General Articles: How Homeschooling Breaks the Walls of Education
By Mimi Rothschild
Millions of parents around the country have realized the advantages of making the decision to remove their children from public school systems and teach them in homeschool. However, millions more don't understand how homeschool really works, and are therefore reluctant to conclude that it is a viable alternative to public education. Many parents believe that homeschool children have no structure, no opportunities for socialization, and no “real” education, since homeschooling parents are usually not certified teachers. In reality, though, the homeschool environment tackles one of the biggest challenges facing public educational systems today: individualized learning styles.
One of the greatest advantages to homeschool is the enormous flexibility it allows for a child's learning environment. Homeschool children are not limited to the classroom walls. The typical homeschool routine for many families, in addition to traditional lesson formats, often includes outdoor exploration, field trips to museums, cultural destinations or community centers, and far more hands-on activities than public schools are able to offer with large class sizes and limited budgets. Homeschool children are also permitted to learn at their own pace; in a public school setting, kids who are learning above their grade level often find themselves stifled and bored.
Socialization is another concern that makes some parents reluctant to consider homeschool. Many people harbor the misconception that homeschool students are isolated and friendless, effectively cut off from their peers. However, the reality for most homeschool children includes enrollment in public school extracurricular activities, outside lessons with other children, or regularly scheduled joint sessions with other homeschool students. Children in a homeschool environment rarely lack social contact; in fact, some make the conscious choice to continue working independently after being exposed to social situations. For this reason, many homeschool students are not subjected to the dangers of peer pressure their publicly educated counterparts face on a daily basis.
Finally, an entire case in support of homeschool could be based on the ability to participate in community activities without the restrictions of a public school schedule. Homeschool students are frequently active members of the community; they volunteer at various centers and shelters, organize and coordinate their own volunteer efforts, and interact with a greater cross-section of society than those in public schools. Parents who homeschool also tend to be more active members of the community because they set examples for their children. The continued advocacy of the homeschool environment can only make education and community operations better.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling mother, writer, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of home education company Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of 28 years reside with their 8 children right outside Philadelphia, PA.
Rothschild launched Learning By Grace, Inc. because she believed that our nation's public school system has failed parents and students. Learning By Grace, Inc. offers online education through a multimedia-rich curriculum to PreK-12 children across the country and throughout the world.
An accomplished author, Rothschild has written books regarding education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Homeschooling News Café Blog consists of the most current and relevant education news.Electronic reproduction of this article is permitted if content is published unchanged, appropriate credit is given, and the article title links to corresponding article webpage.
