So, shall we open now, the retrospective shutters on home schooling from the dark? In the olden days when main society was bent on the golden belief of getting: a) High grades + b) Good jobs = c) Wealth & happiness, public schooling was as much, at the heart and core center of this ancient paradigm. And though many today still "die-hardily swear by this industrial formula", still one can't help but reconsider the rivaling tides of this new technology and information era where the benefits of home schooling vs. public schooling might be better scaled for modern families.
Upsides of home schooling
1. Keeps up to speed: Since it's out with the old industrial and in with the new informational era, it's vital that we educated our children and future society to keep up with reality and ropes of our modern day system, home schooling through parental personalization can be ideal for such.
· 1stly, the learning style and stage of the child can be properly assessed and applied.
· 2ndly, the parent has control of the wheel and rudder as to steer the child towards the work field, apprenticeship or entrepreneurship and set the environment accordingly.
· 3rdly, there is a plethora of online educational tools and even such, an online university.
2. Safety is key: With the once clean uniform face of public schools, now blemished with unorthodox conduct and behavior due that in nature of predators and hooligans, it's a no brainer why parents opt to spare their precious children the dangers lined-up before metal-detectors, STD's vaccines, and perhaps even teen baby carriages.
3. Family, cultural and spiritual values: In safekeeping with families' traditional and moral ethics, it may be strongly advisable that they consider the home schooling venue as opposed to the public. For instance, in cases where a culture/religion demands contrary dress codes in conflict with the school board, i.e. woman veiled or uniformed as those of catholic schools (supposing are non-existent nearby). It may also serve as a means to enjoy more valuable family time spent.
4. Physical and mental handicaps: For some special individuals who require extra care and supervision on wheelchairs, the mentally challenged, or those whose physical health comes in the way of living and obtaining normal functionality in daily life, school, social classes, and teacher relationships, then perhaps the guidance of family members at home will fill in the gap effectively.
5. Health and agenda prioritizing: Time prioritizing is very flexible in the domestic hands of home schoolers, both for those in authority and their students alike. Where parents have the power of choice over healthier foods than the conventional nightmarish cafeteria, they can even shop, cook, teach essential chores, exercise, be playground active, and get involved in their children's life. Furthermore, it would benefit them tremendously in regards to tax write-offs each season.
Downsides of home schooling
1. Credibility: As mentioned above, guardians play a crucial, predetermining role as to which destination to veer their children unto the final goal objective and influence it upon them.
Thus, where the credentials of government schools are substituted with domestic schooling, with regards to advancing up the ladder of academic institutions and employment, this might be compromised due to lack of credential references on resumes. Therefore already business-owners would fare better in this scholastic category with an intimate child apprenticeship.
2. Affordability: Because not many of us are born into wealthy families who'd forego their kids education with a private tutor, it's recommended that working class folks, who desire to teach their children at home, seek some sort of government charter program that would help assist with income lost towards tutoring time.
3. Unsociability: Drawing a fine line between sheltering vs. secluding your children from real life experiences with peer networks, sports teams, and learning clubs, on the other hand, might in turn force a detrimental impact on his/her psycho-maturity to face crises later on in life, rooting from a shortage of communication and relationship skills. This can be counterbalanced with church and proper community settings.
4. Learning disability: Conversely from the above, in the case where parents may not be in the technical and professional position qualified to diagnose the current teachability index and potential learning curve levels of their students (whether concerning A.D.D. or learning disabilities), then they may seek outside help in private tutors or even go the other public route.
5. Behavioral responsibility: Lastly and again, this all boils down to preconditioned strengths and standing image reputation that the parents have established with the kids, as in the manner of respecting their elders in authority and treating the learning session with prompt, disciplined and respectful behavior. However, if on the out-of-hand side, they happen to be uncontrollable, problematic children/reckless menaces, then perhaps home schooling would not be a better fit. Or would it?
