Evaluation of Advantages and Disadvantages of Home Schooling - Report Example

Evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of home schooling Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code & Name: Date of Submission Advantages and disadvantages of home schooling There are different definitions for the term ‘home schooling. However, this concept can be basically perceived to mean an education alternative to conventional practices in schools. In this case, the parents or the guardians undertake the primary role in educating their children rather than surrendering that relegating that role to either the private or state schools (Home Schooling Review, 2003). Despite the fact that education for children is compulsory for children in a certain age bracket, schooling is not. This is best exemplified in England where education for children aged between five to sixteen years is compulsory. This is contrary to schooling whereby the parents possess the ultimate right to conduct the education of their children at home which reduces their obligation to enroll their children into schools (Hopwood et. al, 2007). There are diverse propositions that has been forwarded for or against home schooling practice but the basic fact remains that the decision by parents in regard to schooling are made after putting into considerations of preferences, income limitations, leisure time availability and the quality of local schools in their environs (Isenberg, 2007). Whichever decision that a parent arrives at (whether preference of home schooling or conventional schooling), there are some inherent advantages as well as disadvantages associated with it. However, it is worth noting that when the parents arrive at a consensual decision to educate their children at home, they undertake the financial responsibility of the children education among other provisions that will ensure that their children gain an education exposure which is relevant and efficient to their age, potential and ability (Hopwood et. al, 2007). This paper is thus an effort to give a comprehensive insight into the merits and demerits associated with home schooling. A good understanding of these basic pro and cons can play an important role in helping parent in understanding both the advantages and the disadvantages of the schooling model that they choose for their children and thus aid them in making a well thought decision. This is based on the background that the schooling model that parents choose for their children is endowed with both short and long term implications on the overall development of the children. Advantages of home schooling As previously mentioned, home schooling is endowed with diverse advantages which are cited by parents who opt to educate their children at home. Perhaps the most important benefit associated with home schooling is that it provides an ideal opportunity for the socialization of the children. Mcreynolds (2007) supported this fact by citing that one of the leading advantages of home schooling for socializing children is the cultural opportunities that it can present. In this case, some major shared aspects of our culture, for instance music and art are fundamental in socializing us based on the fact that they provide a good chance to convene together in a social set-up. However, these are the basic aspects which are being eradicated from public schools. This is mostly important in the current world where the aspect of globalization has resulted in cultural erosion at a very alarming rate. Children are exposed to foreign behaviors and values which negatively affect their cultural orientation. This can even go to the extent of affecting their educational performance due to bad influence and their endless efforts to adopt the different cultures that they come across. In this case, homeschooling is perceived as the ideal model which leads to the preservation of distinct cultures, the norms and the values that are embedded therein and important to the mental and psychological development of the child. Secondly, home schooling helps the parents or the guardians take care of the special needs of the children. This has been cited as the major reason behind the increased trend towards the adoption of home schooling model of children with special needs, for instance the disabled. According to a research by Parsons and Lewis (2008), the major presumption of the parents opting to home school their children with special needs was that the children were often unhappy and subjected to depression and stress in school which can emanate from bulling. Other parents cited that when these children are allowed to access their education from a home set-up, they are able to develop or work at their own pace. This validity of these assumptions is debatable, but one evident fact is that the special needs of challenged children are often under-considered or ignored all together in the conventional schools. This presents home schooling as the most suitable model for this category of children since the parent or guardian is able to cater for the special need of the child in a passionate and understanding manner as well as monitor the progress the emotional, psychological development of the child. In addition, based on the fact that home schooling commences at a very tender age, there is an increased possibility of realizing or discovering the ability and the capacity of the child in this early age of development. This is supported by Rothermel (2004) who infers that research has revealed that the pre-school knowledge of a child aged four years is a suitable forecaster of the child’s academic ability in future. In this regard, more efforts can directed towards developing the area in which the child portrays high potential and aptitude rather than wasting massive time and resources in trying to cultivate some abilities that are not inherent in the child. This hypothesis being subjected to intensive criticism from the anti-homeschooling campaigners, who questions the presumption of whether ability is inborn or acquired. However, it is apparent that some abilities are evident at an early age in a child’s life, for instance, athletics as opposed to extensive learning. In this case, the parents can capitalize on this realized potential and bring out the best out of it. Rothermel (2004) suggested that the home schooling model is child-centered and it follows the lead by the child, allowing him/her to learn at his own pace. In this regard, there are no age-related targets and contrary to the targets imposed by adults in the conventional schools, children under the home schooling model are most likely to pursue areas of study that interest them. This is contrary to conventional schools where the child is obliged to engage in academics despite other interests and preferences. This can result in poor academic performance of the child as well as waste an exploited talent. Another factor that can propel the parents’ decision to opt for home schooling for their children is founded on the education quality in the conventional schools. It is worth noting that there is there is no feasible evidence which validates the assumption that the larger amount of time that a child spends in school, the more the leaning time resulting to better academic results (Cuban, cited in Beck, 2010). This phenomenon is best exemplified in Norway whereby due to the enormous tasks of documentation and socialization roles that are mandated to the teachers, this results in reduced energy and teaching time. This has adverse effects on the quality of schools (Beck, 2010). This can be a major rationale behind opting for home schooling. The aspect of education quality can be coupled with the convenience challenge whereby some parents may opt for home based schooling due to the inaccessibility of learning institutions from their place of residence. This is more prevalent in the developing countries where underdeveloped infrastructure can oblige the parents to result in home schooling for their children. In most of these regions, learning institutions are sparsely placed, making the children to walk for long distances in order to access them. This is partially impractical for the children of tender age. In this case, the parents opt for home schooling which offers both convenience and effectiveness in the learning process of the child. The parent can opt to transfer the child into a formal learning institution at an advanced age, but the home schooling will have played an integral part in orienting the child. These are some of the diverse advantages associated with home schooling. Nonetheless, this model of schooling is still confronted by some disadvantages which will be explored in the subsequent section. Disadvantages of home schooling Home schooling is bound to limit the working options and the career opportunities for the parent. This is based on the fact that when the parents weigh the costs and the benefits of educating their children in conventional schools or at home, their preference lies in the conventional schooling as long as they can be able to afford private school tuition or purchase a residential place in a district with high school quality (Isenberg, 2007). This is because the responsibility to provide home schooling for the children by the parents often adds an extra commitment from the parents due to the constant requirement of their presence at home. This can have adverse effects on the career development of the parents, mostly in case of job transfer to a faraway place. In this case, home schooling can be a source of inconvenience rather than being beneficial to both the parent and the child. Conventional schooling provides a better option for the parent since it requires limited presence of the parent in the learning process. Secondly, on has to be cognizant of the fact that the right possessed by the parent to home educate the children is conditional as opposed to being absolute. This is based on the fact that the validity of this right is dependent on the capacity of the parent being in a position to provide education to the child (Monk, 2003). In this regard, some parents are bound to violate and exploit this right through denying quality education to their children in the pretense of providing home schooling. On the contrary, they exploit the children into being a source of domestic labor and the time allocated for schooling is both limited and ineffective. This can prove to be a major shortcoming of home schooling and can necessitate the retrieval of this right to the parents by the authorities. Children who are subjected to home schooling are also bound to have limited scope to education and life in general. This is founded on the background that they are subjected to a singular perspective (parent’s) as opposed to those in formal learning institutions. This can result in ideological rigidity and religious and cultural bias. In addition, home educated children may be faced with challenges in the process of acquiring both literacy and numerical skills. This can be attributed to their parents’ more informal approach to education (Rothermel, 2004). It is apparent that teachers in conventional schools are specifically trained in a specific field which elevates their academic capital in that particular area. Therefore, they are bound to have diverse updated information in that discipline which they pass over to the children. On the contrary, parents who engage in home schooling often possess general information in all fields and best fit the informal definition of ‘jack of all trades but master of none’. Consequently, the children are usually subjected to half-baked information which has negative impacts on their endeavors to pursue specific fields later in life. From the above discourse, it is evident that every schooling model, be it home or conventional schooling is endowed with its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is prudent for the parents to choose the most suitable model for their children in order to generate the best results from the education process. Moreover, they should consider some of the personal factors like their availability to conveniently engage in the schooling process as well as the accessibility of the learning institution. Conclusion Despite conflicting views regarding the suitability of home schooling in the modern times, it is evident that this model is provide multiple advantages both to the child and to the parent. Perhaps the most manifest advantages relate to the fact that it usually tailored to meet the learning preferences, pace and ability of the child. Nonetheless, certain disadvantages may pose some challenges for the suitability of this model in the future, with some proponents suggesting that it is undermines the academic levels in a particular society. However, it is apparent that home schooling has enormous advantages relating to the overall academic development of the child, mostly based on the fact that it is strategically programed to cater for the special needs of the child. References Beck, C.W. (2010). Home education: The social motivation. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 3(1), 71-81. Hopwood V., Oneill, L., Castro, G. & Hodgson, B. (2007). The Prevalence of Home Education in England: A Feasibility Study. Nottingham: York Consulting Limited. Isenberg, E.J (2007). What Have We Learned About Homeschooling?. Peabody Journal of Education. 82(2-3), 387–409. Mcreynolds, K. (2007). Homeschooling. ENCOUNTER: Education for Meaning and Social Justice, 20(2), 36-42. Monk, D. (2003). Home Education: A Human Right?. Evaluation and Research in Education, 17(2&3), 157-166. Parsons, S. & Lewis, A. (2008). The Home-Education of Children with Special Needs or Disabilities in the UK: Views of Parents from an Online Survey. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14 (1), 67-86. Queensland Government (2003). Home Schooling Review, Retrieved April 06, 2012 from http://education.qld.gov.au/publication/production/reports/homeschooling.pdf Rothermel, P. (2004). Home-Education Comparison of Home- and School-Educated Children on PIPS Baseline Assessments. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 2(3) 273–299. Read More