| One of the very first questions that most
| |
| | contrast, parents undertaking home
|
| parents ask about home schooling is
| |
| | schooling spent about $550 per student
|
| whether it actually works. They are only
| |
| | each year. This figure for home schooling
|
| too well aware of the fact that the
| |
| | does not of course take into account the
|
| public schools have problems, but really
| |
| | time spent by parents on home schooling
|
| wonder whether they can do any better.
| |
| | for which a public school teacher would
|
| One natural response for some parents is
| |
| | be paid.
|
| to try a little harder to see if they can
| |
| | The public school system as we know it
|
| afford private schooling but, even if
| |
| | today evolved during the second half of
|
| this were possible, are the private
| |
| | the 19th century as one state after
|
| schools faring any better than the public
| |
| | another made school attendance
|
| schools?
| |
| | compulsory. Perhaps the most interesting
|
| The simple fact of the matter is that
| |
| | question however, and one which rarely
|
| there are many, quality studies which
| |
| | seems to be asked, is why, if public
|
| show that, on average, home schooling
| |
| | schooling offered such superior value, it
|
| produces superior students. To an extent
| |
| | was necessary for the states to make it
|
| of course this is understandable as
| |
| | compulsory and to force parents to put
|
| parents clearly have an effect on
| |
| | their children into the public school
|
| education no matter which route they
| |
| | system.
|
| take. A parent who is genuinely
| |
| | It could be, and sometimes is, argue that
|
| interested in the education of his or her
| |
| | this was due to the ignorance of rural
|
| children will help to motivate them,
| |
| | parents who did not see the value of
|
| producing better results.
| |
| | education. However, it is interesting to
|
| But there is certainly more to it that
| |
| | note that adult illiteracy rates in 1840
|
| this and there are many cases, in a great
| |
| | Massachusetts were a low 2% and that, by
|
| enough variety of situations, to take
| |
| | 1995, this figure had risen to 19%, in
|
| even this into account and still come to
| |
| | spite of apparently enormous advances in
|
| the conclusion that home schooling
| |
| | the intervening years. In 1840 libraries
|
| produces better results.
| |
| | were rare and today they are everywhere
|
| Even the Unites States Department of
| |
| | as books are both relatively inexpensive
|
| Education agrees. In one study which they
| |
| | and easy to trade.
|
| sponsored themselves home schooled
| |
| | Today over a million children are home
|
| students produced exceptionally high test
| |
| | schooled in the United States and
|
| scores. The median scores in every grade
| |
| | thousands of home schooled students have
|
| were far higher than those of public
| |
| | attended colleges and universities,
|
| schools and even higher than those of
| |
| | including many of the most prestigious
|
| private school students. The average home
| |
| | and difficult to get into.
|
| schooled student in grades one through
| |
| | Whatever your own thoughts about home
|
| four was a grade level above that of
| |
| | schooling vs public schools there is no
|
| public school peers and, by the time home
| |
| | doubt that the results clearly show the
|
| schooled students reached the equivalent
| |
| | advantage of home schooling.
|
| of the 8th grade, they were as much as
| |
| | provides advice and information on many
|
| four years ahead of students attending
| |
| | aspects of parenting and can also be your
|
| public school.
| |
| | best homes schooling resource with
|
| As if this were not enough, costs were
| |
| | information on such things as the
|
| also lower. On average, government
| |
| | advantages and disadvantages of home
|
| schools spent $6,500 per student each
| |
| | schooling, home schooling vs public
|
| year and private schools spent $3,500. By
| |
| | schools and much more.
|
