Home schooling is gaining popularity among many parents. Parents have made this choice because they think that schools are becoming unsafe, they are not offering enough in terms of instructions or some are just not impressed with how the government and other stakeholders carry on the business of education. Some have made this decision also because of religious reasons. Also, many families just want to have a say in how and what their children are being taught, and by whom. Researchers have reported that since 2007 to 2010 the number of children who are being taught at home could be as high as 2 million. Since then the numbers have risen by at least 7 percent. In a study carried out by Ray, 2011, he says that it is interesting to note that the number of children who have enrolled in schools during that time have increased by less than 1 percent. I am of the opinion that home schooling is proving to be the best option.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education put forward that families who home school their children represent a wide cross section of well-educated, middle –class persons who have two or more children. A survey carried out by Bielick, 2008, he found that among parents who home school their children 36 percent gave the major reason as providing moral or religious instructions. Twenty-one percent was most concerned about the safety of the environment and dissatisfaction with academic instructions. Ray (2009) again cited that in 2009 approximately 1.5 million students were home schooled, up from the 850,000 students the federal government estimated were previously home schooled. This number could be more according to the researchers. Researchers have predicted that home schooling is the fastest growing practice of education today in the United States. (Ray, 2011)
Home schooling which was once illegal is now legal and parents can now teach their children or hire teachers to teach them. Many parents feel that peer group influence is too much for their children. In fact, home schooled children are excelling, scoring highly on standardized tests and other educational methods of academic performance. Also, the most concrete and logical argument for some parents is that family are able to share quality time with each other rather than just a few hurried hours each evening around the dining table. Parents get a chance to take charge of their children’s education, organize their subjects, evaluate their progress and supervise their social interaction with others. Parents do not have to worry about their children encountering drugs and alcohol or any offensive weapons. The idea of a crowded classroom does not appeal to some either. Each child can learn at his or her own pace in a comfortable and less hostile environment.
Everyone will not be a supporter of home schooling, neither will every child be home schooled. Many debaters have refuted the fact that children who are home schooled perform better than children in public schools. Studies have proven that home schooling offers children a better education. In fact, a study carried out by Rudner, 1999, on 11,000 home-school students found that students naturally score 34 to 39 percentile points higher than the average student on standardized tests. In another study by Ray, 2009, he found that 25 percent of home-schooled students had attained a grade level higher than their age-level public and private school peers. These findings reflected the study showing that home-educated students scored, on average, at or above the 84th percentile in all areas on standardized achievement tests.
The National Education Board has its doubts about home schooling too and has called for a discontinuation. They are uncomfortable with it because they do not have any systematic way of regulating these programs. This should not be their main reason for wanting to discontinue the program. People have rights and their rights should not be infringed upon. There is no reported abuse of anyone taking advantage of the program therefore that should not be the main reason for disagreeing to it. This program has been tried and proven. I have firsthand experience of interacting with my neighbor’s grand children who are presently being home schooled. When I asked the reason for such a decision she said that her children come home with complaints about teacher’s disrespectful attitude towards her children. She said that because the children are naturally bright they are constantly picked on. She is a retired educator with a Doctorate in Education so she nurtures those children at a young age. When these children go to public school they are way ahead of their peers who are the same age. There is no intellectually stimulating activity for those children either so they sit in a class with children who are slow and have to do the same work.
The general public has voiced their concerns about a lack of regulations, as well. They want home schooled children to sit the same state and national assessments that are required in the public schools. Eighty-eight percent of parents who participated in a 1997 Gallup poll, agreed that home schools should “be obligatory to ensure a minimum level of educational quality.” Although the number of people who are against home schooling has dropped over the years, the majority, 57 percent, still regarded it as a “bad thing”. Students who have been home schooled do not agree. It was found that many home schooled children are happy with their parents’ decision to educate them, not following the traditional school system. In fact, A 2003 survey done by the Home School Legal Defense Association reported that over 7,000 adults who were home schooled expressed their pleasure at the decision that was made by their parents and said that they would home school their own children also.
While the debates continue over the benefits and risks of removing children from traditional learning environments, the home school movement is making inroads and has carved out its place in America’s education system. Every state has now set up at least one home-schooling association and several states have begun to introduce regional associations. In addition, there is much public support for schools. These support bodies have been offering support to parents of the program. In Alaska there is a body that sponsors a program that allows teachers to communicate with home- schooled students. This is done through e-mails, telephones and also home visits. An independent study program has also been developed in one state. Home school students can even now be admitted into regular schools occasionally and are even allowed to take part in sporting activities and field trips.
A study into the impact of home schooled children who eventually choose to go to college has shown that there are no problems of these children adapting with others socially. Persons against the idea claim that these children lack social stimulation and that they must mix with other children in order to know how to socialize, share, develop and form relationships so that when they are older they will be able to act in situations. However, this study proved otherwise. Home schooled children who have been frequently thought to be socially inept were in fact better adjusted in college than their non-home schooled counterparts. Drenovsky, sociology professor also looked at self-esteem and depression among these two groups. She reported no difference and in fact found that the support system and family support among home schooled children was stronger and more defined.
Home schooling may become the idea and may even be a new phenomenon as we head into the 31st century. Home schooling can solve a lot of problems that presently exist in the education system. There is the issue of overcrowding which is escalating. The issue of teachers and salaries could be addressed. Teachers who are unable to find placements in the regular school could be employed by parents who can afford to pay a decent wage to these teachers. Having to pay exorbitant fees would be eliminated. We may think that we are cultivating children who display anti-social behaviors but in fact, no. The child who spends the better part of a day around other children will advertently pick up some bad habits. Children at home are under their parents influence and care and are less likely to adopt any bad habits.
Children who are home schooled are achieving at high levels both in academics and in the field of sports. “This is making politicians and other influential persons to begin to look at the prospect of engaging this option for their children” (Lyman, 200). The idea of teaching students outside of the traditional classroom may even seem unorthodox by many but could very well produce well- rounded individuals who are able to fit into society with ease. Our children being educated at home might not be exposed to certain negative behaviors that will play on their impressionable minds at such a young and vulnerable age. Without a doubt home schooling is superior to what the children would receive in regular school setting. The curriculum is just as interesting, in fact, even better and lends itself to flexibility and change rather than the inflexible ones that are produced in the public schools. Home schooling is the solution to expensive, private education. My neighbor’s grandchildren possess excellent social skills and are polite and smart children.
Reference
Bauer, Susan, What is Home Schooling? http://www.well trainedmind.com/what-is-home-
schooling/
West. Robin, Harms of Home Schooling. Philosophy & Public Schooling
Quarterly. Vol. 29 No. 3 / 4 2009
