In “Home Schooling: A Personal Decision,” Karen White, journalist, presents an article in favor of home-schooling when students need time for extra-curricular activities. She also presents the idea that home-schooling provides a quality education. Home-schooling affords ballet dancers an avenue to spend more time on these activities, since ballet requires large amounts of practice time. While she persuasively argued that home-schooling allows ballet students to devote more time to dance, White’s claim was not effective in offering evidence that it offers a quality education. White’s article discusses the need for a home-based education in order to create more time for ballet practice or performances. In view of the fact that home-schooling …show more content…
Was White home-schooled? Did she home-school her children? How is she qualified to write this article? These questions are left unanswered and does nothing to instill confidence that she is an authority on home-schooling. When arguing that home-schooling is a flexible option for dance students, White provides quotes from ballet dancers and their parents. This strategy is more than sufficient, as the families are the only ones qualified to report whether home-schooling created more time for ballet. White’s article quickly changes focus as she discusses the effectiveness of home-schooling. White expresses the concerns of a parent when she writes that Kristen Ni’s mother “was against the idea of homeschooling until Kristen found a challenging correspondence program from Indiana University” (77). No explanation is given as to why a university would offer a home-schooling program for a high school student, or what made the program challenging, leaving these questions unanswered as well. White often discusses college programs, which essentially have nothing to do with home-schooling. She writes that Phyllis Papa’s twins graduated from Richard Stockton College and that Bearden was accepted to the University of Utah, though he withdrew as discussed above, but these examples are off …show more content…
It is assumed that the reader already understands exactly how much time is needed for ballet practices, classes, and performances in order to fully participate, as well as inferring that a knowledge of the complexities of home-schooling is common knowledge. These assumptions are fair, considering that the article is published in a magazine for ballet dancers, however, she fails to consider other audiences as the article is read. White also assumes that most parents have already considered such an important decision. She writes, “Parents of ballet students say they did extensive research on the different curricula available and had endless talks with other parents who home school” (77). Are we to assume that all parents have taken this course of action? White also infers that the debate on home-schooling versus a traditional education to create more time for ballet emphasizes a tipping point at which a dancer must become serious about ballet. She shares Page Finley’s sentiments, “I started ballet late, at age 10. With home-schooling, I could take private class, and it was very beneficial to my ballet career” (77). Though this may have enabled Page to accelerate her ballet career due to the flexibility of home-schooling, it offers no evidence that homeschooling safeguards a ballet career. White seems to assume that home-schooling does not
Ballet has been an art form since the late fifteenth century, but society did not truly see the impact of ballet until the nineteenth century. Modern day thinkers possess the idea that ballet began with tutus and pointe shoes, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that this opinion was observed. Ballet has come a long way. It has survived the turmoil of many wars and has changed itself by accepting new ideas and impressing the audience with its unique stylistic views.
Homeschooling offers flexibility and can be a stress reliever for many. Home school gives children the opportunity to learn when they learn best, whether that be in the morning or in the afternoon. Some children prefer to work alone others with their peers. The parents will determine what their child’s learning style is. If the child need more or less time on a subject then they will have the chance to go over the subject as many time it is necessary for the student to learn it, or in the other hand if they completely comprehend the subject they can make a decision to skip it. A flexible schedule gives these options and many more to students compared to public or private schooling.
From the reading, I was most interested in the section regarding ballet training. The text states the recommended age for ballet training is eight years old. I truly thought this was crazy because I started ballet at three years old. The text also explains that children who are preparing for ballet classes typically wear soft glove slippers on their feet to allow them to get used to the feeling of Pointe shoes. When I first began ballet class, my instructor encouraged us to purchase ballet shoes until we were ten years old. At the age of ten, we were given the option to begin using Pointe shoes. I remember I was so excited to get my first pair of Pointe shoes because I thought they were stunning and graceful, until my feet began to bleed.
Parents withdraw children from school for concerns that are not being managed to their satisfaction. Bullying manifest, basic skills being reinforced poorly, and no one on one interaction, consequently, dissatisfaction within the public school system exists. Under those circumstances, homeschooling in some cases is necessary. Children who are homeschooled apprehend various social settings, maintain the offbeat school scheduling, and acquire knowledge from diverse sources other than teachers, while still maintaining a sturdy set of skills.
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.
Ballet is a beautiful and romantic type of performance art. It originated in the Italian court systems in the 15th century (Jonas). Since its origination, ballet has undergone many changes and gained worldwide recognition. Filled with elaborate costumes, cheering audiences, lights, weightless movements and beauty; ballet is admired by many. On the magical stage ballerinas can become whoever they wan to be, and perform in a world of fantasy. For these reasons, children, especially little girls, all over the world dream of becoming ballerinas when they grow up. However, becoming a professional ballerina is an extremely difficult accomplishment, in which few will achieve (Kelso 1). The world of ballet may seem to be filled with glitz and glamor but, behind the curtain there is an entirely different story. There are extreme demands and pressures put on these young dancers to be very thin and nearly perfect. Some of which include body and weight demands, competition, and social pressures. These constant pressures can lead to a negative body-image and even debilitating eating disorders (Price and Pettijohn).
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
It is important to note that it is a right for the children to have a quality education. In this aspect, reasonable learning environments are a critical factor contributing to children education. All parents want their children to have an access to quality and better education. In the quest for such, parents always seek learning environments with competent teachers and better learning facilities. It is therefore, common to see parents always having a choice to make between taking their children to public schools, private school or have the children taught at home. Different opinion about home schooling and public school has recently been a subject of contention. Either way, the two forms of learning should offer the learning child with a better education. Nevertheless, each of the two forms of learning environments should be supported by valid arguments as discussed below.
Studies have shown year after year that homeschooled students consistently perform just as well as (or in many cases better than) traditionally schooled students on standardized academic exams. But very rarely does anyone ask why this is, or what caused the student to do so well, because they are usually too concerned with questions about the student’s social life or if they would be able to handle the transition into college. Therefore, my thesis statement is: Homeschooled students often achieve higher academic success and are more active in their communities than traditionally schooled students, due to a personalized approach to learning that emphasizes individuality. My research paper will debunk some popular myths about homeschooling, and give the real reasons why homeschoolers are so successful.
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 options for school that every child has. There is the option of private school, pubic school, boarding school, and home school. In the case of home schooling, there are simply too many disadvantages for the child though out the educational process. There are many reasons for home schooling 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, Thomas Shannon; executive director of the National School Board Association says that home schooling is “a giant step backward into the 17th century. (Stencel, 1994) These disadvantages include, grading, laws on home schooling, social atmosphere, education and the quality of the teacher.
...l that it is a decision that a parent needs to make, based on what they feel are important standards for learning. Home schooling provides a more relaxed environment, with a one on one learning environment and a flexible schedule. It also provides a pace that is best for the child, an environment on areas children want to focus on as well as confident student who doesn¦Ðt have to deal with the feelings of others. However, it decreases the socialization of the child, less exposure to different ethnicities and a limited view of the real world. The parents probably do not have the knowledge they need to teach, there are more distractions to deal with and parents may not know how to teach. These ideas are serious to think about and only add to the controversial idea of home schooling.
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.