Pros and Cons of Home Schooling Essay -- Education Classroom Learning

Pros and Cons of Home Schooling In 1999, the US Department of Education estimated there were 850,000 home schooled children across America. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, between 1.5-1.9 million children are now being home schooled in grades K-12. Why are so many parents taking their children’s education into their own hands? Most parents say it is necessary because they want their children to learn at their own pace. Others say it is for safety concerns or that they want to tailor their child’s education to suit his/her needs. Whatever the reason, it is a growing trend in America.(Walsh, Mary (2001). Human Events. (57)) Many companies now sell home schooling curricula for parents to buy. The religious sect has made home schooling publications available. These include: A Beta Books, Alpha Omega Publications Inc., and Bob Jones University Press, which is affiliated with Christian University in Greenville, S.C. There are home schooling publications for almost any subject or philosophy. One upside is that 40-50% of home schooling families spend less than $400 per year. However, there are many different sources of home schooling curriculum, some with outrageous prices. (Walsh, Mark (2002). Home School Enrollment Surge fuels ‘Cottage’ Industry. Education Week (21)) Parents choose to home school their children for a variety of reasons. Most home schooling parents agree that letting their children learn at their own pace is very beneficial. Another reason that parents like to home school is for convenience. Parents who telecommute to work can stay at home at teach their children while also working. Parents get to spend more time one on one with their child... ... parents may feel that these new teachers are not going to be as effective as teachers of the past. The teachers union has made tenure easier to achieve and this has resulted in many teachers being solidified in their positions, unwilling to change their teaching methods because of their secured job. Teachers in the public school system go on strike to demand increases in salaries and benefits. These problems are not faced in the home schooling atmosphere. Whatever side you take with the debate over home schooling one thing is clear. The number of home schooled children is increasing. This trend may persist until enough pressure is brought to bear in the public education system so that parents have faith in it again. There are undeniable advantages and disadvantages to both styles of learning. In the end the child’s best intentions should be the goal.