| Personally, I was home schooled through part of | | | | public school after three years of home schooling |
| my education and, I attended public schools as | | | | I was ahead of my classmates in almost every |
| well. There are certainly benefits to both. | | | | subject. |
| However, there are probably some things about | | | | · Some of the downsides to home |
| home schooling you never knew before! | | | | schooling your children: |
| · Home schooling vs. public schooling:o | | | | 1) All children need to learn how to function and |
| Home school pros: | | | | behave in society, especially when it comes to |
| 1) You can purchase a home school curriculum, | | | | social relationships. |
| which will include most of the ideas and materials | | | | This problem can sometimes be solved by |
| you need. | | | | involving your children in outside activities, i.e. |
| 2) Unlike teachers in public schools--your child gets | | | | softball teams, dance lessons, etc. In fact, our P.E. |
| one-on-one attention most of the time. Teachers | | | | class when I home schooled was always practicing |
| in public schools often have at least fifteen | | | | dance, because both my sisters and I took dance |
| students at one time nowadays--and usually more. | | | | lessons. |
| When I was home schooled I only had two | | | | However, mom made sure we stayed in other |
| sisters who were also being home schooled. All | | | | activities such as swim teams and tennis--so we |
| three of us learned essential lessons in every | | | | had friends to spend time with outside of our |
| subject, but we had mom right over our | | | | lessons. This is very important if you are going to |
| shoulders when we needed her, helping us | | | | home school. |
| understand the material. Therefore, a child | | | | 2) It takes time. |
| benefits greatly from learning at home. | | | | In home schooling you pretty much have to be |
| 3) You do not have to adhere strictly to some | | | | unemployed, because home schooling can be a |
| mail-order curriculum. | | | | tough job--you do not only teach, you also grade, |
| Most importantly, a home school instructor should | | | | prepare lesson plans, and focus on your "job" |
| adjust to the children's specific needs. | | | | most of the day. And then there are your other |
| Here are a few examples: | | | | household obligations--someone has to clean the |
| You know your child--if he or she is behind in | | | | toilet, right? Do not let yourself get too busy. |
| math, slow down a bit in that area. Spend more | | | | 3) It can be frustrating. |
| time working with math and you can easily catch | | | | Especially if your child or children are hard to |
| the child up to the level where he or she needs to | | | | handle, they may not develop the respect for |
| be. | | | | you that you must have from them as a teacher. |
| Another example would be a child who is much | | | | Although a child's relationship with their authority |
| more advanced in, say, grammar--you can | | | | figures should be properly established, often they |
| choose to make his or her assignments more | | | | are not. |
| challenging than what is suggested in any set | | | | If you do not get the respect you need in order |
| curriculum. | | | | to teach them, you might try home schooling at |
| 4) Many colleges and universities look for children | | | | first and then change your mind. |
| who have been taught at home. -Why? The | | | | A professional teacher is trained to gain respect |
| answer is simple, most moms (or dads or | | | | from his or her students--and often a child who |
| guardians) are afraid that they will not teach as | | | | starts out as a problem child in the classroom will |
| well as a certified teacher, thus they tend to | | | | soon be "tamed" through the instructor as well as |
| overcompensate by actually teaching more than a | | | | by following the example of the rest of the |
| child in that grade would learn. When I returned to | | | | students in the class. |