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Negative Effects of Homeschooling

All parents want to educate their children in the best way possible. The choice of which school the child could potentially go to may or may not satisfy the parents of the prospective student. Furthermore, it has recently become a popular option to homeschool kids instead of sending to them to a public school.

The option of homescooling may seem better, as in this way parents are able to regulate how the child is taught. Before we discuss the negative effects of homeshooling, let us first examine what homeschooling entails.

What is homeschooling?

Homeschooling leaves the responsibility of teaching children exclusively to the parents, while following the national curriculum. While the kids will learn the same material as children at a public school, parents can decide the method of how this is taught. For example, if a religious school incorporates religious study, parents who homeschool their kids can take this aspect out- and visa versa, if a school does not offer religious education, a religious family can incorporate their believes  into the education of their child.

In this method of schooling, parents may teach the child themselves, or hire a tutor. The education of children however is still monitored by the state, meaning that parents must report on the progress that the child is making, to ensure they are progressing at the national standard. Whether children take part in national examinations depends on the state or country they are located in.

Negative Effects of Homeschooling

We can see from the above that for some, educating a child at home could potentially be a good way to go forward. However, this system does inevitably come with some drawbacks which will be explored next.

Socialisation: While socialising kids is to a great extend the responsibility of parents, certain skills can really only be learned when a child is subjected to the interaction of people outside of their family. This allows them to put into practice the skills they have acquired at home and to test their boundaries with other children and adults. In this way they are integrated into society, learning code of conduct.

Independence: Children develop their independence with the help of their parents and school is a place where they can further their sense of self reliance. Being given the responsibility to apply themselves at school can do a lot for a child’s confidence and prepare them for later life, when they will eventually fend for themselves.

Social Interaction: Slightly different form socialisation, (becoming a part of society and learning social conduct) social interaction is paramount to a child’s happy social life. At school they will meat a variety of people, perhaps of different origins that can teach them about different cultures and stretch their understanding of the world.

In addition, public schools are full of other kids that they can make friends with, widening their social circle. Furthermore, through socialising with other children they may be exposed to new hobbies and creative endeavours which may not be easily available at home, such as a dance, music or circus tricks!

Confidence: A public school is likely to bring a wider variety of challenges than a home environment. To develop confidence children need to be exposed to challenging situations, which they can resolve and take credit for. The absence of mum and dad to be at hand whenever an issue arises will allow the child to explore ways of dealing with challenges and in this way they can find their own voice.

Learning Pace: There is some danger that children may fall behind or learn at a slower pace when taught at home. This is not implying that parents are not capable of providing the right pace, but that issues arising at home may inflict on the time that parents are able to spend teaching their kids.

Routine: Children thrive better when given a clear vision of what is expected of them. Having a set routine which distinguishes home time, school time and play time allows them to learn that there is a right place and time for different activities.

Negative Effects of Homeschooling Wrapped Up

While it is clear that homeschooling does come with drawbacks, inevitably the decision of what is right for a child comes down to the parents, what they can offer and what they consider to be the best path for their child. If homeschooling really is the best option, it is advisable that the above points are integrated as much as possible, giving children opportunities to develop their character, to create friendships and explore.

Author’s Note: The article ‘Negative Effects of Homeschooling” has been written by ‘Iva Dragostinova’ who is an Outofstress.com expert author. All rights reserved. If you want to reproduce this article in your ezine or blog, please contact “reprints@outofstress.com”