To home school or not to home school?

The home education of children has become a popular alternative to public and private schools among NSW families. It has been reported that the percentage of children who are home schooled jumped from 1703 in July 2008 to 2802 in July 2012 (Tovey, 8 September 2013). Instead of sending their children to a formal school every day, more and more parents are choosing to have education delivered in the home environment, which reflects a growing mainstream acceptance of home schooling.

Various motivations for parents to home educate their children have been acknowledged. For example, a survey conducted by Mayberry (as cited in Collom, 2005, p. 310) showed that parents are mostly motivated by religious freedom, followed by the special academic needs of their children, and an effective learning environment. In addition, bullying, philosophical objections to schooling and a desire for tailored personal learning are also cited as the reasons for home schooling by many parents (Tovey, 8 September 2013). Children who are home schooled get to enjoy a more flexible and individualised approach depending on ability, maturity, and personal interests, which allows them to progress at a more comfortable pace. In addition, unlike in the formal classroom where most time is spent on classroom management, distractions are minimised in the home environment and therefore teaching could be more efficient. Some parents decide to bypass the formal schooling system simply because of their dissatisfaction with the education quality of public schools whilst the costs of private schools are beyond their financial ability. By home schooling, families are able to tailor education to suit budget.

Certainly home schooling has its disadvantages. Classroom environment is often associated with peer pressure and competition. However students are more likely to achieve better performances under a proper amount of pressure and competition. Another argument against home schooling is the pressure it places on parents especially if they are not as qualified and trained as professional teachers. One of the most commonly believed demerits of home schooling is that home schooled children lack the essential social skills required in the modern society. Nonetheless, it is argued by Romanowski (2006) that home schooling does not lead to social misfits (p.125) as schools are not the only place for social interactions.

Before making a decision, all the pros and cons of home schooling must be weighted up. Individual traits of each student and the unique circumstances of each family need to be carefully considered by parents to prepare for any obstacles you might meet. For example, children living in remote areas where the access to schooling is often limited would greatly benefit from home schooling. Children save time in traveling to and from school, and they also get to save costs by accessing information from the Internet. Also, immigrant families who are concerned about how their children will adjust to the new environment, children who are not socially, emotionally, or physically ready for school, and children with special needs may consider home schooling as a suitable alternative. Conversely, children who learn better from group work might be better off in a formal school. After all, the form of education should not be a concern as long as desired outcomes can be achieved.

References

Collom, E. (2005). The ins and outs of homeschooling: The determinants of parental motivations and student achievement. Education and Urban Society, 37(3), 307-335. doi: 10.1177/0013124504274190

Romanowski, M.H. (2006). Revisiting the common myths about homeschooling. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas,79(3), 125-129.  

Tovey, J. (2013, September 8). Home schooling up 65% in four years. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/home-schooling-up-65-in-four-years-20130907-2tcj8.html