Homeschooling is a
progressive movement not only in the United States but all over the world. It
involves parents opting to school their children at home as opposed to taking
them to private or public schools. Homeschooling was initiated in the 1970s
when some of the famous researchers and authors such as John Holt began writing
content on educational reforms. They recommended homeschools and suggested that
it was an alternative educational option. According to statistics, there are
now over two million children schooling at home in America only (which makes up
about 3.4% of American students) (“National Center for
Education Statisticsâ€). Moreover, the number is
rapidly increasing from 7% to 15% annually. Homeschooling is legal in all the
50 states of America and also in many foreign countries (Martin). Despite this,
homeschooling is always a subject of debate primarily due to its seeming lack
of standards and curriculum both for students and homeschool tutors. Due to
this uncertainty, this paper will highlight the dark side of homeschooling in
comparison with traditional private or public schooling and establish that
homeschooling in America should be reviewed or abolished.
First, we’ll look at why
families choose to homeschool and find better alternatives for their
challenges. Parents opt to homeschool their kids for various reasons including;
To provide a non-traditional approach to education, legality, concern about
school environments, dissatisfaction with academic requirements with most
schools, interactive, different educational philosophies or religious beliefs,
children having special needs or impaired mentally or physically, flexibility, desire
to provide religious or moral instruction and belief that kids do not progress
well under the traditional school structure (Barbieri).
Other than children having
special needs or any forms of impairment be it physical or mental, the rest of
the issues can be resolved through various public and private schools. In fact,
even children with special needs and impairments can attend special needs
institutions that are highly professional and have customized their services to
suit the needs of such students. Also, all schools do not have the same
environment and do not do things in a similar fashion. Therefore, parents can
search for schools that best suit the environment they would love their kids to
grow in and the culture they would love to instill in them. The idea that
children do not progress well under the traditional school structure is misled.
Unlike homeschooling, Public and private schools have a curriculum that has
been suggested by experts who have specialized in various fields, and therefore
is healthy for children to learn. The environment also provides room for
children to be around other children and socialize. Peer socialization has been
proved to be crucial for the emotional and psychological development and the
general well-being of children. All schools do not tolerate bullying and abuse
as some of the parents exercising homeschooling would argue. Parents therefore
deny their children an opportunity to be around other children like them and
form positive relationships and instead cultivate lack of social development in
their children’s lives ("Pros and Cons of Homeschooling").
Homeschooling leads to lack
of competition. Competitive opportunities are deprived of homeschooling kids
since they do not study with their peers. Traditional schooling provides
avenues for healthy competition not only on academics but also on co-curricular
activities. The environment provides numerous competitive paths for all
children to try freely. Fixtures including school play tryouts, spelling bees,
and team sports motivate children to do their best. Such activities challenge
them to reveal natural aptitudes that might not be uncovered in homeschooled environments.
Homeschooling results in
missed experiences. Shared experiences make up life. Homeschooled children miss
school experiences such as the “high-school†experience that is filled with
innumerable exciting opportunities for children including prom and field trips.
These instances build memories, help children better adjust in the society, and
may even foster lifelong friendships. Such special events and experiences are
difficult to create with homeschooling since the group of peers is absent.
Homeschooling results in
lack of qualification. Most homeschooling parents lack academic qualifications
in certain fields or subjects, especially in high school disciplines. This
compels them to hire subject-specific tutors to coach their children at home even
if they lack an authentic academic degree or teaching certification.
Unfortunately, this does not also end up well for them since they have to dig
deep into their pockets to remunerate the efforts of an instructor or
instructors if they’re several. At the end of it all, the children lack a
well-rounded curriculum that prepares them for trade school or college whereas
the homeschooling parents suffer due to financial constraints ("5
Arguments Against Homeschooling"). Therefore, to
ensure uniform quality of homeschool education comparable to public school
education, before anyone can officially homeschool a child, they must show
evidence that they have taken and passed formal teacher education coursework at
least equivalent to that currently required of licensed teacher's aides.
Considering the above
arguments, it may be safe to conclude that homeschooling is wrong and should be
done away with. It’s crucial for parents to note that any path they choose for
their child has an impact on them. There are numerous different schools
worldwide specialized to cater for any needs parents may have for their
children. Children sent to traditional schools can also greatly benefit from the
apprenticeship of a heedful parent. Parents should make an informed choice on
the matter if they want a robust educational and social future for their
children.
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