Money and time contribute to nearly everything that is accomplished in life, so in homeschooling, they play the biggest role in order to have a successful outcome. Laura Grace Weldon argues how many parents assume homeschooling will drain their wallets without even considering the resources they have around them. She includes some of the places she took her children to learn from such as museums, public libraries, colleges and cultural centers as well as the people who they spent time with such as engineers, entrepreneurs, organic farmers and many more. Weldon includes how people seem honored when asked to share a little of what they know. Not to mention most of the activities that they did were basically free. Additionally, Weldon does add …show more content…
However, Dana Goldstein has a different point of view. Goldstein explains how the majority of homeschool families consist of two parents where one is pleased to, as well as, financial manage to leave their job to teach their children, which most parents assign the district to do so for them. In her claim, she talks about a girl named Taylor; Goldstein critiques Taylors essay about being homeschooled due to the fact that she mentions how everybody should be able to homeschool. Not only does Goldstein get agitated by what she said but also states that Taylors’ mother was able to manage to be a stay at home mom. Clearly, the author is implying that Taylor doesn’t really know what it takes to homeschool a child. Furthermore, Goldstein states why it’s not so easy for everyone to homeschool as she says more than 70 percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 are in the workforce. One-third of all children and one-half of low-income children are being raised by a single parent. Fewer than one-half of young children and only about one-third of low-income kids are read to daily by an
According to Gretchen M. Wilhelm and Michael W. Firmin, in their article Historical and Contemporary Developments, the Department of Education found that over 1,700,000 students are homeschooled. That’s 3.4 percent of all school age children (304). Homeschooling is defined as an education that contains less than twenty five hours of public school teaching each week and is based out of a household. The earliest forms of education were originally taught from home, then later developed into public schools (Wilhelm and Firmin). Homeschooling not only affects the students taught, but also fellow Americans in the race to advance a nation. Homeschooling needs to be understood in order to revise education into a better and
Moreover, some families choose to Homeschool in order to screen their child’s curriculum to remove secularist views found in modern day public school curriculum (2002). Others have children with special needs or learning disabilities, so they choose to homeschool (Maaja, 1997). Ultimately, families are looking for what they believe is best for their children. And these families want to be actively involved in the education of their children. Homeschooling parents do not want strangers raising their children. They want to raise their children with freedom from government systems and institutions (Ray, 2000a).
Lyman(2006) writes about the definition, history, and current social importance of homeschooling in the United States. The author defines the education which is provided at home instead of school as homeschooling. She sates thatearlier homeschooling was confined mostly to the handicapped children who were not fit along with the regular students, who need extra care and the wealthier classes who wanted their children to be prepared for university studies. She continues to give an information that the number of families considering their children to have their schooling at home is increasing every year with the awareness of the positive traits of homeschooling followed bythe research work by the educational specialists, even while other education
However, contrary to popular belief, one doesn’t have to be trained in any way in order to teach their child. Not only that, but whether one is trained or not doesn’t necessarily affect the education of a child. In a study conducted by Patrick Basham he states, “To the possible dismay of professional educators, … parents who are trained teachers do not seem to get significantly better results than amateurs. Nor do differences in education or income produce any discernible variation; regardless of family income, home-schooled students score between the 82nd and 92nd percentiles on the SAT, the national American college entrance exam.” (Byfield, Home is)This means that whether a parent is trained or not, homeschooled children still consistently score higher than average on standardized
Cox, a professional writer for the CQ Researcher, compiles information for and against homeschooling and its impact on fundamental American values. Her argument condemns homeschooling for threatening the American public school system. Cox states that public education is what enables democracy to work well as it levels the playing field allowing all both rich and poor opportunity to acquire an education. She also combats studies that show that home schooled parents are more likely to be involved in civic affairs with a conclusion from the Education Department that says, “We have reason to believe that the organizations and practices involved in private and home schooling, in themselves, tend to foster public participation in civic affairs” showing that there is not conclusive evidence that just home schooled parents are more involved. Cox addresses the fact that many parents are realizing the importance of their involvement in their children’s education, and that, “public education [is] the great equalizer in a democracy.” Without public education we cannot be equal. Cox knows that public schools are not perfect, but is an advocate for making them better for the good of
The screeching decibels of my alarm clock woke me at five-thirty that morning. Football practice the day before completely destroyed my body leaving my arms and legs almost unmovable. All my strength was used to stand that morning. My brother told me to stop complaining and get ready for school. He was older and always bossed me around. “I don’t want to go to school” I exclaimed! “What are you going to do, sit at home and stay dumb?” He said. That is not a bad idea I thought. I can teach myself. I imagined the possibility of being homeschooled. I knew homeschooling was not an option for me. My mother worked two jobs and was hardly home to check my homework. If it was an option, homeschooling would be my choice. Homeschooling is a better choice than a Public School education. Homeschooling offers
An estimated 4 million children are currently home schooled with a 15-20% yearly growth rate. According to a California study by researcher Dr. Brian [D.] Ray, 92 percent of school superintendents believe that home learners are emotionally unstable, deprived of proper social development and too judgmental of the world around them. The latest claim against home schooling suggests that home schoolers are potential child abusers. Mr. Ron Barnard, a Holly High School teacher says that he would prefer public schooling for his children because of the peer socialization, extra curricular, and mandated curriculum. Public schooling is more efficient in educating our youth than traditional home schooling.
While the majority choose to do so for academics, the reasoning goes beyond simply that. Homeschool families are often stereotyped as extremely religious and attempting to hide their children from the corruption and sin of the world. Families that do keep children out for these reasons are still prevalent within the homeschooling community; my mother contemplated homeschooling me and my brothers for this reason, and one of my best friends is homeschooled in a religious home. As homeschooling grows more mainstream, more families believe that public school squashes a child’s creativity and attempts to conform all children into the same person. Lynn Schnaiberg, a writer for Education Weekly, gives the reasons for four homeschooling families in her article “Staying Home from School.” In this article, the first family, the Scandora’s, believe “learning is not a product of teaching” and that their children should be free to learn at whatever pace they want. Another family featured in Schnaiberg’s article, the Collins family, is dissatisfied with the Baltimore city schools, which had some of the lowest test scores in the state. The Hoyt family has two children who are considered “gifted.” Because public schools do not give proper attention
In the recent times, home schooling has been the most sought mode of learning by the American parents. In fact, it estimated that over 1 million children in America are now undergoing home schooling (Cooper, 2005). Although this form of learning is legally acceptable, parents are entrusted with teaching and coaching their children in all subjects. In addition, parents can also hire private tutors for their children as part of home schooling. This form of learning is aimed at ensuring that parents commit themselves in ensuring their children are able to learn like other kids in public schools.
“Is getting a good education important to you?” Most people when asked this question would answer, “Yes.” This is because it teaches us valuable life skills and prepares us to communicate and engage with others in the world. Education has taken on many forms over the years, and one of the more successful components of education has been homeschooling. Once considered a criminal act of defiance, homeschooling is now legally an option in all fifty states for parents to consider, and it has a substantial
Today, many parents are homeschooling their children. A U.S. Department of Education’s report shows that approximately 1.5 million children were being homeschooled in 2007 (Lips & Feinberg, 2008). This is almost 3 percent of all school age children (Lips & Feinberg, 2008). A private researcher, the National Home Education Research Institute, estimates 2.5 million children were being homeschooled in the 2007 – 2008 academic years (Lips & Feinberg, 2008). By either count, homeschooling is growing exponentially.
One might ask why some parents decide to home school their children rather than send them to public school to receive a traditional public education. In his article, “What Have We Learned About Homeschooling,” Eric Isenberg offers data which says, “Families choose to homeschool their children for both academic and religious reasons” (407). Even so, most people claim that public school offers the perfect environment for learning and developing. They argue
Rivero, Lisa. The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When It's Right for Your Family. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print.
There are many reasons for homeschooling a child. These reasons include, religious reasons, lack of a good public school district, and distrust of any school district for one’s child, to name a few. Many professionals are completely against the practice of home schooling, says Thomas Shannon, executive director of the National School Board Association. He says that home schooling is “a giant step backward into the 17th century. (Stencel, 1994)
Homeschooling is a rising alternative in children’s education. As with any other major movement there have been doubts and debates as well as support and promotion for this educational approach. Homeschooling was once the norm in society before there was a public school system. But the parents involved in homeschooling feel very strongly about the positive outcomes that it has brought about in the lives and success of their children. It has once again surfaced and become popular but there are several people who question the possible negative effects this option creates.