Homeschooling
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Abstract
Homeschooling is becoming a popular trend among many families today. Essentially, the idea of homeschooling has generated numerous debates regarding the benefits and detriments of this form of education to students. Providentially, neither the advantages nor the disadvantages surpass one another, and for that reason, individuals have the ability to choose this form of education based on their needs and requirements. However, parents and instructors should use a cautious approach to this form of education to promote proper growth and development in students.
Key Words: Homeschooling, Advantages, Disadvantages
Introduction
Also referred to as home based learning, homeschooling refers to the education offered to students in their own homes. In essence, this form of education can be carried out under the administration of correspondence schools, which provide the curriculum to be followed by tutors when educating the student (Lines, 2000). However, instructors can opt to design their own curriculum for the students, which is in most cases, illegal and detrimental to the student. Accordingly, successful homeschooling occurs through the use of a set instructional curriculum, but with additional themes fashioned for the student (Stevens, 2001). As a form of education, homeschooling is offered as an alternative to public and private schooling. Evidently, homeschooling is also the preferred option for families who live in rural areas or families with children with an active career outside the school setting. Normally, it is the best option for young entertainers and athletes. In the home based school setting, the parent may opt to be their child’s tutor, or he or she can choose to hire a professional tutor to provide the necessary education for the child. Unknown to many, homeschooling is permissible in most states, with research studies indicating that over 1million children in America at present receive home based education (Bauman, 2002). There are various motivations towards homeschooling, ranging from increased performance by children, to evading the diminishing public education system. Homeschooling is both about guidance and novice. This means that, the tutor is tasked with the responsibility to ensure that the child receive the relevant education necessary for their growth and development. With homeschooling, the tutor gives undivided attention to the child, thus, increasing knowledge of the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
This paper explores the subject of homeschooling, explaining the different motivations for homeschooling. Fundamentally, the paper draws attention to the advantages and disadvantages of this type of educational system.
Homeschooling
Often distinguished as the highest level of education privatization, homeschooling is increasingly becoming common for most families in society today. In 2003, The National Household Education Survey program (NHES) presented a report illustrating that over 1,508,050 students in America were receiving home based education (Ray, 2003). This was a 0.7% increase from 2001, illustrating the rate at which this form of education is accepted in the society. Initially, homeschooling began as an option for early childhood education, and was focused on providing education that is physically and mentally relevant for the growth and development of the students. Before this form of education became popular, most critics believed that this form of education was harmful to students both socially, mentally, and physically. However, the improved performance of homeschooled students compelled more parents, as well as, educators into using this method of education for students. In essence, parents and students have several inspirations towards this form of education.
Researchers identify five main reasons why parents are drawn to homeschooling, including reduced costs of private education, personality development, poor public school systems, and personal preferences (Bauman, 2002). Most parents feel that homeschooling presents a more individualized form of education, which is necessary to understand the level of understanding by the student. Understanding the level of understanding by a student is essential for the comprehension of the student, mental development. Not all students are fast learners and homeschooling helps theses students to learn at their own pace without feeling rushed. Individualized education also allows for improved character development, which is essential for the growth, and development of the student. This is especially so since the current society is characterized by corruption of morals that does more harm than good for society. Research also illustrates that the current education system has been severely damaged as it fosters an array of vices ranging from student bullying to crime and substance abuse. Parents fear that instead of providing the necessary education for their children, the public system of education may destroy their children in terms of psychological development (Bauman, 2002). Lastly, since parents have shunned the option of public education, some are tempted to enroll their children in private schools, which will cost them an insurmountable amount of money. Most parents cannot afford to pay for private education for their children, making homeschooling, the better option for their children.
Advantages of Homeschooling
Supporters of home based education have identified various advantages of homeschooling over other forms of education. Though most of the advantages presented are conceptual, the data collected from the actual practice of this form of education prove what is otherwise theoretical. Put simply, the advantages of homeschooling are both theoretical and observable, thus, explaining why most parents opt for this form of education for their children (Belfield & Henry, 2005). Research studies on the subject matter agree to five advantages of homeschooling including better tutor-student relationships, enhanced curriculum flexibility, reduced negative exposure, and the promotion of family relations.
Better Tutor-Student Relationships
When one thinks of the school as a centralized institution of learning, one cannot go without associating the school setting with large numbers of students who are interested in attaining an education (Belfield & Henry, 2005). Education is meant for all individuals irrespective of their age, culture, or gender. For that reason, everyone is entitled to receiving an education to enhance individual participation in society. The archetypal classroom environment is characterized by large numbers of students with one tutor for each subject taught (Lines, 2000). In this conventional setting, tutors and instructors are forced to divide their attention towards each student meaning that a student can only receive a fraction of the teacher’s attention. Though this has successfully been implemented to enhance student education and knowledge, the conventional classroom setting fosters partiality based on student participation in the class. Students who are more active in classrooms are more likely to receive more attention from the educators, putting the inactive students at a disadvantage over them. Sequentially, students who are dormant in class, for various reasons, may not receive proper education as their tutors constantly ignore them. Essentially, home-schooled children receive the complete attention from their tutors and educators (Belfield & Henry, 2005). This attention also promotes student participation, which is necessary for the promotion of physical and mental development in the student. The tutor, in this case provides personal education services, thus increasing understanding by the student concerning the subject being taught. With homeschooling, students do not feel left out or ignored by their tutors, which can, in turn, motivate them to learn.
Enhanced Curriculum flexibility
One observable characteristic of homeschooling is its elasticity both in terms of time and schedule, as well as, in terms of curriculum design. The regular education curriculum used in schools and educational institutions is designed in a way that it is used by all didactic institutions. Depending on the system of education, all schools share one principal curriculum, which is applied by educators during their course of teaching (Bauman, 2002). School curriculums are collectively designed owing to the diverse nature of the school as an institution. In most cases, schools are presented with diverse groups of student with different backgrounds, as well as, talent. Egalitarianism is the core element of the education system, and for that reason, all students are expected to receive the same quantity of education irrespective of their regions of origin. The large numbers of students attending schools my limit the contents of the curriculum as it may demand extra financial resources to make certain that all students receive the perfect education (Lines, 2000). Homeschooling, however, limits the number of students in the classroom, hence, increasing flexibility of the curriculum. Tutors can design specified curriculums that are aimed at ensuring the student receives superior quality education. Put simply, tutors can use explicit needs and capacities of the student to design a curriculum that best promotes physical and mental growth.
Reduced Negative Exposure
Observably, homeschooling is characterized by a level of privatization in the provision of education for students. This means that, home-schooled students do not engage in sufficient social interaction as their counterparts in public and private schools. This privatization may be an advantage to students, in that, it reduces the negative exposures typified by other forms of education. At the outset, public education promotes objectionable forms of competition between students. Competition can be both socially or institutionally induced including, talent competitions, or economic rivalry among students among other things (Bauman, 2002). Most of these competitions are not focused on education, making it hard for students to give full attention to their studies. Students find themselves in situations whereby achieving stature in school is more beneficial than receiving an education, which is detrimental for their mental growth and development. In effect, homeschooling permits students to focus on learning.
Promotion of Family Relations
Unlike public schooling, which places students amid varieties of cultures with different values and beliefs, homeschooling limits the promotion of beliefs and values within the family setting. Most socialists hold the belief that the family should be responsible for instilling core values and principles in their children (Belfield & Henry, 2005). In essence, homeschooling facilitate this, as the main contact with the child in such a setting is the family. With homeschooling, parents can dictate what is taught to their children, in that, they can fashion the curriculum in support of their beliefs. For example, religions families can use the curriculum to provide more religious teachings for the students, which may not be provided in public schools. Students can also be taught on specific cultures pertinent to the culture the student’s family.
Disadvantages of Homeschooling
Notably, the majority of disadvantages associated with homeschooling correspond to the perceived advantages of this form of education (Cooper, 2005). What is proposed as an advantage of this form of education also functions as a disadvantage of the same form of education. For example, promoting the family may lead to deficient community participation, which can also be detrimental to the child. Critics of this form of education identify four central disadvantages of homeschooling, all of which are consequences of privatization. These disadvantages include veiled costs, deficient community participation, reduced social services, and inadequate quality control.
Veiled Costs
Most parents hold the belief that homeschooling is a much cheaper option to enrolling a child in a private school. However, this belief is unfounded, especially if one considers the hidden costs associated with homeschooling. Homeschooling is more expensive than both public and private schooling as it demands that the family absorb the entire cost associated with their child’s education (Evans, 2003). Put simply, homeschooling forces parents to provide materials and equipment, including basic reading materials and technology if these are not being provided by umbrella schools. Paying for both the tuition fee and the purchase of education materials can be an expensive venture, not unless, the parent opts to assume the role of the tutor. On the other hand, taking up the role of tutor may also be expensive in that it requires the parent to invest plenty of time and money to receive instructional training to facilitate student learning. The veiled costs of homeschooling make this form of education financially demanding, and can only be attainable by families with extra money to fund their child’s education.
Deficient Community Participation
As previously mentioned, the most notable characteristic of homeschooling is its privatization, as well as, the fact that education in this setting takes place in the home. Learning from home implies that the student will have limited exposure to the outside community because the student will be isolated from his peers. Though this isolation may be necessary to reduce negative social exposure, it limits social learning and citizenship ideals. This means that, home-schooled students are likely to display individualized values, most of which are not coherent when applied in the social setting (Stevens, 2001).
Reduced Social Services
Concurrent with reduced community participation, homeschooling also reduces, if not diminishes the social service system. Public schools are not only recognized for the provision of educative services Lost Social Services (Evans, 2003). Homeschooling diminishes the provision of such services because the parents, as well as, the students eventually lack the resources needed to provide social services.
Inadequate Quality Control
In education, quality control refers to the regulation of what is taught in the school curriculum. Inadequacy, in this case, would therefore mean the inability to control the quality of education offered to students. Homeschooling does not necessarily imply probable incompetence in the delivery of instruction, but the likelihood of such an occurrence is high. For example, tutors who choose to design their own curriculums may fail to incorporate the basic principles of education, making it hard for the student to receive relevant education.
Conclusion
The popularity of home based education, otherwise known as homeschooling continues to grow in most developing nations today. This form of education has both advantages and disadvantages, none of which is greater than the other. When deciding on homeschooling as the preferred options for their children, parents should take into consideration the possible impacts of this form of education to ensure that it is put into the best practice. Parents, as well as, tutors have the option of fashioning the homeschooling curriculum to achieve both physical and mental growth and development in students. When properly put into practice, homeschooling, not only facilitates physical and mental development, it also improves student performance.
References
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