The Disadvantages of Home Schooling
"Home Schooling ? Look Before You Leap"
Are you considering home schooling your children? While you may have focused on the advantages of this form of education, take a moment to think about possible disadvantages of home schooling. Consider the demands of home schooling before you take the plunge.
Answer the following questions with "yes" or "no" to see where you stand on readiness to home school your children.
1.) I am available to stay home and commit many hours to not only instructing my child, but researching subject material, curriculums, and assessments.
2.) I have effective teaching skills and know how to guide my child through the learning process.
3.) I convey accurate subject material.
4.) I understand the academic needs and abilities of my child.
5.) I can provide activities for my child to participate in that work on their socialization skills.
6.) I fully believe in home schooling and hold responsibility for my child’s education.
If you answered "yes" to all these questions then you have tackled the major disadvantages of home schooling. These disadvantages vary in intensity based on individual circumstances, but can be overcome through local support groups and educational resources.
Expertise in each subject area and the art of teaching are among the biggest
disadvantages in home schooling. Certified public school teachers take several courses on teaching methods, strategies, and learning disabilities. Heavy content area specific classes are taken as well.
In addition they must pass the Praxis examination and adhere to state standards before they can teach in the public school system. As a home school parent, you are not required to go through these rigorous courses and examinations. Therefore, you must be honest with your self and accurately assess your abilities.
Time is another factor. Although home schooling schedules are flexible, the academic work must be accomplished one way or another. It is up to you as the parent to keep the learning train running and productive.
Lastly, you will need to deal with people that view home schooling as a lesser form of education. You will need to stick by your choice and feel confident that you are doing what is best for your child.
Home schooling can be extremely rewarding for some and an absolutely nightmare for others. Should you home school? Before deciding read more free home schooling articles by visiting: Home Schooling Guide
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:31 am
[…] The Disadvantages of Home SchoolingWhile you may have focused on the advantages of this form of education, take a moment to think about possible disadvantages of home schooling. Consider the demands of home schooling before you take the plunge. … […]
August 24th, 2007 at 12:48 am
Dear Ms. Tse,
Can you please explain what personal experience you have in homeschooling that would give you the authority to write this article?
As a home educator, I could write an article about all the things I would imagine to be challenging about teaching in the public schools. However, since I’ve never actually *been* a schoolteacher, it would just be a bunch of hot air.
If you want to write about the concerns you have as a public schoolteacher with homeschooling, by all means feel free to do so. But you need to be honest with your readers about your traditional school bias and don’t pretend that you actually know something about the challenges of homeschooling!
August 24th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I would also like to understand your personal experience. If I had never educated at home, I would be much more apt to listen intently to a cautionary statement from one who has felt they failed at homeschooling than someone who has never chosen home education.
***1.) I am available to stay home and commit many hours to not only instructing my child, but researching subject material, curriculums, and assessments.
Well, that depends. It depends on how your approach and your curriculum (or lack thereof). There are also families who feel that they cannot handle all of the instruction and utilize DVD or online curriculum. The possibilities are endless, which is what makes the flexibility of homeschooling amazing.
***2.) I have effective teaching skills and know how to guide my child through the learning process.
See my answer to #1, and throw in a little “know where to go for help, assistance, support, and encouragement - nothing a simple google search on homeschooling won’t fix.” I grow in my teaching skills every single year, just as school teachers do. In some subjects I learn first, so I can then teach. Sometimes we learn simultaneously. That is absolutely okay.
***3.) I convey accurate subject material.
You didn’t directly address this in your extended answers. Sounds as though you are hinting at creationism, etc. Guess we should second guess our private schools, as well. Feel free to correct my assumption.
***4.) I understand the academic needs and abilities of my child.
See answer to #2.
***5.) I can provide activities for my child to participate in that work on their socialization skills.
This is the oldest argument against homeschooling that has long been shown to be a myth and misunderstanding. I’m afraid that you have not had time to be reading current studies on home education. That could possibly be caused by all that forced time in learning teaching methods, strategies, learning disabilities strategies, attending heavy content area specific classes and studying for that stinkin’ Praxis examination.
***6.) I fully believe in home schooling and hold responsibility for my child’s education.
Ummm … I’ll give a hearty okay! Much easier and less scary than saying “I fully believe in public education and know how they so highly hold themselves responsible for my child’s education.” Some of them do. Some of them don’t.
Pardon my sarcasm and humor. I appreciate the fact that you are at least giving the subject consideration. However, your view was so terribly skewed that I fell out of my chair.
August 24th, 2007 at 10:24 am
As a former elementary school teacher and current homeschooling mom, I just had to comment. Even with my masters in elementary education I had a hard time accomplishing the things that you have listed. These are not things that you are taught in college. You learn from experience.
My years in the public school system is what caused me to change my perspective on homeschooling. This is why after 7 years of teaching in the PS I decided to quit and stay home with my daughter. My goal was to learn to homeschool and much to my surprise it was easier than I ever imagined.
All things must be learned. There is no class or professor who can teach you how to teach 20+ children at their own pace and in their own particular learning style. In fact, no one can teach you how to determine these things with a child you have just met and hardly spend any one on one time with. These things can only be accomplished by someone who knows the child and who spends a great deal of time with them. Parents are highly qualified.
I am a bit surprised by your reasons. They don’t seem well thought out or researched. I hope you’ll give it more thought.