Homeschooling allows you to take as much time as you need to ensure that learning takes place. Similarly, if your child is ready to move on, you don't need to waste time on redundant or repetitive lessons. Children who study at home can read educational materials at a faster rate than their peers. It wasn't until the early 1970s that education theorist John Holt began to promote the idea that several years of homeschooling (opens in a new tab) for young children provided a better educational, psychological and moral foundation and improved their chances of success in future educational environments.
Did you know that in the United States today there are about 2 million children who are homeschooled? This represents an annual increase of between 7 and 15 percent. Globally, nearly 40 countries have banned homeschooling or have restrictive laws. So what are the benefits that these children get and do they actually do well on standardized tests, such as the SAT and the ACT? A study of 20,000 homeschooled children revealed that they definitely scored better on tests. This was particularly evident in children who had been homeschooled up to the high school level.
In another study, students studying at home on the SAT test scored about 67 points higher than the national average. Christopher Oosthuizen, CambriLearn student %26 Mensa member, says: “I like being taught how to think and not what to think. Homeschooling gives you the freedom and flexibility to teach your child the way you want to teach. Therefore, there is no room for dissatisfaction with the way someone else teaches your child.
If homeschooling is done correctly, there are academic, security, flexibility and exposure advantages compared to traditional education. While some parents may be concerned about the lack of socialization and peer participation when studying at home, many homeschooling families tend to enroll their children in sports centers, largely eliminating that concern and allowing children to constantly engage with new friends and not with same cohort. Students who study at home may be more independent and take more responsibility for their learning, especially as they transition to middle and high school. Often, older students learn to structure their day to do homework more quickly, so that they can pursue other interests or hobbies.
I'm not sure how many homeschooling students would agree that this is an advantage, but when homework is scheduled and finished for part of the day, there are afternoons and weeks off for other activities. While homeschooled students may have a fixed meal schedule, one advantage over the school cafeteria is that they can finish eating without the pressure of having to leave because another student needs their seat. One of the benefits of homeschooling that people forget is that you can stop homeschooling if it doesn't work for your family. Although different from “traditional homeschooling,” online homeschooling (through an online school) offers similar benefits.
Families want the benefits of homeschooling, with the flexibility, academic benefits, efficiency and opportunities that homeschooling can offer.
