A child’s education is extremely important to having a bright and successful future. There are three main ways to achieve education; one is through public school, private school and the lastly through home school. This paper will focus on public school and home school.
Home school is the process in which children acquire education solely in the context of their home or family. Public schooling on the other hand is the process by which children acquire education inside public institutions. If a child attends public school or is home schooled, there are opportunities as well as challenges for them to excel. Most parents choose homeschooling majorly because of the protection their children gain while others opt for public schooling due to the atmosphere. There are a number of motivating factors that cause parents to opt for home schooling; one of these reasons is that it is a legal option for parents and guardians who want to guide and train their children with a unique learning environment that is much different from nearby schools. The majority of these parents makes this ultimate choice based on religious grounds. They prefer home schooling majorly because they seemingly do not really like the environment of the private and public schools. However, despite its attractiveness this it has been found to deteriorate the common concept of traditional schooling and also to a great extent the interaction of these kids studying in their homes (Schlachter 56).
Arguably, for most people, public schools are the best choice. They think that public education is better since it has many opportunities that are of paramount importance to most teenagers such as interaction and exposure. It also gives children a good opportunity to make friends and socialize. One big difference between public and home education is the social education. Public schools have very large classes and many students as well which causes students to have limited individual attention. As a rule, public schools follow strict rules and guidelines which restrict them to different teaching methods. Another difference is that in public schools, decisions are made by politicians and they can be affected by the economy. Public schools admit students of all walks of life in classrooms which causes a lot of interruption and disturbance. They are quite diverse with students from various backgrounds and these students are very much exposed to diverse economic and social backgrounds which teach them to interact and get along with each other irrespective of their divergence. However, it is claimed that public schools are a way of creating religious fringe and that they do not teach well.
Reasons for parents to home school their children are many and unanimous. A huge advantage of homeschooling is that a student learns a lot more because there are in a good position to think critically and work on their own space. Secondly, homeschooling students are tutored and have an option of contacting their instructors and going to the library anytime. Another defining factor attributed to homeschooling is a safer environment for children. Subsequently, in homeschooling one does not have to be anxious or troubled about the safety of the child since they are right there with them. Another advantage of homeschooling is there is much flexibility. A kid is at liberty to wake up anytime they wish; also, they have the ability to change subjects which is very convenient for them (Mouw 178).
There are so many benefits that can be attributed to home schooling that lack of public schooling. One advantage of homeschooling is that it allows children to learn at home in the comfort of a serene environment which lets them create their own schedule. Through the establishment of a personal agenda, the student has very high chances of getting numerous perks. Another benefit is that children homeschooling have more free time and are allowed to sleep later. They therefore can concentrate on particular subjects they are weak in and they normally learn at their speed. Also certain factors such as reduced amount of distractions in homeschooling makes students concentrate on their studies; in addition to that, due to lack of peer interaction these students avoid peer pressure.
Homeschooling has many advantages, one is that students have all the learning freedom they need, free time and comfort. On the other hand, homeschooling can greatly be detrimental especially as the students grow into adulthood. Without a structural basis such as those provided by public schools, students seemingly do not learn various ways to handle rules, regulations and deadlines which could hurt the students later in life. It is very important for students to learn how to obey rules and listen to authorities. Another drawback in homeschooling is that students have less practice in handling pressure due to lack of stress and deadlines the home school environment. This is quite a defining factor that molds students as they grow, for instance, students attending public schools have many responsibilities, follow guidelines and are in one way or another stressed and under pressure. These challenging factors make these students attending public schools more attractive to business.
Arguably, some parents choose public schooling for their children because of the atmosphere while others opt for homeschooling because their children are in safe hands. Studies show that when a child is homeschooled, the child’s progress is naturally and keenly followed by the parents. Studies show that public schools have for long been on the down slope. Most public schools have lost biblical moralities and values as well. There is a lot of humanism in public schools which is believed to occur due to the removal of prayer and God. Today, teachers are spending a lot of time on minute things and forgetting why the children are there.
Just like public schooling, home schooling has been attacked on various fronts where people have argued that children do not acquire good and standard education because children are not taught by competent and qualified professionals. Although people have their own opinions on the ideal type of schooling, studies show that almost on all occasions, home schooled students score above average compared to those in public schools whose majority are below average. For this reason, homeschooled children do not have any difficulty being accepted in universities and colleges. Moreover, home schooled children are believed to possess the independence, passion for knowledge and self-reliance as well that is a big determinant of intellectual prosperity. Typically, home schooling children have strong relationships with their parents and families because on average per day, they spend two to three hours receiving instructions. On the contrary, at a public school the students spend close to 368 hours in activities such as class changing, recess and lunch. Consequently, all this time wasted on a daily basis could be utilized in studying new topics (Chin 89).
In regards to cost, public education costs taxpayers close to 20 times the cost of the home schooled student. Families that home school seemingly pay for expenses out-of-their pocket. On the face of it, home schooling is part of an open movement in which individuals and private groups are developing skills in providing services which a while ago where the business of the bureaucracies. Public schooling and home schooling both have advantages and disadvantages. One may expose a child to a vast world of ideas that are unbelievable while the other may offer a more controlled environment for the child. It could be quite difficult to choose between the two but the underlying factor in choosing the best decision sorely lies upon what is best for the kid and what the parent would like him or her to learn.
Homeschooling and public schooling is what one can make of it. Homeschooling for instance can be quite inconvenient if viewed negatively, on the other side, if looked as an opportunity, it's the best choice for giving reasons such as the child’s security, learning fast and a conducive environment. Public schooling has numerous advantages over drawbacks where one can argue that this system instills morals, discipline and a sense of responsibility to the child which reflects on their future. The most important issue between the two systems of learning is the child’s welfare, either of the two can be an option for parents but the decision sorely lies upon what is best for the kid and what the parent would like him or her to learn.
Works Cited
Schlachter, Gail A, and R D. Weber. Scholarships 2014. , 2013. Print.
Mouw, Richard J. The Challenges of Cultural Discipleship: Essays in the Line of Abraham Kuyper. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 2012. Print.
Chin, Peter. Academic Writing Skills: Student's Book 2. Singapore: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Print.
