This article recently ran in Savvy Kids of Arkansas and I thought I would share it with all of you. Enjoy!
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My family of four recently moved. After one moves to a new home and finally unpacks those last few boxes that linger in the recesses of the garage, the polite thing to do is invite over close friends and family for the grand tour of the new home. Although we still have a few pictures to hang and a peach-colored bathroom to transform, we have opened the doors to our home and welcomed in those dear to us.
Our home tour is a bit different than those on television design shows. There is no television that magically appears for what seems to be an ordinary piece of furniture nor are there any crazy paint colors (with the exception of that peach bathroom). Ours is a typical home in a typical suburban neighborhood. The tour of our home is relatively standard as well. One can travel from the living room, make a turn at the kitchen and then step through our school room.
Yes, our new home has a school room because we are a homeschooling family.
Homeschooling is on the rise in theUnited States. Despite being a relatively young movement that first gained steam in the late 1960’s, schooling at home has become the education choice for over two million American children. Homeschooling is no longer a choice just made by the stout religious or rural family, but rather it is a choice made by thousands of families across the nation for a variety of reasons.
History behind Homeschooling
Before 1850, most children were being educated in private schools or at home by tutors or parents. It was not until 1870 that all states offered free public education in the form of elementary schools. Fast-forward to 1964, when public education has found its place in American culture. During this time, the book How Children Fail was published, supposing the idea that public education is failing American children rather than benefiting them. Many consider this book to be the initial propellant behind the homeschool movement. During this time, parents begin to fight for the right to school at home.
By 1980, the homeschooling movement gained steam despite the fact that it was illegal in thirty states to educate one’s child at home. Various states prosecuted families for educating at home. It was not until the mid 1990’s that homeschooling would be made legal in all fifty states. As of last year, there were reportedly 2.5 million children being educated at home, with that number steadily on the rise.
Reasons for Homeschooling
Homeschooling is not merely for one subgroup of individuals, but rather a choice being made by a diverse group of people for various reasons. Some prefer keeping the family at home together, some live in areas where alternative educational opportunities are sub-par while others choose to stay home in order to take a non-conventional approach to educating their children. The most common reasons people decide to school at home include the desire to provide a specific religious or moral instruction, a concern over the traditional school environment and a sense of dissatisfaction with the education choices (both public and private) available.
Benefits to Educating at Home
All parents, regardless of their approach to schooling, would agree that they desire for their child’s education to be beneficial and purposeful. No one desires for their child to simply breeze through his schooling without really grasping a concept or learning something of value. There are many benefits to schooling at home, one of those being the ability to tailor one’s education to his or her specific learning style, strengths and weaknesses. When the teacher to student ratio is 1:1, in-depth, personal learning can occur. Other benefits of homeschooling include being able to make the world one’s classroom by taking learning outside the walls of a school and finding educational opportunities in real-life settings. Strengthening the family unit (traditional or non-traditional) is also a benefit of homeschooling. Many families consider it a great blessing to be able to be together during the day, sharing in learning and in familial activities. A notable benefit to homeschooling centers on college. Many children who are homeschooled enter college earlier than their peers. They also are considered to be better prepared for college life because they have had previous experience with self-directed learning.
Accomplishing school at home
Many people wonder how school can possibly be accomplished at home. What does homeschooling look like? How is the day structured? Are the kids simply watching TV all day while doing a workbook page on occasion?
Just like in every public or private school, no two homeschool “classrooms” are the same. Some people homeschool in a traditional manner with a set schedule while other families approach schooling in a relaxed style, fitting in academics alongside their daily life. When schooling at home, one can choose from curriculum that is entirely religious based, that takes a classical approach to education or that is computer-centered. Although no two families are likely accomplishing homeschool in a set way, they are keeping records as required by their state of residence and ensuring that their children are meeting education goals and milestones.
Because of the rise in popularity of homeschooling, homeschool networks, co-ops and learning communities are in abundance. The homeschooling family is rarely alone in their pursuit of education, but rather have ways to plug into their community that helps them meet educational goals.
As for my family, we homeschool because we wanted our children to be educated in a particular manner that challenged their abilities and that allowed them to grow in the presence of both adult and child company. We are part of a wonderful learning community as well as an enrichment co-op. Our homeschooling days vary, but we generally get school accomplished between the hours of 8:00am and noon, leaving the afternoon open for extracurricular activities and extension projects. Our school room is quaint, filled with books, desks and a white board. Is this the path we will continue to take with the remainder of our children’s education? We are not sure. Right now, we simply make home and school one.
