Home schooling has always been something that interested me. Over the years I have made many friends who were home schooled, though I myself went to a small rural public school. From meeting these different families I witnessed the controversy of homeschooling children. After being made aware of this controversy as a child, I have always tried to decide what my stand on it is by weighing out the arguments and looking at my own observations of my home schooled friends.
There are many different reasons that some parents, teachers or educators find home-schooling, as it is today, to be inappropriate. Some adults think that home schooling prevents children from socializing and that they become shy and sometimes not personable. Others believe that home schooling caters to abuse making it easier for parents to abuse their children. Some also think that home school could hinder a child's learning since they would only be taught what their parents want them to be taught and since their parents are not educated in teaching. There also seems to be some worries that home schooled children cannot get into college.
Parents of home schooled children on the other hand, feel differently on the subject. Most parents think they should have the right to teach their children in the environment they deem appropriate. Others think that the influence of outside schools affect their children negatively by them finding out certain things at too young of an age or by making their attitudes and manners towards their parents rude. Some parents like when religion can be incorporated into their curriculum, having their children learn both the creation and evolution stories, or going into a more philosophical or religious discussion when learning about different religious leaders, for example the pope or Martin Luther. Some of the parents also had students who did not learn well they way the teachers were teaching them and were able to cater better to their own children, helping them learn in the way that helped them best. One of my friends was taken out of school because of bullying. With the environment she was in, it was hard for her to learn since she was upset by the students who picked on her.
From getting to know a few families I have noticed how the children act and why they have been home schooled. It seems like the situation is completely different for each child and family just like in public schools some individuals are quiet and more reserved while others are quite outgoing, but they all are very polite. A few of them do not make friends as quickly, but most of them seem to have the same amount of friends as I did when I was in school. From witnessing the students I know that there was not any abuse going on in their families. We also would have discussions and they are fine in these and other social situations. They all seem to have a good education since their home schooling is slightly regulated through different programs, either an organization for home schooling or else they have an adviser who checks up on them from their district and makes sure they have met all of their learning requirements. Some of the students had the options of going to home school proms or even had large graduation ceremonies. They still went on field trips and also attended other social events such as church, weekly volleyball tournaments, or went met people working.
From observing the pros and cons of home schooling I have decided that home schooling still is a good option for parents and students, as long as it is done correctly. Parents and students should have the right to choose a different form of schooling then public schooling for their children especially since everyone learns differently and needs to see materials in different ways that the teacher can not always fulfill in a large classroom. There are extracurricular activities and other out of the home experiences that are still set up for the students and make it easier for them to interact with people outside of the home. When children are not given the opportunity to socialize or are held back by the lifestyle they live in and are unable to develop the skills needed to succeed in the 'real world' that is when it becomes a bad issue.
What do you guys think about home schooling? Should it be banned?
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