Introduction
The paper is devoted to the investigation of homeschooling as one of the ways to provide knowledge to learners in a specific environment. Because of the increased sophistication of modern society, there are new disputes regarding the ability of this option to suffice new conditions. The work offers the analysis of pros and cons of homeschooling, their comparison, and conclusion stating that it might still be a useful way to educate leaners, especially if some factors such as health or cultural issues are present in the family.
Homeschooling
Education is a fundamental aspect of the functioning of any society. It guarantees the effective transfer of knowledge to new generations and constant improvement. Provision of information is an important public policy that is also central for the alignment of the effective functioning of other social institutions and functioning of democracy as it rests on the improved understanding of the basis of the state and critical factors of its evolution (Watson, 2018).
For this reason, the given question has always been topical and given significant attention. Moreover, multiple forms and strategies are employed by educators today to provide students with knowledge in sufficient ways. Homeschooling is one of the possible approaches that are available to people today. However, with the increase in the complexity of contemporary society, the sophistication of its processes, and increased amounts of information, the effectiveness of homeschool is doubted. The given paper revolves around the question if the given mode of education remains relevant and sufficient today.
Background
Today, traditional schools remain the most popular and effective forms of educating students and guaranteeing that they will be prepared for future professional development and career-building. However, millions of children in the USA do not attend schools because of multiple reasons, including health issues, cultural peculiarities, or parents’ choices (Muscatine, 2020). This results in the preservation of homeschooling’s population. Statistics show that there are about 2.5 million homeschool students in the USA (). The given model emerged as an alternative to traditional education and became extremely popular among various populations (Muscatine, 2020).
Today, the demographics of homeschooling include many groups such as atheists, Christians, Mormons, conservatives, low or high-income families, Hispanic, black, and white; parents with doctoral degrees and less educated cohorts (Muscatine, 2020). It means that the given mode remains an attractive option for multiple populations.
Advantages
The popularity of homeschooling can be explained by the existence of several advantages that are traditionally associated with this mode of learning and providing knowledge. Comfort, flexibility, high level of adaptability, and consideration of children’s needs contribute to the attractive image of homeschooling. In 2017, the given approach experienced a certain decline in its popularity caused by the appearance of complex issues that should be considered by educators; however, today, it remains attractive and demonstrates a stable growth in the number of students who acquire knowledge in this way every year. The list of benefits that create the basis for the further rise of homeschooling is also used to justify the further application of this strategy to the educational sphere.
Comfort
Comfort is one of the most frequently mentioned advantages of homeschooling. The majority of researchers agree in the opinion that students’ satisfaction with the environment, lack of stress, and high comfort levels are the basic issues that might precondition improved outcomes and better acquisition of knowledge (Watson, 2018). For this reason, the creation of a positive atmosphere for students who learn at home is the central advantage of this option. Statistics show that they also experience a reduced number of stressed if compare with traditional approaches because of the absence of triggers such as unfamiliar setting, collective, or collective (Watson, 2018). Children who study at home enjoy better cooperation with educators as their parents perform this role and benefit from the anxiety levels.
Flexibility
Another critical advantage of homeschooling is its increased flexibility as it can adapt to current demands. Surveys evidence that ability to consider all issues and create a schedule or curriculum regarding the existing needs or requirements (Muscatine, 2020).
Parents or other individuals who act as teachers can select subjects or topics for discussion from the wide array of available materials and control the current levels of understanding to guarantee that the demanded knowledge base is formed. It helps to avoid gaps in knowledge or flaws in education that might be associated with other modes (Muscatine, 2020). At the same time, the high flexibility levels mean that educators can select time or periods that meet students’ demands and help them to demonstrate improved results, commitment, and readiness to participate.
Customization
Homeschooling is also characterized by a high level of adjustment and customization. One of the basic leading of the traditional approach is its inability to employ different strategies regarding the needs of students, their peculiarities, or demands (Muscatine, 2020). For the discussed mode, the given disadvantage is not relevant as a single student is given all attention. His/her needs serve as the basis for the selection of strategies that will be employed during the educational process (Watson, 2018). It preconditions the enhanced outcomes as the high customization contributes to better involvement and cooperation.
Additionally, there are more opportunities to use innovative technologies as it is easier to acquire all the desired equipment for a limited number of learners than to the whole class. That is why a wide array of opportunities for customization is a significant advantage of the method.
Health Issues
Finally, homeschooling becomes a critically important way of learning for people with health issues that might prevent them from studying in traditional schools. Statistically, this mode is often selected by families who have a child with disabilities or have severe diseases that might demand special equipment or environment to preserve the desired level of health (Muscatine, 2020). In such cases, homeschooling becomes the only available option to help a child to acquire knowledge that might help him/her to succeed in future life and build a career. From this perspective, learning at home contributes to the inclusion of vulnerable groups into the process of education, which is vital for contemporary society with its focus on tolerance and equality.
Disadvantages
However, homeschooling has some critical disadvantages that are often emphasized by its opponents as the major flaws reducing its effectiveness and ability to suffice in the modern world. The quality of knowledge provided to learners in terms of this mode depends on a single educator and his/her ability to explain a particular material. Moreover, the home environment that is considered one of the advantages of the discussed mode is also criticized as it deprives learners of the chance to communicate with peers and acquire the correct understanding of the current discourse. In such a way, they become isolated and suffer from a lack of vital experience. That is why homeschooling also possesses some disadvantages that might reduce its popularity and create the basis for vigorous debates regarding the mode.
Socialization
As it has been stated previously, the lack of socialization is one of the major disadvantages of homeschooling. Sufficient development of a child presupposes the existence of opportunities to communicate with peers, share feelings, emotions, and fears and discussed them (Hoelzle, 2013). In the majority of cases, all these processes occur in the school environment as it offers settings appropriate for sharing.
Children have common fears, friends, enemies, and belong to certain groups. It helps them to socialize and evolve as individuals who possess skills that are demanded in adulthood and future cooperation. In terms of homeschooling, an individual is deprived of these chances because of the specific environment. It might affect his/her future socialization and precondition the emergence of multiple problems in cooperation and communication in the future.
Transition to Adulthood
Another problematic issue that is usually associated with homeschooling is the complicated transition of a child into adulthood. It is affected by both parents and schools as the home environment and school settings precondition the formation of a particular mentality and a set of values and beliefs. However, for students who are taught by their parents, the problem might become complicated because of the absence of one of these factors (Hoelzle, 2013).
Under these conditions, homeschooling might introduce additional difficulties during the transition into adulthood because of the lack of some vital experiences and the existence of only one perspective inherited from parents and not affected by the surrounding world (Hoelzle, 2013). The strong patient-child relationship might serve as a specific mediator; however, even in such cases, children can still experience problems in the future.
Lack of Knowledge
Finally, another possible disadvantage of the discussed mode is the lack of knowledge that is usually associated with homeschooling. The quality of provided information and learners’ ability to acquire it depend on the preparedness and skills of an educator (Muscatine, 2020). In numerous cases, one of the parents serves as a teacher who is responsible for the provision of needed information, which means that there might be multiple flaws and gaps associated with the lack of experience and inability to select appropriate forms. Under these conditions, the lack of knowledge might be one of the crucial disadvantages of the discussed mode.
Discussion
Nevertheless, regardless of all mentioned flaws and drawbacks, homeschooling remains an attractive option for numerous families in the USA. It possesses multiple benefits stated above and can help to prepare children for their adulthood. Moreover, the availability of information peculiar to the modern society can help to minimize the number of negative factors and create the learning environment that would help a student to acquire knowledge and skills needed for the successful career building. The high popularity of homeschooling also comes from the desire to ensure that children will be provided with attention and materials critical for their education, which can be a complex task for some modern schools.
Conclusion
Altogether, the paper proves the effectiveness of homeschooling in contemporary society. Regardless of some drawbacks that are associated with this mode, there are still multiple advantages that contribute to the better provision of knowledge to students, higher comfort levels, and the absence of serious stressors. For this reason, millions of pupils continue to learn at home and have no difficulties with transitioning into adulthood due to the close relations with parents and the beneficial character of the selected mode of learning. However, it is critical to minimize the negative impact of some issues, such as lack of socialization and communication, to guarantee that individuals will be able to succeed in the future.
References
Hoelzle, B. (2013). The transmission of values and the transition into adulthood within the context of home education. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 22(3), 244-263. Web.
Muscatine, S. (2020). Homeschooling and the right to education: Are states fulfilling their constitutional obligations to homeschooled students? Journal of Law & Education, 49(1), 67-98.
Watson, A. (2018) Is homeschool cool? Current trends in American homeschooling. Journal of School Choice, 12(3), 401-425. Web.