Homeschool vs Public School Essay

The recent growth, popularity, and success of homeschool have left many parents wondering if public school is the right choice for their children. While public school is still the most trusted and convenient way for parents to have their children educated, many parents are starting to research and learn more about the option of homeschooling. For many parents, it is hard to think outside the box, when it comes to their children’s education, yet, more parents are convinced every day that this may be the right choice for their children. Parents considering homeschool are worried that they might not be able to provide the proper education, and learning tools, as well as the structure of public school. Others are simply worried that their publicly educated children will not be as well rounded or socialized if they are homeschooled. For many advocates, whether home school or public school, the environment offered by withers situation is definitely a determining factor as to whether their child should be home or publicly schooled. Proponents of homeschool think that children will thrive better in a safe, comfortable, familiar environment. Ironically, so do public school advocates. Homeschool parents believe that home is the safest, most secure environment for their children to learn. A decade ago a homeschooled teen had to miss out on school dances, band, sports, driver’s education and more. This is no longer the case. The options are endless depending on your local school district. Most junior and high schools support dual enrollment. This means that a child can be homeschooled and still go to the school for subject that the student along with the parents decides. This can be math, wood working, computer technology, and many more things. If the child is enrolled they are entitled to most if not all of the extracurricular activities that the school offers. In a home school setting, a child does not have to deal with fitting in, peer pressure, or cliques. Homeschool parents will argue that by homeschooling they prevent most of the negative social problems of school. Many argue that school is not like real life. In the real world you do get to choose who you associate with for the most part. You are not shoved into a room of your same age peers for 12 years or more. In public schools children are forced to deal with persecution because of the clothes they wear may not be the coolest, or their shoes may not be a brand name. Children are forced to deal with peer pressures to have sex, experiment with drugs, or truancy. Homeschool children are able to focus solely on their education. They are usually able to work at their own pace in their own style. While publicly schooled children are forced into a strict schedule, and everything is on a timed basis. Public school advocates argue that public school teaches the child to separate themselves from their parents, and begin to rely on themselves more. That it teaches responsibility. They also believe that the natural interaction between children in school is healthy, and it teaches them character, and individuality. As a matter of fact, many public school supporters believe that actual book learning is not as important as learning how to deal with others. Only you can decide which is more important for your child. Along with everything else, parents and their children have to consider the curriculum, and is this right for the individual circumstance. How your child learns is a major factor in determining if your child should be in public school or homeschooled. Most children learn the same basic skills whether they are public, or homeschooled. They learn to read, write, and basic math. Both sides agree that this is a good foundation. However, it is beyond the basics that the two types of schooling differ, and the argument begins. Homeschooled children tend to learn through individual experience. Regular public school children learn through relationships, and according to studies, that’s what builds character in a child. [www. publicschools. org]. this is clearly a huge argument in the war of Homeschool versus public school. Homeschool parents are able to choose the focus of their child’s education. Whether it is based on their religion and beliefs, or the child’s natural curiosity. This does not mean that a child is homeschooled based solely on religion or because they are religious. It simply gives parents an option to have religion incorporated in their children’s schooling. More parents said that they chose to homeschool a child in order to offer religious or moral instruction. This reason was given more than any other reason as the most important for homeschooling. This accounts for 36 percent of homeschooled students [The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U. S.  Department of Education (USDOE) Institute of Education Sciences (IES)]. Public schools have eliminated religion because the government feels that it may offend someone if we pray a certain prayer that a student with a different religion may not. So, they decided to separate church and state. This means that there are no more prayers in public schools or their events. There are â€Å"moments of silence†. Thus, many homeschool parents incorporate it into their lessons. Public school bases their curriculum on state based lesson, which aim to make the students reach and hopefully surpass their goals. This curriculum is constantly changing with the times. A drawback of public education curriculum is that there is not a lot of time to spend in depth on one particular subject, but students are exposed to a broad spectrum of subjects. Every parent is a teacher [www. phdinparenting. com]. Whether they realize it or not. From day one we teach our children, and never stop. It is the argument of homeschool advocates that if we can teach them life skills and basically everything they learn from day one, then why can’t we educate our children? Public school advocates argue that the difference is the time a teacher has spent learning methods and perfecting the art of educating a child. Homeschooled parents are concerned that their children are not having enough one on one time with teachers. They are concerned that the teacher to student ratio is out of control. The norm in public school is 31 students to 1 teacher. Most classes are 30 to 45 minutes in length. After roll call, going over the daily lesson, passing up homework, etc. , there is less than 1 minute available for each student to communicate with the teacher. Homeschool advocates are concerned that sometimes this means that the quality of education a child gets in public school is not as good as that of homeschool. Many students believe that the education they are getting is quite adequate. They are sure that half the things they learn in class they will not need in â€Å"real life† anyway. They assume the free ride through college from their high school football career will get them everything they need in life. Children who have this belief are sorely mistaken. If they are not equipped with the communication skills, and life skills, as well taught esponsibility then why have the great football career? They will have no idea how to negotiate terms, negotiate contracts, or how to properly spend and invest their income. These are all vital things that a child needs to be taught. Homeschool parents believe that they can instill in their children all of those things. No extracurricular activities for homeschoolers, you say? Wrong!! There are programs that allow homeschool children to take some of their classes in a private school type setting to allow them to play on the local high school football team. As long as their grades and transcripts are all in order, they can be just as successful and get scholarships just as a public school student. We, as parents have to make our own decisions about how our children are educated. Whether they are public or home schooled, we have to ensure that our children are getting the best possible education, in the best environment, by the best teachers. It is not our job to be sure that they are the most popular, or the class favorite. It is our job to make sure that they are educated, moral, responsible, well rounded individuals no matter the method by which they are educated.