Homeschooling

By: Jessica Lusky

My brother has been trying to convince my parents to let him transfer high schools for the past year, and recently they have been trying to come up with an alternative option. He is really not happy at the school he currently attends, but it is very costly to transfer to another school in the area. My parents brought up the idea of homeschooling and although he does not see the appeal, I thought it would be interesting to look into. I have never really heard about what homeschooling looks like on a college application or how beneficial the students find it to be.


I found an article that discusses the pros and cons of homeschooling beginning with the positives. First, homeschooled students have more educational freedom because they have the choice to study and learn what they want. They also have more physical freedom because it is easier to change up your schedule when you are not required to sit in a classroom for 7-8 hours a day. Next, they mention that homeschooled students actually have more emotional freedom than students attending public or private school. In schools there is so much peer pressure, bullies, competition, and many other factors that effect students emotionally which are not present in the comfort of their own home. There are also individuals who feel that religious and spiritual beliefs are not emphasized enough in the education system. Homeschooled parents can choose to highlight their religious education more if they wish. Being at home also provides the opportunity for closer family relationships, stability during difficult times, and well-rested students. Finally, because homeschooled students can accomplish assignments in a few hours that could take over a week to teach in the classroom, there is way less busywork. Once the student understands the information they are able to move on and do not have to wait for the entire class to be on the same page.


There are fewer negatives than positives listed in the article, but depending on how heavily each of them weighs makes the decision for a family. First, the time conmtratints on the parents is a huge topic of conversation. If the parents are both working full time it could be difficult for them to provide their child with a full well-rounded education. On that same note, if one parent decided that a full time job on top of homeschooling their child is too much, they might have to cut down on their hours which could put financial restraints on the family. Cutting down on work hours means spending more time with your kids which could also be a con for some families. Spending so much time with any individual can get to be a lot especially when you are playing the role of not only the parent, but also the teacher in their life. Additionally, it is obvious that if a child is homeschooled they are unable to participate in any school clubs or sports. Some students don't care about missing out on experiences like this, but others really enjoy being involved and active in their community. Lastly, with the social standards and pressure placed on teenagers in todays society, being homeschooled could be looked at as a negative. Some individuals don’t care about social status at all, but for others it could be a deciding factor between homeschooling and public or private school.


Depending on which factors are most important to the student and their family, homeschooling can be viewed as a positive or negative. I personally feel that I would have missed out on crucial social skills and relationships that could help me network in the future if I did not attend public school. However, I do not care about social status as much as most teenagers today so I completely understand why someone might choose to take the homeschooling rout.