The Truth About Home Schooling - The Benefits Are Real

There are many valid reasons why parent mayThe truth about home schooling is that, unlike
decide to remove their children from publicpublic schooling, it does not have artificial
schools and begin home schooling them. Hundredsstandards to which each child must conform
of thousands of parents across America havebefore being allowed to advance to the next
come to the conclusion that public schools simplygrade. Home schooling allows children to progress
cannot guarantee their children's safety; that publicat different rates in each subject, so
school overcrowding is depriving their children ofsecond-grader Mary may be reading at a
the individual attention they need from theirsixth-grade level while she is still trying to master
teachers; and that the presence from bullies andsecond-grade math. The home schooled child is in
uncontrollable children in public schools is tono danger of being "left back" or of being called
distracting for their children.the class dummy.
While there are many negatives in the publicThe USDE Agrees
school experience which justify the decision toThe US Department of Education itself has
begin home schooling a child, there is also onesupported the findings of studies which indicate
very big positive. Research studies have shownthat by the end of eighth grade, home schooled
that home schooled children learn better thanchildren are performing an average of four grades
those who remain in public schools, and evenahead of their public school counterparts. Whether
better than children in expensive private schools.the home schools are that much better, or the
The truth about home schooling is that thepublic schools are that much worse, may not be
research indicates that for most children, beingclear, but the results are.
removed from public school for home schoolingHome schooling will be a learning experience for
was the best decision their parents could haveparents as well as children and in the early going
made.can be stressful for parents who have not
Home Schooling Success Storiesattempted formal teaching before. So the support
There are, of course, the individual stories whichof other home schooling parents can be very
reflect glory on the truth about home schooling:helpful, and another truth about home schooling is
the 2007 winner of the Scripps National Spellingthat the parents engaged in it are some of the
Bee was thirteen-year-old Evan O'Dorney.most supportive people one is likely to meet.
Because of is flexible home schooling schedule, hisThe evidence seems clear that home schooling is
mother was able to spend two hours coachingalmost never a mistake, as long as both parents
him with his spelling each day for several weeksand children are willing to put their full efforts into
before the competition.making it work!.