The Homeschooling Option

Introduction

Homeschooling is an absolutely fruitful experience, however; some people often find it hard to start. Many parents nowadays are opting to have their children home-school rather than have them attend school. Although option has had many critics, it a safe and less risky way to bring up children particularly in restriction of what children are taught pertaining to issues, such as, religion and morals. Homeschooling can be very interesting towards achieving education from home without the hustles of formal schooling. The negative perception of homeschooling is a thing of the past and future prospects indicate an increase in home schooling. Homeschooling is the solution to negative peer influence and poor lesson attendance (Heidi 92).

Basis of homeschooling

The first step in homeschooling is to understand the home schools of the particular state or country where you to take homeschooling from. It is actually very important to understand met all requirements of the homeschool laws. Homeschooling is enjoyable and in fact it, families from support groups as a way of encouragement. Once homeschoolers meet up, it is even easier to choose a curriculum on which their studies will be based. Activities such as record keeping and debate motions usually run smoothly with a good number of members not very few and also not overcrowded. Choosing the appropriate curriculum only requirement sobriety and preparedness, with a firm stand on what you already reviewed and agreed on either as a group or a family for a homeschool program (Carol 78).

Methods of homeschooling

There is a wide variety of homeschooling methods to choose from among them charlotte Mason method, classical education method, and eclectic homeschooling method. Homeschooling usually uses traditional grading system and record entry. Once parents have identified the homeschooling method which fits their children, they can either opt to teach their children or hire a tutor to educate their children (Sonya Haskins, 54).

Advantages of homeschooling

Homeschooling is a legal academic option and a better alternative to a school environment. Various parents are motivated to homeschool their children for different reasons. The main reasons are a poor public learning environment, costly private education, character development and religious reasons. A unit study in homeschooling involves incorporation of several subjects into a context of one theme topic. It is particularly used for multiple teaching especially where a student is taking grade simultaneously. However, there is another option by the name student-paced learning. In this context, the student chooses a learner- paced curriculum which has workbooks that allow the student to learn at their own pace. I addition to the mentioned options homeschoolers also have the option of choosing online education. In online learning, students access specialized tutors and materials which offer a lot of flexibility to fit one's needs. Students who take online learning access online tutoring, online tests and occupational training (Marilyn 102).

In many families, a couple outlines the advantages and advantages of homeschooling and decide on homeschooling instead of formal schooling particularly due to their interest of their children's safety. With the option of homeschooling, the parents do not have to worry about the children getting onto and off the bus without risk. Moreover, there are no bullies in a homeschooling scenario, unlike the school environment where students are vulnerable to physical threat from other students especially bullies. Homeschooling is effective in controlling adult access to children and also gives the parent absolute authority to limit even the time. Homeschooling also keeps children away from bad influences such as drug abuse, and other vices such premarital sex due to t peer pressure that is prevalent in a school setting. Homeschool could also save a child's life in the context of tragedies that occur in schools such the 1999 Colorado, Columbine High School in Littleton that is the most popular massacre in the history of American schools (Lisa 64).

Some parents who are religious keen are afraid of what children learn in the hand of their teachers on matters pertaining to religion. Parents who are religious used Bile-based curriculum to teach their children, therefore if the school teaching is not Bible – based, the parents would consider homeschooling for their children. Other parents who are not religious are usually concerned with what school teaches their children on the origin of life and also how health and math subjects are taught. Generally, almost all parents whether homeschooling, their children or not, they are concerned about what they are children are taught and the training they are given to apply it in life (Abbott et al 49).

Another reason for homeschooling considered by many parents is the huge homework load given to students from school indiscriminately. In the school setting the student does not only have to bear backpacks but also spend a lot of time doing homework which could lead to the breaking of the family unit. In the school environment, the children have to spend most of the hours awake and active in class. Thus, they come home hungry and tired in the evening to their families who are also tired with the day's work to support them. Families are not in a position to spend time together as the evening hours have to be spent on homework during weekdays. The probable remaining time after completing homework is actually used taking meals and preparing for the next school day. There is definitely no time to spend together as any available time is likely utilized to perform chores such as cleaning and relative early to bed for adequate rest from the tiresome day. On the other hand, homeschooled children do get to finish their study work in the time scheduled for learning in their homeschooling environment (Carol 124).

Homeschooled students actually perform better than other students who attend the formal schooling. Homeschoolers perform significantly better than formal schooling because they have absolute attention from their tutor or their parent who teach them. Since home education is flexible for each student needs students are able to progress at their own rate thus there are several students who enrolled for two or more grades above their age level. Students who take homeschooling cannot be compared with formal school at the same because they are on better schooling according to their performance which illustrates great achievement. In comparison to formal schooling, homeschooled children to have greater academic achievement since they have the right attitude towards academics due to the influence of a friendly home environment, unlike formal scholars. The most significant difference between homeschoolers and formal scholars is evident in grade five and in the eighth grade; the homeschooler is four grade levels above the national average (Carol 84).

Social life

The argument that home scholars do not spend their early life with their age mates is incorrect since support groups bring home scholars fewer than one community in which they interact all through in their home-based curriculum. The socialization in a school setting can not be taken to be fulfilling as later in society students are classifieds into different social groups and work environment. For instance, high school classmates are not likely to end up in common workplace, one may become a newspaper vendor hence has to deal with customers of different age inclusive of men and women old enough to be his or her grandmother. This is different from the school environment in which, interaction is strictly among peers. The work environment rather presents a totally different form of socialization which is beyond the scope of school socialization.

A professional lawyer who has just completed his or her education could probably represent a teenager in court and not necessary a client who is his or her age mate. A sales manager may have to negotiate, apologize and come to terms with an aging businesswoman who just did not get what she paid for. The workplace is a diverse environment which employs all students after their long academic years hence have to learn how to get along and work with different people from all walks of life. Experience in various working environments proves tough to cope with although employees tolerate the hardships and adapt the conditions required for particular jobs. Therefore, the school setting can not be taken as the best platform to teach socialization skills (Lisa 102).