| Somebody once told a very good friend of mine | | | | the public school and private school systems in |
| that she was out of her mind when she said that | | | | the vast majority of cases. For example, the |
| she was going to home school here two boys. | | | | winner of the 1997 National Spelling Bee was |
| Given the millions of dollars that are spent on the | | | | home schooled and four sisters, all of whom had |
| public school system each year for the sole | | | | been home schooled, gained master's degrees |
| purpose of educating our children this would seem | | | | from an Ivy League university. Another young girl |
| like a pretty reasonable reaction. Or is it? | | | | gained her master's degree at the age of just 16 |
| When a friend of mine announced her decision to | | | | and was teaching at a Texas community college |
| take her two nine year old boys out of the local | | | | by the time she reached 18. |
| public school and teach them at home many | | | | Now you might well think that these were simply |
| people said that she had to be out of her mind. | | | | bright kids and this had nothing to do with home |
| When you think about it this would seem like a | | | | schooling, however, even the US Department of |
| perfectly reasonable reaction not simply because | | | | Education would have to disagree with this as |
| the public school system has evolved over many | | | | their own studies show that by the time home |
| years and developed an expertise in teaching | | | | schooled children reach the equivalent of the 8th |
| children, but also because my friend was simply a | | | | grade they are as much as 4 years ahead of |
| housewife and had no training or qualifications for | | | | their public school counterparts. |
| teaching. | | | | Home schooling is certainly not an easy option |
| But did you know that there are currently more | | | | but, as any home schooling parent knows, it |
| than one million children in the United States | | | | works. For the parent home schooling is certainly |
| undergoing home schooling in just the situation in | | | | hard work but, although the teaching profession |
| which my friend found herself. | | | | might not like to hear it, you do not need any |
| Now the reasons for opting for home schooling | | | | special training or qualifications to teach your own |
| are many and varied but, at the end of day, | | | | children. Indeed, as long as you can read and write |
| most parents choose to home school their | | | | then you'll find that, with a little help from your |
| children because they believe that it is better for | | | | local home schooling support group, not only will |
| their children, not simply in terms of academic | | | | you be able to teach your own children but you |
| achievement but also in terms of removing | | | | will find that it is one of the most rewarding things |
| children from many of the bad aspects of a public | | | | you can do as a parent. |
| school educations such as bullying, getting in with | | | | It is also one of the most valuable things you can |
| the 'wrong crowd' and a host of other problems. | | | | do to really draw your family together into a |
| In simple academic terms there is little doubt that | | | | tight-knit, loving and supportive unit. |
| home schooling produces better results than both | | | | |