Whitney Beyer Dr. St. John ENG101 March 25, 2014 Homeschooling vs Public Schooling Homeschooling is becoming more and more popular, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent every year. Homeschooling is a traditional educational practice that is parent-led and a home-based education. It is one of the fastest-growing forms of education in the United States. This form of home- based education not only has been growing in the United States, but in other nations also. Australia, Canada, Japan, Hungary, France, Russia, Kenya, Mexico, South Korea, and Thailand are just a few of the Nations introducing this parent-led, home-based education. It has been estimated that about 2 million children, from kindergarten to 12th grade, were home educated in 2010 in the United States. (Ray;Shaw) Most public schools curriculums are provided by the state. Standardized testing, statistical measures about graduation and attendance rate provides the information the state needs to evaluate the performance of the school. Schools that don't meet state minimum requirements allow students to enroll in a public school in other districts within the state. So what are the pros and cons having children that are homeschooled rather than the traditional public or private schooling? The most common reasons for homeschooling is to customize or individualize the learning needs of the child and the environment that best suits the needs of the specific child. When children are home schooled instead of going to the traditional public schools they can really get that one-on-one education. This might not be the most efficient way of learning for every student. Everyone has their own specific needs and learning styles, so not everyone can learn the same way. Another pro is the freedom to learn for each child. Most students being homeschooled study or learn the things that interest them and not just what interests the specific age group that they are in. Homeschooling also allows children to gain closer family relationships. With being with the parent that is teaching the child, it the children every single day to bond and grow close to them. Teens really benefit from this. Teens rebellious behavior seems to be reduced or significantly changed after homeschooling begins. (Haverluck; Hover-Dempsey) There are also Show More
