Homeschool vs Public School Essay

Homeschool vs Public School Essay Homeschool vs Public School Essay Although home schooling provides the opportunity for individualized learning based on the student's strengths, public schools provide trained educators and social opportunities for character development. Many people believe that one is better than the other. There are many disadvantages and advantages to both methods of schooling. Many parents today are deciding to home school their children to bring them out of a potentially dangerous environment that is public school. It is estimated that parents are now teaching over two million children at home, rather than in public or even private schools. Home schooling greatly benefits many students and parents. Home school provides a flexible schedule for the child and the parent. If the child has problems in one subject they can spend more time on that subject then having to rush on to another one where the child is more proficient. Another great advantage of home schooling is the ability to build better relationships within the family. When being with the parents all day as a teacher and a parent the student/child is able to get closer to their parent and is more likely to confide in them as opposed to a public schooled child. With special cases such as children in gymnastics, any child athletes, traveling families, and teenagers who might work all day having the flexibility of when you actually learn and do your school work is very beneficial. There are also some disadvantages to home school. Some of the parents who home school their children do not have the credentials to do so. This could be a matter of opinion of if it really matters or not if the parent is accredited to teach education. In public schools each teacher is educated in that specific subject so they are a sort of expert when it comes to that subject. When parents choose to home school their children they also have to take in the expense and this can be a huge disadvantage to some. The expenses include the curriculum, supplies and equipment, homeschool group dues, extracurricular activities, field trips, transportation and lost income. When adding all of these things up compared to public schooling it can be a discouraging factor. Public schooling has many great aspects to which most children excel in. First of all the students have the advantage of learning within a group setting, which is always conducive for critical thinking and learning. The wide variety of extracurricular activities provided at public schools is a huge selling point compared to none with homeschool. Also in a public school setting the students have a wider variety of curriculum to choose from as opposed to homeschool. Public school is also filled with students from different backgrounds and socioeconomic classes. This is the same environment adults live in so it is good for students to be able to see their different views, beliefs, and backgrounds. Another advantage of public schools is the diversity of people when it comes to their ethnic, disability, and social background to help students see how to socialize with others different from themselves. All in all, learning in a group setting, socializing with different kinds of people, and a choice of extracurricular activities make public schools very appealing. As appealing as public schools may seem there is definitely a down side to them as well. For example, public schools tend to have a high student to teacher ratio which makes for a rougher learning experience for those who struggle in school. Not having enough of that one on one attention can be very discouraging for a student who does not understand a certain topic or subject. Scheduled learning accompanies public schooling and can be tedious and frustrating to those who