Why Homeschool?

Different people will list different reasons for home schooling. Here is a sampling of just a few of those reasons:

Moral and Religious Reasons - Parents have the opportunity to teach subject matter and choose materials that reinforce their religious beliefs and moral standards. Home schooling provides a unique way of honoring the mandate in Deuteronomy 6:5–7 to love the Lord your God and His commands, to “. . . teach them diligently to your children, and . . . talk of them when you sit in your house, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Academic Superiority - A tutorial, one-on-one situation, is educationally superior in most cases to a classroom setting. A recent study by Dr. Lawrence Rudner examined the achievement test scores of over 20,000 home school students. Dr. Rudner found that home school students in grades one through eight performed from one to four grade levels above the national average (Rudner 5).

Socialization - "A home school child can’t be properly socialized.” is a common complaint against home education. Most home schoolers, however, see and appreciate the tremendous variety of socialization experiences that home schooling provides. An artificial socialization, where children spend the majority of their time with their age-mates, does not represent real life. True socialization occurs when children spend time and are comfortable with all age groups. Home schooling, with its support group activities, co-op classes, and volunteer and work opportunities, etc., will usually find your student pursuing social contacts with all ages.

In addition, home schooling parents tend to know their children’s friends and families. This can protect easily influ-enced children from the often overwhelming peer pressures and spiritual dangers present today. Home schooling can provide a controlled environment while the child grows in wisdom, leading him to wiser decisions and a brighter future.

Family Unity - Home schooling is a lifestyle change that involves the whole family. Instead of seeing each other briefly between school and activities, mom and the children will find themselves together most of the time. This can be both a blessing and frustration. It can be a time of great spiritual growth as you learn to love and serve each other despite the frictions which may arise from spending so much time together.

On a lighter note, school schedules can be chosen or changed to meet family needs. Oftentimes, vacations can be taken off-season and at the family’s convenience.

Individualized Instruction - Children can be educated at their own pace, utilizing their own interests. For the slow learner this means slowing the pace; for the eager learner this means advancing as rapidly as desired. Such freedom can be very difficult to achieve in a traditional school setting.

Specialized Instruction - Home education can often meet the special needs of a child with educational or physical difficulties in a way that cannot be achieved in a classroom. No one loves a child or desires his success as much as his parents. The parents who are willing to educate themselves concerning their child’s special needs and who possess the tenacity to search out appropriate help when necessary may find that home schooling this child is an appropriate choice.

Control of Academic Instruction - Home schooling helps the parents gain control over four academic areas. These areas, as presented in Home Schooling for Excellence (Colfax 39-46), are:

1. Content of materials used—textbook selections can incorporate the parents’ values.
2. Methods used—parents can match the method to the child, instead of a one-method-fits-all approach.
3. Timing—parents can introduce skills when the student is ready, not on a predetermined group timetable.
4. Personnel—parents control who teaches their child.

Excerpted from The Starting Point, copyright 2001, Diana Johnson
All Rights Reserved

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