Contrast Homeschooling vs Public Schools

Parents choose to homeschool their children based on different philosophies. Some think it produces better results later on in life when students have to apply for professional education. Some give preference to homeschooling over public schooling because of many discouraging factors associated with public schools including poor education.

A few years ago, people were of the opinion that attending a school is compulsory for all students to get into college later on or to apply for a job. Recent efforts by many organizations to support homeschooling have changed this thinking. Now millions of homeschooled students are being admitted to colleges and universities throughout the United States after completing high school or 12 years of formal education. They only need to appear in tests like SAT, GRE and ACT and pass them to enter a college of their own choice for professional education.

In the 1960s, this idea of unschooling received tremendous support by many books written on this topic by John Holt. He advocated that children are given a chance to learn on their own and identify the importance of education in life with their own perception of the surrounding environment is much more beneficial than forcing them to adopt the system of public schooling or any other kind of schooling provided by the government.

Homeschooling allows parents to teach their children values important to them in a relaxed environment ideal for learning. Any of the homeschooling approaches can be adopted to educate children and help them gain knowledge through many resources available now including the Internet. By using this methodology, children are also kept away from bad company and chances of developing bad habits like lying and cheating.

Another factor that contributed to the widespread acceptance of this philosophy was the recognition of parents’ responsibility to take care of their children themselves. Everyone is aware now that it is not the duty of the state to provide basic education to children. Of course, parents who are not educated themselves may want to send their children to public schools. But those who are educated should strive to educate their own children. 

Private schools have been structured to recognize the true worth of students and teach them new concepts according to their intelligence level and ability to grasp concepts. But these schools are far too expensive for the average American family. As a result, parents are compelled to admit their children to public schools and face its consequences later on in life when their children are not able to compete with other brilliant students and lag in every field of life.

Build up an environment at home geared towards providing your children a chance to experiment things on their own and learn things based on personal experience. As a result it will be easier for them to solve problems and take interest in studying rather than considering it a burden on shoulders. Also try to introduce extra curricular activities, trips and other stuff to the whole program to make it more attractive and enjoyable for your children.

The basic goal of unschooling or homeschooling is to develop the mind of a child by keeping him or her away from pessimistic and narrow-minded views of the society. At the same time, this system also brings parents closer to their children and they are able to solve their problems more effectively. There is a sense of understanding, patience and comfort between parents and their offspring. Children feel more secure and work diligently to achieve their goals.