It started as an obscure and unusual phenomenon, and has since grown to become a veritable trend. Homeschooling is reaching the stage of acceptance where you won’t have to answer many questions from the public about what it is, but many people still aren’t sure why you would do it. After all, they reason that most people went to public school and turned out fine. These are just four reasons you could provide them for why homeschooling your children is a positive thing.
1. A better environment for a child to learn and grow.
Homeschoolers avoid a number of problems which plague public school environments: violence, drugs, young teens encouraging one another to have sex, drinking, prejudice, homophobia, discrimination, bullying, and more. It seems like the number of dramatic incidents in schools these days is higher than ever, and sending your child to a veritable war zone of bullying and issues that even adults struggle with can be damaging. Instead, you can allow them to develop the confidence and ability to say ‘no’ and recognize bad situations before they are trapped in them. After they are able to handle these issues, they can be exposed to them. Homeschooling is a much safer environment for children to explore the world around them.
2. Gifted and slow children, different learning styles can be facilitated.
Statistically, very few children are “average” and those who are will probably have a range of different learning styles. Every child learns at a different pace, under different conditions, and in different ways. The classroom attempts to “standardize” children and teach many children at the same time, in the same way. Many students suffer because of this belief that the same teaching technique will work for every student exactly the same. Homeschooling can easily accommodate any learning style or speed.
3. Disabilities and medical conditions are recognized and accommodated.
It is hard to accommodate some disabilities in the classroom, due to this standardized teaching style. Even worse, some teachers refuse to recognize that a student has some form of limitation, out of refusal to believe that the child needs accommodations, or from a closed-minded attitude. This form of authoritarian denial of their needs can really stifle a child. A homeschooling child will be sure to receive the recognition and accommodation he or she needs.
4. School distance or a lack of choice.
Sometimes, there is a public school nearby that is reputable, but it’s simply too far away for a practical commute. Children who live in rural areas, or urban areas with traffic congestion, will benefit from the reduction in commuting time.
In other cases, there may be a public school close by, but it might be particularly disreputable and known for its poor learning environment or educational quality, but no alternatives exist. In this case, homeschooling can help a child avoid being forced into a bad school.
The next time a relative or friend asks you why you are considering homeschooling, or currently homeschooling, your children, you have four good reasons to give them!