I thought I would share my thoughts with you on why parents decide to homeschool.
You may have heard of homeschooling and had your curiosity peaked. Or you may wonder what the benefits could be and why people would opt out of traditional public schools. You could be on the fence about homeschooling and would just like to know why other families have made the plunge.
Basically, parents who homeschool feel they will do a far better job that the schools. Its been estimated that a mean of but one hour out of every school day is really spent learning — after administrative duties, discipline issues, changing classes, and distractions. Of course, there are exceptions, but the purpose is that hours of precious time are simply wasted. Add hours of homework into that blend, and going to and from school, and it’s easy to ascertain why many parents have decided it is simply not in their child’s best interests to go to school. They believe their children can learn more in less time during a different environment.
And they’re right. Consistently, homeschooled kids score above their schooled peers on standardized tests. In fact, by the time homeschooled kids are within the eighth grade, they’re four years ahead in learning compared to their schooled peers. Often, this learning takes place in but two hours each day. How about their free time, what will the kids do? There are an array of activities they can do: ride their bikes, rollerblade, ice skate, hike, build forts, and swim. Most of which means waiting for the weekend to arrive if your kids are enrolled in a regular school.
Another big reason parents prefer to homeschool is for socialization. The teens do now have an upscale and varied social life. They have many friends and go places with those kids they prefer to be with, instead of being thrown into a classroom a day where cliques, peer pressure, and unspoken dress codes are the norm. Midweek sleepovers, camping trips, and movie nights are weekly occurrences for teenagers who homeschool. Younger kids usually meet weekly during a park or playground with groups of homeschoolers and share playdates during the week. Do they miss out? Yes — on bullies, daily tests, being compared to other students, and being told what to try and the way to try to do it throughout every day.
Many parents find it unthinkable that children need to undergo metal detectors before they will enter their schools. School violence has increased at an alarming rate. It is my understanding that the amount of homeschoolers skyrocketed after the varsity shootings and violent incidents that occurred during this country last year. Parents and children who do not feel safe in class often plan to homeschool. And lastly, hebdomadally I receive letters from kids who simply hate school. They hate being there, are often bullied or frightened, can not bear the peer pressure and meaningless busywork, or are “bored out of their minds.” Luckily, for many of these kids, homeschooling offers a lifeline, an educational alternative.
There are as many ways to homeschool as there are families, and I would also submit that there are as many reasons why people choose to homeschool as there are families.
Suffice it to say, people who make the decision to homeschool are often extremely dedicated to their kids and to their education. What a beautiful thing!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
