Danielle Applegate, Natale Burrell, Amanda M. Mazuca Written Assignment #12
INCD 240-05 November 24, 2003
Home
Schooling: The Best Thing for Your
Children?
Do parents always know what is best for their child? When a parent says that they want to home school their child are they making the right decision? After all, parents are the ones that teach their children how to walk and talk. After all, they are the ones that are most interested in making sure that their child receives the best education, why shouldn’t they be the ones to teach their children? Being home schooled can have both a positive and negative effect on a child.
One
such reason why it would be beneficial for a child to be home schooled is to
teach values and morals to the child. Children often learn things at a young
age that they should not know; such as vulgar language or violence. Such bad
behavior is present through out our society. After all it does not matter what
school a child goes to, since children from all walks of life are present in
the classroom. It is in the classroom where children hear things they should
not be hearing. On the other hand if the child is being home schooled, then
violence and vulgarities are things the parent does not have to worry about. A
home environment also provides a child with less distraction and less peer
pressure (HSLDA.com). Studies have also shown that
students that are home schooled score higher on than their average peers. Once
they get to college, children that are home schooled have higher grade point
averages than the average college students (HSLDA.com).
Another positive reason for home schooling is that the worry of a poor social life for the student does no longer have to be a concern for parents that might want to home school their children. Children that are home schooled can get involved in church groups, boy/girls scout, or any other clubs and activities. There are also programs available where they can have field trips with other children who are home schooled. Field experiences provide learning experiences that can not be found in text books (HSLDA.com). Also having a wide age range of students can benefit both the younger and older students, since it is possible that both age groups can learn to appreciate each other as well as learn from one another. There is less pressure on the student who is home schooled since they have as much time as they need to do the assignment. If a child is ahead in their studies, they do not have to wait to other students, but a home schooled child can move on and become more productive When a child is home schooled they are able to go at a pace that is best for them.
However, when deciding whether to place a child in a public school or whether to home school a child, it is best to take into account the possible cons of home schooling. The parent, now teacher, must keep in mind that their job is to educate their child. All other career possibilities or aspirations must be put on hold. The parent’s main focus must now be on educating their child. The parent must be willing to take out the time and energy to devote themselves to education.
Also, the curriculum has become increasingly harder over the years. Children are being taught certain concepts must earlier than in the past. The parent must keep in mind that they may not have had the same degree of education in each and every subject. It may become overwhelming for the parent to teach several different subjects, rather than just one, especially when home schooling high school aged children. When teaching more than one child, the parent must keep in mind the challenges of also teaching different grade levels.
In regard to the student who has been home schooled, their education may be sacrificed depending on their family’s financial stability. Children in public schools have technology at their fingertips through out the day and through their school years. Yet, a home schooled child may not have the advantages of free technology education as a public school child would have. Also, the student’s future may be sacrificed depending on what they want to do with their life. Some colleges or even businesses would take a public school educated person over a home schooled person (Geocities.com).
Taking responsibility for the spiritual state of their children is a religious parent’s concern and duty. The Whitney family, a Christian family who home schools six children, speaks of their commitment to their family and their God. By teaching the child in their home, the parent can make sure their child is taught the values and guidelines so important to the family. The Whitney family in particular does not bash the public school system, but has made the decision that they do not want to leave the molding of their children to a stranger.
In
regard to teachers, parents’ fears of not knowing the effectiveness of teachers
a child might have in public school are not necessarily unprecedented. According to an article written last
September by Paul E. Peterson, director of the Program on Education Policy and
Governance,
Yet for all this political influence, unions do not protect the earnings of the many good, hardworking teachers. In 1940, female teachers made better than 60 percent of that earned by average college-educated women; by 1990, they were earning 40 percent. Among males, salaries slipped from 52 to 33 percent of the college-educated average.
As pay has fallen, so has teacher quality. According to the Department of Labor, 50 percent of women entering teaching in the 1970s received high scores on an educational achievement test. Twenty years later, high-scoring female teachers constituted 10 percent of the total. For male teachers, the drop in high scorers was from 20 to 10 percent.
This system provides for lower teacher performance and parents have not yet had a say in this area. Many concerned parents have chosen to home school.
There is really no decisive conclusion as to whether home schooling is good or bad. As stated by a parent interviewed by the Home School Legal Defense Association, "Sometimes there are situations where you're going to have to stop and figure out if your kids are getting out what they need to from the public education system.” A parent’s responsibility is to determine the best choice for the child’s learning and development. Choices need to be made – do they believe that they can still teach the child the morals and values important to them if the child spends the day in a public education setting? What are the child’s social needs? Is the parent capable of meeting their needs through home schooling? Either way, parents need to take their job seriously, because they have the ultimate responsibility of molding their children, and lessons taught at home are far more important than those learned in the classroom, especially in this world where there is no teacher – guarantee.
Works Cited
Geocities.com: Pro’s
and Con’s of Educational Options (2000, February 20). Retrieved
ahrd99/caution.html
Hoover-Stanford.com: Teacher Union Power is Awesomely
Arrogant (2002, September). Retrieved
HSLDA.com: