that your child is always in a nurturing, controlled environment. Most homeschooled kids don’t have to deal with the stress of having to ride the bus or being around many strangers daily.
9.Freedom from Social Bias and Bullying
Most homeschooled kids are protected from bullying by their parents, who can closely monitor their child’s social interactions with others. Many homeschooled children have low rates of drug use and crime involvement when compared to public school students.
10.More Opportunities for One-on-One Attention
Whether you’re helping your child master algebra or discussing why the Civil War happened, you’ll be able to pay close attention to his needs. You can spend quality time together learning and growing as a person.
11.Educational Privacy
Homeschooled students are shielded from the prying eyes of the public school system, which only has access to their academic records with parental consent. You know exactly what your
child is learning and what’s being taught in class.
12.A Feeling of Accomplishment
Seeing a homeschooled child succeed is very rewarding for parents. You’ll feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that you were responsible for teaching your child everything he knows and that you played an active role in his development. Additional academic, mental and physical advantages of homeschooling listed here.
Disadvantages of Homeschooling
1.Lack of Adult Perspective
When you homeschool your child, he isn’t exposed to adult life and the social issues associated with it. This might make him unprepared for college life or workplace dynamics
2.Lack of Interaction With Authority Figures
Homeschooled students aren’t familiar with how authorities treat others, meaning that they may be ill-equipped to handle an authoritative figure, such as a boss
3.Lack of Structure
Homeschooling doesn’t require kids to adhere to a strict schedule. They can work on assignments as and when they feel like it, which isn’t always a good thing
4.Time Management
Since you aren’t working with a teacher who assigns homework and monitors your child’s progress, you might find it challenging to set aside time for homeschooling without sacrificing your job or other responsibilities
5.Conformity
Since homeschooled children aren’t subject to peer pressure, they don’t develop a sense of social responsibility and the skills to enforce their views on others. They might find it challenging to interact with people who have opposing opinions
6.Lack of Extracurricular Activities
Homeschooled children don’t have access to a wide variety of extracurricular courses, which can be problematic if they want to pursue a specific career path after they finish high school or college
How to Decide If Homeschooling Is Right for Your Family
Homeschooling presents its challenges, but there are solutions to them. Read our blog post on how to overcome homeschooling challenges
To know if homeschooling is right for you or your children, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you willing to put in the time and effort required to homeschool your child? Homeschooling is a big commitment, but it’s more effective if you can devote plenty of energy to homeschooling.
- Do you have a strong sense of responsibility for your child’s academic progress? If not, he might suffer academically, especially if you have no academic background.
- Are you a hands-on parent? If so, you should be able to take up the role of homeschooler easily. If not, you might struggle with ensuring your child’s smooth transition into homeschooling.
- Do you like teaching your child new things? You will be responsible for designing engaging lessons with your child, so you should enjoy teaching him new things.
- Do you have adequate time on your hands? If not, homeschooling might be challenging to manage because it requires plenty of outside-of-school assignments and educational activities.
- Is your child receptive to learning on his own? If not, homeschooling might be a difficult transition for him.
- Do you enjoy working with your child on self-directed projects? You will have to do this plenty of times as a homeschooler, so it’s essential that you can manage the responsibility well.
- Are there extra resources available to support your efforts as a homeschooler? If not, homeschooling might be demoralizing because you’ll have to fend for yourself.
- Do you feel comfortable teaching your child everything he needs to know about his subjects? You will be in charge of the educational aspects of homeschooling, so it’s crucial that you are prepared to teach him all that he needs to know.
- Are you willing to give up on the idea of homeschooling if it doesn’t work out? Homeschooling is a big commitment, so you should be prepared to accept the consequences of your decision.
- Do you have the resources available to homeschool your child? Some parents find that homeschooling is more practical when financially secure because it allows them to buy their children some learning resources.
- Is your family supportive of homeschooling? If not, you might face certain challenges as you try to homeschool your child, especially if you can’t convince them of its merits.
- Are there other parents in your area who are willing to participate in homeschooling? You might encounter social isolation as a homeschooler because you’ll be left on your own with your child most of the time.
- Do you need help from other families to homeschool your child? You might have trouble as a homeschooler if you rely on the help of others, especially if they are unreliable.
How to Make Homeschooling Easier
- Consider homeschooling in the summer, when you have more free time to devote to homeschooling.
- Avoid homeschooling during your child’s most difficult years (usually years 3 and 9) to not struggle too much academically.
- Keep a close eye on your child’s progress as a homeschooler. If you notice some problems, take steps to solve them (see this blog post for tips on how to do that)
- Ensure that your child is getting plenty of social interaction with peers through homeschool groups or other academic activities
- Adopt a more structured homeschooling approach if you’re finding that your child isn’t learning much from your current homeschooling program (see this article for tips on how to do that)
- Adopt a flexible homeschooling approach if you’re finding that your child is struggling with his studies because of the rigidity of your homeschooling curriculum
- Visit homeschooling conventions to learn tips and strategies that you can use in your homeschool.
- Keep trying as a homeschooler, even if your child struggles at first. He might improve significantly with time.
- Read books about homeschooling to learn what other successful families did right when they transitioned their children into homeschooling (check this book out for some excellent advice on homeschooling!)
- Visit homeschool websites to learn tips and strategies that you can use in your homeschool.
- Attend homeschool support groups when you need additional help or encouragement as a homeschooler (check this article out to learn how to find the right group for your child)
- Participate in homeschool conferences when you need additional help or encouragement as a homeschooler (see this article for tips about how to find the right conference for your family)
- Avoid the trap of comparing yourself with other homeschooling parents if you’re feeling too lonely and isolated as a homeschooler; this can sap your motivation and make you rethink your decision to homeschool.
- Adopt a relaxed homeschooling approach if you’re finding that your child is struggling with his studies because of the rigidity of your homeschooling program (learn more about this in this article)
- Use the help of a professional tutor if you need extra assistance as a homeschooler; check out this article to learn how to find one.
- Review your child’s school work if you’re finding that your child is struggling with his studies because of the rigidity of your homeschooling program (see this article for tips on how to do that)
The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Public School Vs. Private Schoo
Many people claim that homeschooling is far superior to either option, and others disagree entirely. Given that there are two sides to every debate, it’s essential to examine both schools of thought before making a final decision.
To begin with, homeschooling has been shown in some instances to provide exceptional results at a minimal cost. While private schools often require high tuition fees and public elementary schools require very little funding, homeschoolers can work from home at very low expense. Furthermore, most homeschooling curriculums are tailored explicitly toward each student’s needs – you can choose materials that perfectly align with your child’s learning style and ability level without having to rely on a teacher to prescribe those materials.
Homeschooling also allows you to choose your schedule – you can homeschool from anywhere in the world, provided that you have an internet connection and a library nearby. It’s no wonder that more and more families are choosing this educational pathway each year!
There are several disadvantages of homeschooling, too. First, if your child is very young (under five), he or she may not be ready for the independence required by homeschooling. Most children don’t learn how to read until they’re at least six years old; however, many kindergarten classes need students to already know how to read before they’re accepted into the program – if your child falls behind their peers on this subject matter, it causes them to fall behind on the rest of their work.
This is a significant disadvantage for young homeschoolers because research has shown that one of the essential advantages of public school over private school is the social aspect – you meet people from all walks of life and gain valuable cultural experiences by interacting with other classes in theater, sports, and clubs.
This can be especially difficult if your child has learning disabilities or special needs; advanced learners typically have stronger social skills, but many children who struggle with traditional schooling do so because they lack interpersonal experience. Finally, while homeschooling allows you to personalize each student’s curriculum to fit their needs perfectly, it can also create gaps in their education – some essential subjects (such as biology) may not always be covered if you don’t have the time or interest to arrange it.
On the other hand, homeschooling can be a highly rewarding process for both parent and child – you get to learn together by developing your own educational approach, and you’ll also reap life skills that are absolutely crucial in our increasingly digital society. Homeschooling is also an excellent opportunity for children with special needs; many need specific attention, which they may not receive at a regular school, but this problem vanishes when you teach them yourself!
Finally – and most importantly – the decision isn’t binary! You can choose to enroll your child in a public elementary school for grades K-4 while continuing with homeschooling for preschoolers through high school. This hybrid approach is ideal if you don’t want to completely uproot your child’s life midway through their academic career!
Homeschooling Tips For Parents and Students
Homeschooling can be challenging yet fulfilling. It involves sacrifice, work, and effort from both the parent(s) and the children. The following tips may help you become a successful homeschool teacher and parents to make your experience much easier:
- Start early – Starting early means having easily accessible resources that you can easily access from home.
- Develop a schedule – Having a schedule will help you determine how long it might take your child to finish the subjects and when they are due.
- Keep track of grades and progress – Keeping track of grades is very important for homeschool students as they will be expected to do an end-of-the-year report where grades are given.
- Consider the time and money that will be required – Make sure to consider how much time you will need to teach your child and whether or not you have enough money to purchase additional homeschooling materials such as books, workbooks, school supplies, etc.
- Enroll your child in extracurricular activities – There are many benefits to enrolling your homeschooled student in extracurricular activities such as sports, theatre, choir, crafts, and technology lessons.
- Ensure that the curriculum is matched with your child’s learning style – This tip involves both you and your homeschooled child to determine whether or not they are learning adequately.
- Have a tutor available for when the subjects begin to become more complex – If you find that your kids are having trouble with their classes, you can hire a tutor to help them out.
- Be flexible but firm – Although flexibility is necessary due to changes in your home life (i.e., moving, birth of another child, etc.), make sure that all lessons will be completed on time.
Conclusion
If you’re someone who is interested in keeping your child at home to teach them and keep them from being exposed to the dangers of public school, homeschooling might be for you. If you want to invest the time required to teach your child and if they are self-driven learners who don’t need much attention, homeschooling could be a good fit.
On the other hand, homeschooling might not be the best option if your child is not self-driven or does better in a social setting.
Like anything else you are willing to dedicate an obscene amount of time to, there are pros and cons to homeschooling. The first big plus is that your kids’ education is tailored to your specific needs when done right. In this way, it’s possible to give your child an extremely advanced education.
