Is homeschooling the right decision for you ?

Deciding to home school your kid is not a simple & easy decision to make.It means a lot of sacrificing & a great deal of change in lifestyle of all those involved. It is very important that both parents agree to try homeschooling & will be very difficult if one of you is against it.No doubt these will be your most rewarding & pleasant experiences ,as acknowledged by a majority of parents who chose homeschooling.You & your spouse will have to take into account & think carefully these points…

1) Time commitment - Homeschooling will take up a lot of time in your day. There are lessons to plan & prepare, papers & worksheets to assess, field trips, park visits, music & art classes, reading, playing & /or sports & the extra curricular activities. And then you also need time for your selves besides the other routine household chores.

2) Financial pressure - Homeschooling is relatively inexpensive; but if the family is used to two incomes some sacrifices will have to be made,as one of the two of you will have to give up your job.Homeschooling is a full time job with total commitment & no salary.

3) Personal sacrifice- Since your child will be with you 24 x 7,you shall have certainly very little time for yourself.You will have to make efforts to set aside time for your self .You will also have to switch off the TV & phone ringer during “school” time & this rule will apply to all at home.

4) Being organized- You have to be more than fairly good at being aware, prioritizing, planning & organizing your childs studies/ curriculum.Not only will you have to consider the current academics but also prepare the child for college & life ahead by guiding their thinking, value system and their habits.

5) Maths & science –Students will be at a loss if parents choose to teach only those subjects that they are comfortable with.Maths & science are two subjects that are most neglected.If the parents cant manage these it would be a better idea to hire a tutor than to neglect. 

6) Acceptance-This is one issue that dogs almost every homeschooling parent.Be prepared to get unwanted & unsolicited advice & fears & resistance towards homeschooling by people, friends, co-workers & also your own family who have never even remotely given a thought on this issue. Most strangest ideas about ruining your childs future ,how college admission will become elusive,how the child will become a social misfit,how a lack of competitive spirit will not get her in the rat race,how could you do this to your own kid…& other such concerns will crop up time & again as is the case with any out of the box idea .It would be interesting to know & quote others an American education survey that revealed ---One in twenty-five home school graduates is a National Merit semifinalist. In public schools, the national norm is one in every two hundred students is a National Merit semifinalist !

Isable Shaw a homeschooling parent sums it up very succinctly in her website school.familyeducation.com-“ Like any activity that challenges mainstream thinking, homeschooling may be seen as an oddity at best, or even as a threat to those who are unable to accept ordinary parents succeeding where trained professionals often fail. My family has developed a bit of a tough exterior over the years, but negative comments and criticisms still filter in occasionally. If you are unable to live "outside of the box," then homeschooling is not for you. “

    
          Be honest with yourself and your spouse and decide whether or not you are willing to devote the time and energy to the task. It may be best for some children to stay in school.

Why homeschooling ?

Homeschooling is fast gaining phenomenal popularity & growth. Parents find it as the perfect answer to give well rounded,superior quality & focused education that is attuned specifically to their childs needs, learning styles, personalities, and interests – at a far lesser cost than that of a regular private or public school, right in the comforts of home. Bad influences,bullying, teasing, peer pressure to fit in the group, incompetent school & lack of moral & religious education are some other factors considered by homeschooling parents for their decision.

Home-schooling has proved itself with the excellent academic achievements of home-schooled children. Obviously great care is taken by the homeschooling parents to do the best to ensure their children's work is of a high academic standard.

If you are a parent trying to explore the homeschooling option for your child, then consider the following questions to make a decision...

1) Are you dissatisfied with the ”one size fits all “ approach of conventional public or private schooling.

2) Do you believe that all & sundry that was drilled in your head in the name of education is or was ever at all relevant in your life.?...

3) Does your child’s education consists of drab homework, writing / copying printed notes, expensive & irrelevant projects & learning by rote .

4) Was teaching really an ambition for the teacher as a chosen career? Does the teacher really have an aptitude & competence to teach? Can she teach your child effectively in a class of 40…is your kid getting lost somewhere?

5) Is your intelligent & gifted child forced to slow down to average or does he need more help & instead overlooked & left behind ?

6) Do you have the time to devote for homeschooling?

7) Do you want to spend more time with your child living,learning,& playing?

8) Most important ?---Do you not feel that your child deserves something better than what the conventional educational system offers.