Preamble
Homeschooling is rapidly becoming the educational format of choice in America because of the educational, physical, emotional and religious freedom it offers. It fosters closer family relationships, stability during difficult times and doesn't impose meaningless busy work just to keep your children under control. It also creates healthier and well rested children.
Billions of tons of pollutants are spewed into the atmosphere as a result of the transportation of children to the old and failed "brick and mortar" educational system schools that provide our children meaningless and trivial educations. Homeschooling, therefore, improves the qualify of life in more ways than merely creating a more intelligent, stable and self confident child. It improves the quality of life where the environment and health considerations are concerned. With the advances in technology that we all enjoy today, homeschooling offers vastly superior educational experiences.
Homeschooling is rapidly becoming the educational format of choice in America because of the educational, physical, emotional and religious freedom it offers. It fosters closer family relationships, stability during difficult times and doesn't impose meaningless busy work just to keep your children under control. It also creates healthier and well rested children.
Billions of tons of pollutants are spewed into the atmosphere as a result of the transportation of children to the old and failed "brick and mortar" educational system schools that provide our children meaningless and trivial educations. Homeschooling, therefore, improves the qualify of life in more ways than merely creating a more intelligent, stable and self confident child. It improves the quality of life where the environment and health considerations are concerned. With the advances in technology that we all enjoy today, homeschooling offers vastly superior educational experiences.
Anyone who supports the current wasteful and meaningless
public school system of education has something to gain by it.
public school system of education has something to gain by it.
From The Family Education Website
The Pros and Cons Of Home Schooling
Introduction
Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year. There are about two million children currently learning at home. Homeschooled kids do well on standardized tests, are welcome at colleges and universities, and as adults, have a reputation for being self-directed learners and reliable employees.
Almost ten years ago, when I was making the decision to homeschool, I wrote up a list of pros and cons. The pros won me over, but since then, I've discovered there were many more pros and cons that I couldn't possibly have anticipated! To help other parents who are considering homeschooling, here is a new list of pros and cons. This list is based on both my experience and the experiences of dozens of families who've shared with me the ups and downs of their day-to-day homeschooling.
While The Cons of homeschooling are pretty obvious to most people, we will nevertheless summarize them here. (1) Learning outside of a school environment can consume a lot of mom and dad's time. Depending on your living arrangements, you may have to be very creative about scheduling. (2) Financial constraints are also a consideration as one partner often foregoes full time employment. However, most homeschooling families consider the brief loss of income to be well worth the satisfaction of watching their kids grow and learn in freedom. (3) You also need to accept the fact that you will be with your children 24/7 and experience all of the ups and downs of everyday life with your children. Most homeschool parents view these daily interactions with their kids as opportunities for personal and familial growth. (4) Your children may or may not be able to get involved in the local school's sporting programs depending on the school's policies. There are other sporting venues available in many local communities and there have been reports that homeschoolers have gotten together and created their own teams. (5) Like any activity that challenges mainstream thinking, homeschooling may be seen as a threat to those who are unable to accept ordinary parents succeeding where trained professionals often fail. If you are unable to live "outside of the box," then homeschooling is not for you.
The Pros
Educational Freedom. Most homeschooled students have the choice to study and learn what they want, when they want, for as long as they want. This is not to say that all the basics (and more!) aren't covered. But those basics may be covered at age six for one child, and at age ten for another, depending on ability, maturity, and interest levels. (Unfortunately, a few states do have unnecessarily restrictive legal requirements; in those states, educational freedom may be limited.)
Physical Freedom. After the initial shock of leaving the school system has passed, parents who homeschool say they experience a real sense of freedom. With their lives no longer revolving around school hours, homework, and the school calendar, these families plan off-season vacations, visit parks and museums during the week, and live their lives according to what works for them.
Emotional Freedom. Sadly, peer pressure, competition, boredom, and bullies — are all part of a typical school day. This can be a particular problem for girls. According to studies, self-esteem plummets in middle-school girls. However, similar studies of homeschooled girls have shown that self-esteem remains intact and that these girls continue to thrive. (Read A Sense of Self: Listening to Homeschooled Adolescent Girls by Susannah Sheffer.) Homeschooled kids can dress and act and think the way they want, without fear of ridicule or a need to "fit in." They live in the real world, where lives aren't dictated by adolescent trends and dangerous experimentation.
Religious Freedom. Many families feel their religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of who they are. Homeschooling provides the opportunity for parents to incorporate their beliefs into their daily lives.
Closer Family Relationships. Just about every family stressed the important role that homeschooling played in helping them find time to foster loving ties between all family members. Teens seem to benefit enormously from this interaction, and rebellious, destructive behavior often begins to diminish soon after homeschooling begins.
Stability During Difficult Times. Whether there's a new baby, an illness, a death in the family, or another obstacle or transition, homeschooling helps families cope during challenging periods. Dauri, who homeschools her three boys, described how homeschooling helped her family adjust to a move from Europe back to the US, followed by another move across the country: "It was a great comfort that we homeschooled throughout the moves. It was a stabilizing factor in our otherwise mixed-up lives."
Well-Rested Kids. As more and more studies are illustrating, sleep is vital to the emotional and physical well-being of kids, especially teens and preteens. The effects of early morning classes can be devastating to many children, especially those who are not morning people. After realizing that lack of sleep and hours of busywork often left her boy in a zombie-like stupor, Haya has decided to try homeschooling: "My oldest (age 13), is up at 6:30 in order to catch the bus at 7:15 and start school at 7:30. He comes home at 3:00 and does homework — sometimes until midnight. He's often exhausted. I'm hoping that when we homeschool next year, the dark circles under his eyes will disappear and his real personality will emerge again."
No Busywork. Homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover. In a recent interview, John Taylor Gatto, New York City Teacher of the Year and a 26-year teaching veteran, said that in many classrooms less than one hour out of each school day is spent on "on task" learning. No wonder these kids have so much homework. And that brings us to a major "pro" of homeschooling: No more homework!
One Last Pro
Although this list is by no means comprehensive, it does provide an accurate overview of the pros and cons of the homeschooling lifestyle. But I did save one of the best "pros" (from Bev) for last: "When you need a hug, there's always one to be found!"
Another contributor pointed out these additional "pros"
No homework. Homeschooled students learn effectively and efficiently. Those two-hour homework sessions are history!
No Wasted Time. It is not uncommon for kids who learn at home to complete the equivalent of a week's worth of traditional schooling in a few short hours, or to finish a traditional four year high school program in less than two years.
Flexible Hours. Work your learning/studying time into your practice schedule. Catch up on sleep whenever you need to.
Higher Test Scores. Homeschooled students consistently outperform their school peers on standardized tests, including the ACT test -- an important indicator of future college success.
Negative Influences. Peer pressure, cliques, drugs, alcohol, sex and violence have sadly become a daily part of high school life. Homeschooling is one way to limit that exposure.
Achieving Goals. Your sons and daughters can set their goals, both academically and athletically, and pursue them at their own speed.
College. Homeschoolers are accepted and welcomed in colleges across the country. College admissions officials often view homeschoolers as being self-motivated, mature, and serious about their studies. These traits have resulted in homeschoolers having few problems during the application process. For more information, read And What about College?: How Homeschooling Leads to Admissions to the Best Colleges and Universities by Cafi Cohen.
For the full text, Click Here
More Links To FAMILY EDUCATION Homeschooling
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/educational-issues/34389.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/college-prep/37517.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/parenting/29861.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/olympic-games/athletic-training/28571.html
http://life.familyeducation.com/tween/sleep/55986.html
Another website where Homeschoolers congregate and work together is http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/curriculum/
Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year. There are about two million children currently learning at home. Homeschooled kids do well on standardized tests, are welcome at colleges and universities, and as adults, have a reputation for being self-directed learners and reliable employees.
Almost ten years ago, when I was making the decision to homeschool, I wrote up a list of pros and cons. The pros won me over, but since then, I've discovered there were many more pros and cons that I couldn't possibly have anticipated! To help other parents who are considering homeschooling, here is a new list of pros and cons. This list is based on both my experience and the experiences of dozens of families who've shared with me the ups and downs of their day-to-day homeschooling.
While The Cons of homeschooling are pretty obvious to most people, we will nevertheless summarize them here. (1) Learning outside of a school environment can consume a lot of mom and dad's time. Depending on your living arrangements, you may have to be very creative about scheduling. (2) Financial constraints are also a consideration as one partner often foregoes full time employment. However, most homeschooling families consider the brief loss of income to be well worth the satisfaction of watching their kids grow and learn in freedom. (3) You also need to accept the fact that you will be with your children 24/7 and experience all of the ups and downs of everyday life with your children. Most homeschool parents view these daily interactions with their kids as opportunities for personal and familial growth. (4) Your children may or may not be able to get involved in the local school's sporting programs depending on the school's policies. There are other sporting venues available in many local communities and there have been reports that homeschoolers have gotten together and created their own teams. (5) Like any activity that challenges mainstream thinking, homeschooling may be seen as a threat to those who are unable to accept ordinary parents succeeding where trained professionals often fail. If you are unable to live "outside of the box," then homeschooling is not for you.
The Pros
Educational Freedom. Most homeschooled students have the choice to study and learn what they want, when they want, for as long as they want. This is not to say that all the basics (and more!) aren't covered. But those basics may be covered at age six for one child, and at age ten for another, depending on ability, maturity, and interest levels. (Unfortunately, a few states do have unnecessarily restrictive legal requirements; in those states, educational freedom may be limited.)
Physical Freedom. After the initial shock of leaving the school system has passed, parents who homeschool say they experience a real sense of freedom. With their lives no longer revolving around school hours, homework, and the school calendar, these families plan off-season vacations, visit parks and museums during the week, and live their lives according to what works for them.
Emotional Freedom. Sadly, peer pressure, competition, boredom, and bullies — are all part of a typical school day. This can be a particular problem for girls. According to studies, self-esteem plummets in middle-school girls. However, similar studies of homeschooled girls have shown that self-esteem remains intact and that these girls continue to thrive. (Read A Sense of Self: Listening to Homeschooled Adolescent Girls by Susannah Sheffer.) Homeschooled kids can dress and act and think the way they want, without fear of ridicule or a need to "fit in." They live in the real world, where lives aren't dictated by adolescent trends and dangerous experimentation.
Religious Freedom. Many families feel their religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of who they are. Homeschooling provides the opportunity for parents to incorporate their beliefs into their daily lives.
Closer Family Relationships. Just about every family stressed the important role that homeschooling played in helping them find time to foster loving ties between all family members. Teens seem to benefit enormously from this interaction, and rebellious, destructive behavior often begins to diminish soon after homeschooling begins.
Stability During Difficult Times. Whether there's a new baby, an illness, a death in the family, or another obstacle or transition, homeschooling helps families cope during challenging periods. Dauri, who homeschools her three boys, described how homeschooling helped her family adjust to a move from Europe back to the US, followed by another move across the country: "It was a great comfort that we homeschooled throughout the moves. It was a stabilizing factor in our otherwise mixed-up lives."
Well-Rested Kids. As more and more studies are illustrating, sleep is vital to the emotional and physical well-being of kids, especially teens and preteens. The effects of early morning classes can be devastating to many children, especially those who are not morning people. After realizing that lack of sleep and hours of busywork often left her boy in a zombie-like stupor, Haya has decided to try homeschooling: "My oldest (age 13), is up at 6:30 in order to catch the bus at 7:15 and start school at 7:30. He comes home at 3:00 and does homework — sometimes until midnight. He's often exhausted. I'm hoping that when we homeschool next year, the dark circles under his eyes will disappear and his real personality will emerge again."
No Busywork. Homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover. In a recent interview, John Taylor Gatto, New York City Teacher of the Year and a 26-year teaching veteran, said that in many classrooms less than one hour out of each school day is spent on "on task" learning. No wonder these kids have so much homework. And that brings us to a major "pro" of homeschooling: No more homework!
One Last Pro
Although this list is by no means comprehensive, it does provide an accurate overview of the pros and cons of the homeschooling lifestyle. But I did save one of the best "pros" (from Bev) for last: "When you need a hug, there's always one to be found!"
Another contributor pointed out these additional "pros"
No homework. Homeschooled students learn effectively and efficiently. Those two-hour homework sessions are history!
No Wasted Time. It is not uncommon for kids who learn at home to complete the equivalent of a week's worth of traditional schooling in a few short hours, or to finish a traditional four year high school program in less than two years.
Flexible Hours. Work your learning/studying time into your practice schedule. Catch up on sleep whenever you need to.
Higher Test Scores. Homeschooled students consistently outperform their school peers on standardized tests, including the ACT test -- an important indicator of future college success.
Negative Influences. Peer pressure, cliques, drugs, alcohol, sex and violence have sadly become a daily part of high school life. Homeschooling is one way to limit that exposure.
Achieving Goals. Your sons and daughters can set their goals, both academically and athletically, and pursue them at their own speed.
College. Homeschoolers are accepted and welcomed in colleges across the country. College admissions officials often view homeschoolers as being self-motivated, mature, and serious about their studies. These traits have resulted in homeschoolers having few problems during the application process. For more information, read And What about College?: How Homeschooling Leads to Admissions to the Best Colleges and Universities by Cafi Cohen.
For the full text, Click Here
More Links To FAMILY EDUCATION Homeschooling
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/educational-issues/34389.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/college-prep/37517.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/parenting/29861.html
http://school.familyeducation.com/olympic-games/athletic-training/28571.html
http://life.familyeducation.com/tween/sleep/55986.html
Another website where Homeschoolers congregate and work together is http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/curriculum/