Homeschool vs Public School
Do you send your kids to public schools or do you homeschool them? That is a hot topic for many, and can open a conversation that can last for hours on the topic of homeschool vs public school. I for one am pro public school. I am not 100% against homeschool and do think there are times that it may be needed if it is done right. But I do not think it is the best choice for most kids.
Some say the topic homeschool vs public school boils down to getting free babysitting. Or parents taking the lazy way out by sending them to public school. I do not think that is what happens when parents want to send their kids to public schools.
So here is my take on homeschool vs public school. I just ask that if you are thinking about going the homeschooling route, you read these thoughts over first.
Violence & Bullying:
One of the largest reasons that someone says they choose homeschool vs public school is to keep their children safe. However, we hear of so much bullying that takes place online and sometimes even while the child is at home. So how is keeping them home, keeping them from that? Plus, now days are you really safe anywhere? I mean you can turn on the TV on any given day and hear of a shooting, bombing or even stabbings at places such as theaters, big well-known department stores, banks and just about anywhere that you may take your child on any given day. So no, you and your child are never 100% safe.
Diploma:
They say that homeschool vs public school diploma is just as good as the other. However, I have found this is not true! I am someone who was taken out of school going into the 6th grade. I followed through and received my high school diploma from a send away school. Back then the school was ICS. When applying for jobs, I found that most of the time someone with a public school diploma would be favored over my homeschool diploma. No, I am not saying that I could never get a job as I have had many over the years. I have been house keeping at a resort, I have worked for NY & Co., worked for a janitorial company and was a manager at a newspaper up north for many years until leaving that job to become a full-time blogger. Having that homeschool diploma just made it harder getting those jobs.
Socialize:
If you are someone that has many friends and can have your kids around lots of others that is great! But what about having them around others that don’t have the same views or beliefs as you? It is great to have friends and family that have the same beliefs as you, however, there comes a time when that child/adult will be thrown into the job world. When that happens, they need to be able to stand up for themselves and for what they believe. If they have never been exposed to that as a child, it can be a very large shock. They need to develop those skills as they grow, just as much as they need their education.
Real Learning:
Ok, I know this will be a hit to some that may be already homeschooling, sorry if it hits you the wrong way. But one of the things that bother me about homeschooling is that it gets put on the back burner very often. No, I know this is not the case for every single homeschooling parent out there, but it is a reality for MOST. Everyone always sets out with that will not be how I do things, I will be sure to put learning first, then life happens. It starts with, oh we will cover your spelling words when we get back from swimming. But then you get home and it is time to do dinner, so that gets done. Then it is getting late and everyone is tired, so let’s just go over them tomorrow. Then tomorrow comes and you have double the school work to cover that day (if nothing comes up). More often than not, this is how it starts and you find yourself trying to study a week or two of work in a day.
But what about when you select public schools, life still happens. Yes, life does still happen! However, you are held more accountable to making sure your kids attend school. If they do need to miss a day or days, you normally have to give a reason or a Dr note. Simply missing three weeks of school, to do whatever, is not an easy thing to do. Plus when kids get that learning daily and not just hurry and cram for a test the day before, they are more likely to remember it and have it stick for years to come.
After reading my take on this, you may be saying that it sounds like you are do not agree with homeschool at all. No, that is not how I feel. There are times when a special needs child needs more one on one or a child that has a learning disability. Cases like those may do better being taught at home. I do however feel that even if you are in this position, you still need to make sure that learning comes FIRST before fun and play. You need to make sure, that they have playdates or play in the park around other kids that may not have their views on things so they can develop those social skills. Homeschooling can be done, it just needs to be done right!
After reading my take on homeschool vs public school, what are your thoughts?
S. Davis says
Homeschool vs Public School
A deep and very controversial subject with pros and cons on both sides.
Having been a parent who has gone both routes I want to add my two-cents to this topic, for what’s it worth.
I will start off by saying one of my main reasons for homeschooling was pretty self centered. I REALLY loved spending time with my children. I enjoyed seeing their eyes light up when some concept we have been working on finally clicks. I wouldn’t have missed that for the world, it’s like watching their first steps or hearing their first words. But then I was a stay at home mom because I choose seeing those things over a career. My career of choice was being a mom.
Bullying- Sad to say children can be mean, often making fun of others to make themselves feel better or more important. What’s even more sad is they learn this from adults. And yes this sometimes leads to violence, sometimes on the part of those receiving the actions and sometimes on the part of those dealing it out. When we hear of theater shootings, school shootings etc….it is often the result of children or adults who were abused, mistreated and bullied. I have never heard of a school shooting that was done by a homeschooled child, not to say it hasn’t happened I’ve just personally never heard of it.
This world is an ugly place sometimes and all too soon children will learn this, but if I can help my children keep their innocence just one day longer, then it’s a day well spent. All to soon they will come to learn how ugly reality can be. In today’s society ugly is seen as the norm, perhaps because we don’t see enough beauty.
While it’s true cyber bullying is another fact of life in today’s world, often cyber bullies are the very children our children met at school. My other question would be what are young children doing running around in cyber space unsupervised? Isn’t that a lot like turning your child lose alone in a big city full of strangers?
Diploma-I can’t really weigh in on that one, I have my GED. I do have to say I’ve always been forgent to be able and find a job when I needed one, even before I earned my GED. I do know of some with public school diplomas or even collage degrees who have not been able to find work, and There are those who never finished school and did very well, John D. Rockefeller being one, Henry Ford being another. Not that I’m an advocate for quitting school…but just saying.
Socialization – I attended public school growing up but I’m not a very social person. I like people, I just find many are to judgmental of others or to caught up in material things for my liking. Social skills are important and can be both good and bad. I do think it’s important for children to have friends, but that can be done wither you homeschool or not.
I understand and have heard it said over and over that kids need to learn how to stand up for themselves from experience, isn’t that kind of like teaching a child to swim by throwing them into a lake….some will swim…and some will sink. I’m personally a firm believer in building a strong foundation before you put on the roof.
Real Learning- Certainly I agree that for the most part public schools offer more scheduled learning, and routine. However, some homeschoolers are extremely organized. I have a friend who has to be the most organized person I know and she home schools, I think she is even more organized than any school could possibly be.
However one of my biggest problems with public schools is I feel they spend to much time teaching SOLs and not enough time teaching children. Homeschool gives you more ability to personalize lessons to the child. Homeschool allows for a child to be in second grade math, third grade science and fifth grade reading, and still feel great about them-self.
I do agree life sometimes gets in the way of routine, sometimes school work is put on the back burner for the day because your goat decides to kid, but is learning how to deliver a goat any less REAL learning, doesn’t that come under hands on science or sex education? I guess real learning is all in the eyes of what one hopes to become, when it comes to deciding between algebra and learning to milk a goat, plant a garden or harvest a crop….I’ll go with the later every time.
I guess when push comes to shove there’s no clear cut answer, no right or wrong. It all comes down to the individual family and the individual child. Teachers are some of the greatest role models your children will ever have, so be sure wither its public education, private or homeschool, that your child grows up to learn who they are, and what they stand for or they just may fall for anything.
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
LOL, yes I know how you feel on this subject of Homeschool vs Public School mom. I think this is one topic that we will just have to agree to disagree. =)
S. Davis says
Agreed….but love ya