| There are approximately 3-4 million homeschooled | | | | classic argument that homeschooled children aren't |
| students in North America. Homeschooling has | | | | receiving the socialization that they would be |
| become a popular option for many parents. Such | | | | getting in a school setting. I don't believe this is |
| issues as violence, morals and values, cost, and | | | | necessarily the case. There are homeschool |
| academic performance are always at the | | | | communities that interact a great deal on a |
| forefront in this issue. | | | | regular basis. Home schooled children often |
| Before considering a homeschool program for | | | | interact with other home schooled children. In fact, |
| your child, consider the following pros and cons: | | | | it is well known that homeschooled kids are |
| 1. Mrs. Jones or Mom? Is your child able to sit | | | | usually involved in many after school and extra |
| down and learn with you? Even the best teachers | | | | curricular activities where they get numerous |
| have difficulty teaching their own children. Try it | | | | opportunities to interact with other students their |
| out first. See if you and your child can develop a | | | | age in a non competitive and supervised |
| teacher-student rapport. | | | | environment. Conversely, there are many children |
| 2. Class Size. Does your child have difficulty in a | | | | who may benefit by being in a constant social |
| class of 30 students? Some kids have no problem | | | | setting with many other students and teachers. A |
| focusing and staying on task while other kids get | | | | child in a school cannot escape learning how to |
| distracted when someone sneezes. Would a | | | | interact with peers. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a |
| homeschooling setting (either you or your child | | | | trait that can be developed to its fullest in a |
| alone or with a few of your friends' kids) help | | | | school setting. As a teacher, I can clearly say that |
| your child learn better? | | | | I regularly see students 'learning' how to interact |
| 3. Your Own Curriculum. Although you are still | | | | with other people constantly, a skill they will need |
| required to follow state or provincial curriculum, | | | | one day in the workforce. |
| you definitely have room to add on extras. As | | | | 6. Independent Learning. Homeschooling allows |
| long as you cover the required curriculum, you | | | | students to learn at their own pace. Years of |
| can incorporate skills and topics from any other | | | | research have shown the PSI (personal systems |
| discipline. You can go to the museum, surf the | | | | of instruction) model to be a quite effective |
| net, and share books on any topic in and out of | | | | learning system. Students who have the |
| the curriculum when teaching your child. | | | | opportunity to learn the material that they are |
| 4. Values. Perhaps you don't share the same | | | | interested in and at their own pace, often do well. |
| values as the public or private systems. You | | | | In fact, homeschooled students do quite well on |
| might find schools to be either to liberal or | | | | SAT scores, especially in math and reading. |
| conservative for your liking. Having your child at | | | | It's definitely not an easy decision. Search the |
| home means that you can teach your child | | | | internet, talk to people, and do your homework. |
| values, morals, and beliefs from your religion, | | | | Every child is different and family dynamics are |
| culture, or family. | | | | different. See what works best for you and good |
| 5. Social Skills. This is a tough one. There is the | | | | luck. |