In today’s world, parents are taking a more active role than ever in the education of their children. Traditional schooling has been around for centuries, but there’s a growing trend of parents choosing to pull their children from traditional schooling and opting for homeschooling.
Homeschooling is a very customizable form of education that allows parents to become more involved in the education process, often teaching the material themselves. With homeschooling, parents can customize the curriculum and education plan to suit their child’s needs and interests. In the past several years, homeschooling has become increasingly popular.
In this article, we will explore the reasons why homeschooling is becoming so popular and the benefits associated with it.
Rise in Popularity
The number of homeschooled students is reported to have increased steadily in the past several years. The number of students being homeschooled has been estimated to be well over two million over the last decade.
In the 2019-2020 school year, homeschooling nationally reached an estimated two million students for the first time. This increase in homeschooling has been largely credited to the increase of online learning and virtual lessons, which make it much easier for parents to get started teaching their children from home. One explanation for the increase in homeschooling’s popularity is the concern parents have with their children’s safety in traditional classrooms.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of contagion in public schools becomes more of an issue. Parents have started to feel the need to keep their children out of a traditional classroom setting where exposure to viruses is possible.
Still, many parents were already looking for alternate forms of schooling before the pandemic. The ability to customize schooling is also a major factor in the rise in popularity of homeschooling. With homeschooling, parents are able to tailor the curriculum and workload to fit their child’s needs, whether that be fast-tracking lessons or accommodating special needs.
Approaches to Homeschooling
Homeschooling is not a one-size-fits-all model. There are a few models to consider when beginning homeschooling.
The first is the classical model. The classical home-based curriculum follows a method of teaching that has been used since antiquity. The teaching follows a specific structure, often leading students through the major periods of western-civilized history.
It’s broken down into three phases: the grammar stage, the dialectic stage and the rhetoric stage. Other models that parents can choose from include the Charlotte Mason method and the Montessori model. The Charlotte Mason method is a method of home education based upon the works of British educator Charlotte Mason.
This method places a focus on focusing on character formation and moral development. The Montessori model focuses on providing an enjoyable learning experience for children.
Students are taught to take an individual approach to learning, with an emphasis on self-expression, independent thinking and problem solving. Parents can also opt for an unschooling model. Unschooling is a more relaxed approach to home education where children are encouraged to pursue their own interests and goals.
Benefits of Homeschooling
When considering a homeschooling lifestyle, parents should be aware of all the potential benefits it could bring. For starters, homeschooling offers a flexible approach to learning. Not only are parents able to customize the education plan, but they can also adjust the pace of lessons.
Homeschooling also gives parents more control over the instruction given because they become the primary teachers of their own children. Another potential benefit is the opportunity to allow children to explore their passions.
Not only do parents get the chance to work with their children on subjects that are of interest, but they can also ensure that their children get a well-rounded education. In addition, homeschooling can provide a lighter workload for children, which can help foster healthy, balanced lifestyles. Finally, homeschooling can also offer social benefits to children.
It’s been found that homeschooled students are generally better integrated into society once they leave the home schooling environment. There are even social media groups and formal events devoted to homeschoolers who have similar interests and have a need to connect with like-minded peers.
Conclusion
Homeschooling is becoming an ever-increasingly popular option for parents who want to take a more active role in the education of their children. With homeschooling, parents can customize their child’s curriculum and education plan to fit their needs and interests. Not only that, but homeschooling can also offer a wide variety of benefits, both educational and social.
With the rise of new virtual learning methods, parents can also access more information and resources in order to help get started. All in all, homeschooling has gained more acceptance over the years and is gaining the attention of more and more parents.