How to Tell Which Education a Child Needs
I was born into a military family, and as anyone who has ever met a military family knows we had a tendency to move around quite frequently. Therefore for the first six years of my education, I was home-schooled and my mom was my teacher. This was a unique experience for me that I appreciate in hindsight. However, when my dad finally retired and we settled down in Abilene, the switch to a public school was one of my most confusing and exhilarating moments for me. Similarly, for any other child who has ever experienced this, the switch to public school was a major transition point in my life: having to meet all my new peers, getting used to classes, learning to respect teachers, and all the other
…show more content…
As a child, I remember one of my classes where I stopped the lesson of my sixth grade math teacher to ask him if he could repeat what he just said and explain it again slower, to which he simply responded “no.” This was sadly what most of my other experiences in public school were like: going home with questions about materials and trying to figure it out with just my book and some worksheets or, even worse, not trying to understand at all.
Another difference that was crucial in my education was my selection of learning opportunities that were given to me. In home schooling, there were very few deviations that my mom and I could explore if I was curious. However, as I entered public school, I was very shocked, especially in high school, regarding the sheer amount of choices I had in classes or electives. This issue might not seem significant to someone who has been in public school their entire life, but for myself, with being in home schooling most of my academic career, I was incredibly excited over all the different learning options I had. In fact, one of the hardest choices I had going into high school was figuring out the classes I wanted to do.
Another major difference that I observed between my experiences at public school and home schooling was my socialization with kids was very different and diverse. While I was home schooled, I tended to only interact with kids that lived around me. As a result, my friends were
Public schooling establishes a diverse atmosphere and stimulation for students to succeed. Student’s need more stimulation than any one parent can provide for their child. “Home schooling does not encourage and facilitate children to make peer relationships. In both public and private schools, children have the benefit of being grouped together in classes and activities, and in turn, they have an opportunity to get to know one another. Home school lacks this type of environment and can retard a child’s social growth” (Home Schooling – The Benefits of Learning at
Home schooling is another way that children can achieve an education in a smaller and more relaxed learning environment. It also allows children to go at their own pace and have more time to get their work done. Home schooling can be a better way for kids to get their education especially if the child has a problem with being around other kids or being away from home. Home schooling allows children to learn at home in familiar surroundings, which can have a positive effect on kids if they have trouble adjusting to a classroom and being around other kids. Being at home, doing school work also allows kids to work in a stress free environment by means of getting one-on-one attention if they are having difficulty understanding or solving a problem.
Public education is the most important form of education. It provides people with the common ability of social skills. Which can not be replaced with home school. Home school does not provide the amount of people and the situations that are presented to you at a public school. Some would argue that private school is better
Thesis Statement: Many parents question what is best for their child’s education, home schooling or public school. Home schooling can sometimes provide a more direct and focused education than public schools, Public School is better in many ways including the child’s social development.
I have been both home schooled and enrolled in public school. I feel very lucky to have experienced both schooling options. Homeschool shaped me to be a motivated learner because I had to make the decision to get up and work through all my homework and lessons through the day. Public schools allowed me to better my social skills, working with other people, become a leader, and knowing when to follow. Although some may look at my academic career and think that it would be hard to go to multiple schools, I think it was very important to my development when I was growing up.
Not long ago, my parents received an endless amount of criticism, similar to the Walls’ family, for their decision to homeschool my siblings and me. Many “feared” for us, because according to them, there was no way we were going to learn effectively at home, what we could in a formal school. My mom tells me stories of how people she’d known expressed genuine concern over the idea of educating children in a different way than what is deemed “normal.” I do not blame these people for their concern, as they were raised in a society that emphasizes a single approach to learning. Although there were definitely times growing up when I wished to attend a brick and mortar school like “normal” people, after a certain age I genuinely appreciated my parent’s decision. Being home-schooled has taught me so much more than just the basic principles of education. I grew up being highly self-reliant due to my online school requiring students to be almost entirely responsible for keeping up with their work. Similar to college, I had a syllabus provided to me, and had no one other than myself to make sure I was on top of everything. This helped me to become a responsible and well-organized individual. I also gained a quality education, despite all of the fear and concern of those around me. I still have to answer the questions, “Why were you homeschooled?” and, “Didn’t you want to go to regular school?” more
Who's to say kids are really that different being homeschooled? “Homeschooled students tend to have higher college GPAs than other students” (Source D). Learning on your own free time will make you more interested in the subject at hand and be able to comprehend it easily. “Several studies found no significant difference or social skills of home schooled and non-homeschooled students” (Source E). Being homeschooled you have a more adventurous imagination. You run on your own time being able to make room for things you can't when being on a tight public school schedule like vacations or professional sports/ careers.
My time spent in elementary school was filled with new and exciting experiences. Starting public school meant being able to meet new friends and teachers, and learn about the world around me. I was nervous to begin school, but once I was comfortable in my new environment I created many great memories I hope to cherish for many years to come.
One of the greatest effects of college to a homeschooler is the teacher specialization. This is something that the student might not have received during their homeschooling experience. The student no longer has one-on-one interaction to learn, but is in a classroom setting which is very different than what the student is used to. Every teacher is now a specialist and formally trained in every field that they teach. Whereas now, the homeschooler is subject to multiple teachers a semester, each wanting the student’s full attention on their class, each with a different teaching style and vision for the student to accomplish. The average homeschooler did not have to face this as they generally had only one teacher.
I had a difficult time fitting in and adjusting to my new school (Highland Elementary). Consequently, I began to get into fights with some of my fellow classmates. After a few incidences, and no sign of a resolution, my parents decided to have me give home schooling a try. I ended up really liking it, and before long it became routine. Studying never really took up much of my time though, as the reading subjects had always been easy for me and the only thing I really needed to improve upon was my math/arithmetic skills.
Homeschooling, down to its essence, is just school done in the comfort of your home. Compared to regular schooling, there is far more interaction and one on one time with the teacher, and more dedication on the homeschooled and the homeschooled alone. This is great for those who cannot learn with others, be it that they cannot keep up with the rest of the group or they simply cannot focus on what is going on with a number of others doing the same.
B. Preview – Traditional homeschooling can be problematic to a student’s life skills and overall development. The social learning aspect of school, which is lacking in homeschool, directly transfers into college and the workplace. Most teenagers and kids need to be supervised at every moment or else they will not do their work and, while at home, it is hard to find the motivation to do schoolwork.
The greatly discussed dilemma of having a child be taught in a public school setting versus a homeschool setting has been evaluated by parents since the idea was first introduced in the 1970’s. Public schooling had been the standard method of teaching since it is a requirement for states to provide public, free education for children in grades K-12. However, the backlash against the system began when two educational theorists and supporters of school reform, John Holt and Raymond Moore, started to question both the techniques and the products of public schools. Some parents went on to support the ideas of them and began to teach their children in the environment of their own homes for several different reasons. Some included moral or religious reasons, a desire for high educational achievement, dissatisfaction with public schools’ instructional program, or concerns about drugs and peer pressure in a public school environment. Child development specialists believe that homeschooled children are isolated from the outside world, therefore making them socially handicapped. If being exposed to this type of education on an elementary school level, the child can suffer from the lack of fundamental development of effective social skills needed for a lifetime ahead of them.
Parents choose homeschooling over public or private school for a number of reasons. What are those reasons? First, homeschooling poses a customized learning system that grants students with the chance to learn and develop at their own pace. Next, families that homeschool their children have a stronger bond with each other, building a safe and caring learning environment for students. Lastly, research has shown that homeschooled students are above average in terms of social levels. Public schooling may be beneficial to some students, but until the system is further improved for convenience and profit to all, homeschooling is a more effective method of education.
The most notable difference is learning conditions. While being home schooled, students often study individually. They are isolated from the society and have lack of interaction with other students. Some home schooled students participate in social activities and in field trips. In these activities students share similar and common ideas. Also, they learn, research and improve their skills themselves. Moreover, in some cases their tutors are not professional in teaching methods, as it is not an important condition in education system. According to Michael H. Romanowski, Ph. D. of Miami University, only ten