| Homeschooling should be available to every child, | | | | do not seem to care about each other as much |
| because it benefits them in numerous ways. | | | | as they did in ages past. With the advent of the |
| Some view home schooling as too extreme. | | | | computer age, this is quickly becoming a society |
| Others see it as an alternative to public and | | | | that avoids personal interactions. This is the |
| private education. Homeschooling provides children | | | | perfect time to get back to strengthening the |
| with a better education than any public or private | | | | most important of all relationships. Whatever an |
| school ever could. It can be individually customized | | | | individual's personal opinion is on the state of the |
| for each child's needs. Whether a child has a | | | | nation, there is usually one point where most |
| learning disability or is far ahead of those her age, | | | | come together: The relationship between a child |
| homeschooling can be tailored to help her achieve | | | | and their guardian, parent or other significant adult |
| success. Homeschooling makes families stronger. | | | | is extremely important. When looking into the daily |
| Homeschooled children perform better | | | | activities of an average 7th grader, one would be |
| academically than their publicly and privately | | | | amazed at how busy children have become. |
| schooled counterparts. Study after study has | | | | Between hours spent in school, sports, hanging |
| shown homeschoolers score higher on | | | | out with friends, doing homework and other |
| standardized tests than those from institutional | | | | middle school activities, they have very little time |
| places of education. Whatever the reasons for | | | | to spend with their parents. This causes a real |
| the decision to homeschool, the benefits for the | | | | breakdown in the family unit. Parents may not |
| child and his family are enormous. | | | | even know their children anymore. With such small |
| Homeschooling can be individually customized for | | | | amounts of time to spend together, it is hard to |
| each child's needs. In public schools, there has | | | | make it true "quality" time. There needs to be a |
| been a push for "mainstreaming" students. What | | | | real effort to increase both the quality and the |
| this has really done is to put children with learning | | | | quantity of time spent together. |
| disabilities right back into situations for which they | | | | Homeschooling education can include things not |
| are not equipped to deal. If a child has attention | | | | taught at public schools. A family's religious beliefs |
| problems, the over-crowded and over-stimulating | | | | can be incorporated into the child's knowledge |
| classroom can be a nightmare. Homeschool is the | | | | base. Cultural awareness can also find its way into |
| perfect option for him. Not only can the learning | | | | homeschooling. Parents who are totally committed |
| environment be tailored for serenity, it affords | | | | to their children's education can find ways to add |
| him freedom that he could never even hope for | | | | to their public school learning. However, think of |
| at public school. Away from the rigidity and noise | | | | how much more those same parents could do for |
| of the classroom, the child can follow his own | | | | their children if they opted to be solely responsible |
| schedule. He can practice his spelling words while | | | | for their education. |
| doing sit-ups. He can recite his multiplication facts | | | | Homeschooled children perform better |
| as he combs his hair. Imagine what would happen | | | | academically than students who publicly and |
| in a class of thirty-five third graders if they all | | | | privately schooled. A study done by the Ohio |
| chose to do their assignments not sitting quietly | | | | Department of Education found that the high level |
| at tables or at their desks. | | | | of academic of home schooled students was |
| If a child is considered "gifted" in any way, the | | | | based on a higher commitment to their own |
| same problems can occur. If public education | | | | education. In 1998, Dr. Lawrence Rudner of the |
| maintains that all children should participate in their | | | | University of Maryland found that homeschooled |
| studies as large groups and not as individuals, then | | | | children scored significantly higher on standardized |
| there is no room for exceptional children. If a | | | | tests than their counterparts in either private or |
| bright child is forced to conform to the learning | | | | public school settings. Children are able to do this |
| needs of the majority, they will not reach their | | | | well in homeschool because they work at their |
| own potential. Often they will finish their work well | | | | own pace. |
| ahead of the other students and due to boredom, | | | | Homeschooling should be viewed as an option for |
| become disruptive and then are labeled | | | | all children. It provides them with a better |
| "troublemakers." Homeschooling is perfect for | | | | education than public or private school. It is can be |
| these children. For a child who likes to be | | | | individually customized. It even makes families |
| challenged, a customized setting allows them | | | | stronger. So, if they do better academically and |
| more positive learning experiences. | | | | develop stronger bonds with their parents, it |
| Homeschooling makes families stronger. Many | | | | seems like it is in a child's best interest to opt for |
| people comment on the negative changes that | | | | homeschooling. And, after all, it is about the |
| have come about in our society. Crime rates | | | | children, right? |
| have risen. Some say that this country's citizens | | | | |