Question: I've had it with the public schools in our area. The homework load for my kids is beyond belief. It seems like most of their time is spent preparing for tests or taking tests. Can you tell me what some of the advantages of homeschooling my children might be? -- Disgruntled
Answer: When parents become dissatisfied with the local school, they tend to think of the homeschooling option since private schools are often just too costly. Every year, it has become easier to homeschool with the availability of so many well-developed curriculums, the emergence of public virtual schools and the abundance of online materials. Plus, today's homeschoolers may join together in cooperatives to hold more formal classes one or more days a week.
Here are some of the advantages that are unique to homeschooling parents:
- -The length of the children's school day will be much shorter than that of a regular school.
- -The school hours can be adjusted to the family's personal clocks. For example, teens are able to begin their school day later, when they are more ready to learn.
- -The children are more likely to excel academically.
- -Homeschoolers can use many of the services of public schools. And they can even participate on public school teams and in special classes like PE, art and music.
- -Children get one-on-one attention from their homeschooling parent rather than sharing it with 25 or more students.
- -The schoolwork can be designed to coincide with the children's abilities and interests.
- -Lessons do not need to move forward until the homeschooled child has completely mastered a concept.
- -There is more time for activities, from music lessons to games of tennis.
- -Parents can share family values with their children.
- -Children are not subjected to peer pressure to buy certain products or act in certain ways.
- -Children have plenty of time to learn practical life skills, from cooking to home maintenance to budgeting.
- -Children get more sleep, as they are not dashing off to school very early in the morning.
- -Younger children learn so much from hearing what the older children in the family are studying.