Introduction
For children to achieve their maximum potential, many parents are asking themselves: ‘’Is homeschooling quicker than traditional schooling?’’ As the debate rages, there is no straightforward answer.
Homeschooling can take many different forms and individual situations and preferences impact the ultimate decision. This article will address the potential positives and negatives of homeschooling and provide insight into whether it can be completed at a quicker pace than traditional schooling.
What is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling is when a child is taught at home, usually by one or both of their parents, instead of being enrolled in a traditional educational environment. It can happen for myriad reasons including, but not limited to, religious reasons, health reasons, and educational environment reasons. There are many different approaches to homeschooling, ranging from a structured, curriculum based approach to an more unstructured, child-led approach.
For the purpose of this article, we will be looking predominantly at the more structured approaches to homeschooling.
Pros of Homeschooling
Above all other benefits of homeschooling, many parents cite being able to give their children individual attention and customized learning plans as the most important positive. Homeschooling allows parents to tailor their children’s education to maximize their strengths, while also providing extra help with weaker areas.
Another benefit of homeschooling is that it gives children the opportunity to explore potentially difficult topics in a supportive and comfortable environment, such as sex education, death and cultural values. With the help of supportive parents leading the lesson, children can feel safe asking questions and exploring certain topics while learning in the comfort of their own homes. Along with providing knowledge and instilling values, homeschooling parents are also able to offer their children life skills.
From basic financial literacy to valuable cooking and cleaning skills, homeschooling can facilitate the teaching of a wide range of skills, providing life-long benefits to children.
Cons of Homeschooling
The most cited downside of homeschooling is the high expectations and burden it can place on parents. Homeschooling is a full-time job for many families, and parents may be required to dedicate their entire day to teaching and so miss out on employment opportunities. This can put a tremendous strain on resources, and the resulting stress can benefit neither parent nor child.
In some instances, homeschooling could also create socialization problems for children. While some parents go to great lengths to ensure that their children have ample exposure to other people in a variety of environments, some children may not have the same social opportunities that they would have had in school.
Lastly, homeschooling may not equip children with the best academic guidance, if their parents do not have the knowledge and resources necessary to provide the same quality of education. This can lead to the children being unable to access higher education in the future and become specialists in certain fields.
Is Homeschooling Quicker than Traditional Schooling?
Overall, homeschooling creates an environment of efficiency and flexibility, with the majority of homeschoolers reporting that they complete their curricula more quickly and flexibly than in traditional schooling. This is because in homeschooling, the child is often allowed to immerse themselves in a subject to the full extent of their interests, allowing them to truly ‘drill down’ into topics. Parents and teachers in traditional schooling, conversely, often have to move on due to class, age or budget constraints.
Homeschooling provides a unique advantage in being able to access and apply a breadth of subject knowledge quickly, due to the absence of restrictions created by timetables, syllabi and other traditional school structures. Furthermore, homeschoolers are able to take ownership of their learning and take whatever time they need to master a certain subject or topic, meaning that time can often be saved overall.
In addition, the one-on-one teaching model in homeschool drastically reduces time spent in transitions, such as waiting for teachers to begin class or waiting for individual instruction. Should a student not understand a certain concept, they have the ability to stay with it until they’re satisfied with their understandingto move on.
Should I Choose Homeschooling?
Whether or not homeschooling is the right choice for you and your child depends on a variety of factors. Though it can be a good choice for some families and provide a more efficient way for the student to complete their academic studies, it is important to consider the life skills, social interactions and guidance from professionals that can be obtained in a traditional educational setting. In conclusion, whether homeschooling is quicker than traditional schooling depends on the individual student and their learning style, as well as the teaching style of the parent or tutor.
There is no universal answer to this question as every student and family situation is unique and must be taken into consideration.
Conclusion
In summary, homeschooling provides students and parents with an innovative approach to learning which may prove to be more efficient when complete curriculum can be tailored to individual needs. Though there are potential downsides to homeschooling, such as socialization issues and the increased stress on parents, it can be an valuable alternative to traditional schooling. Ultimately, any decision must be based on individually assessing the learning environment best suited to the student, the potential opportunities and challenges of both traditional schooling and homeschooling, and the overall impact it could have on the family.