Ups and downs to homeschooling in high school?

Question

Ups and downs to homeschooling in high school?

Answer 1

The advantages are:

- The curriculum is completely aligned to the needs of the student(s).

- Students are able to work at a pace and in an environment that is comfortable. They can take breaks as needed, work around scheduling conflicts (such as sports, appointments, etc.)

- No outside distractions (noisy kids, flirting, gossip, etc.)

- Teaches students to learn more independently and be self-directed in their work.

- Allows students to explore their interests more freely rather than taking required classes that may not be as useful to them.

Disadvantages:

- Kids don't interact as frequently with other students (there are programs for home schooled kids to meet up, but I'm sure it's not the same.)

- Kids don't develop the same social skills they'd get from working with others in school. They don't learn to be patient when others struggle or to listen to the ideas that other people present.

- Not as many extra curricular activiites (newspaper, yearbook, sports teams, honor societies, etc.)

- Harder when applying for colleges - it's difficult to quantify performance, class ranking, etc.  

- They may miss certain skills or pieces of knowledge that are in the state curriculum, but not covered in the curriculum used for home schooling.

Ultimately, I think homeschooling might be a decent option for kids who are well-adjusted, have friends, and are performing either well above, or below the other kids. It'll provide more opportunities for differentiating instruction. However, kids should have many opportunities to hang out with others to continue building social skills.

I think it's a weak option for kids who need the structure that school provides or don't know how to interact with other teens.

And of course, it's important that the person responsible for homeschooling the child is well-educated and can provide the student with excellent instruction and support.

Answer 2

Pros-greater social life-more time for friends and jobs/volunteer activities (and for the 8millionth time.....YES YOU CAN HAVE PROM TOO if you are in a co-op/ homeschool group that wants to organize one. Many of these groups proved the EXACT same classroom setting and experience a highschool student would get in PS)

Ability to be self lead, so you're not taking TOO much time on things you "get" already. You can then devote more time to the things you may need extra help with

Better prep. for college since you are already used to being self-sufficient, self motivated.

Answer 3

I have homeschooled my son since 1st grade. He is now in the 10th grade.

We find the pros are:

- flexible schedule

- curriculum tailored to his needs and learning style resulting in high SAT scores

- less distractions

- safer

- less peer pressure

to name a few.

The cons - less convienent access to group activities like sports and drama, but he isn't interested in those anyway. In FL where we lived, he was allowed to participate in these activities if he wanted to at the public school. Here in TN where we now live, they have homeschool drama groups, sports teams and bands.

As for the parent-teacher, they do not need to be educated in every subject since there are so many resources and help available these days. What they do need to be is organized and able to keep their student on track.

As for socialization, there are many opportunities for that at church and clubs like Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts. There are also many homeschool groups where teens can form friendships and go places together and take certain classes together.

Here in TN, many kids (including my son) are actually students of a Christian or Umbrella School on the independent study program. This means they have a Senior Prom or Party depending on the school and have a group graduation.

Colleges are recognizing the higher level of education in many homeschooled students because their test scores are higher than avg. Many homeschoolers are better suited to the independent study environment of college. Here in TN, a lot of homeschooled high schoolers are taking college courses at local colleges and receiving double credit. Colleges are actually beginning to actively pursue these students for full time college admission after they graduate. Additionally, online college is becoming a suitable alternate where these students can study at their own pace. My own son plans on beginning online technology courses soon.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Answer 4

From my experience:

Pros:

Less social stress allows more focus on learning.

Didn't need to catch a bus.

Could sleep in later!

Could take vacations in the fall, and take long road trips with my parents (Mom could seldom get vacation in the summer because of the demands for vacation at that time.)

Could work at my own pace--I pretty much studied on my own. My parents were minimally involved. I did have a structured curriculum with tests and assignments I needed to send in to the main school though.

Cons:

Greatly reduced social interaction. I was very solitary in those years since my friends lived mostly in the next county and I couldn't drive.

No real instruction in math. Set me back in college.

No prom.

No graduation ceremony.

My science and economics education sucked, particularly since I was using 'Christian Liberty' curriculum.

I was in band in Mid school and wanted to be in High School but since I homeschooled I didn't get to. Even if I was allowed, transportation would have been a problem.

Answer 5

Pros- Sleeping in later (although I wake up at six, but I COULD sleep in), going to school in PJs, being able to take a  break whenever I want, better quality education, more studying the things I'm interested in, no crazy high school drama...I could go on and on...

Cons- Uhhhhhhhh...sometimes it's hard to find a coop near you where you can play sports and stuff, but if you live in the right place there are no cons at all!

Answer 6

I'm assuming you're the student. If so, it's really going to depend on your personality, your goals and your desires.

If you are annoyed by the typical high school social scene, then you'd probably prefer homeschooling. If you have no real desire to go to the prom (although some homeschool groups do have proms; many homeschoolers just enjoy doing something with their families and friends rather than a whole big shebang) or attend the various social functions offered in a high school, then you won't miss any of it through homeschooling. If they are things that you would like to attend, but your academics are more important to you, then that'd be a down to homeschooling.

If you would like to work at your pace, be it requiring more time or less time, then that'd be an up for homeschooling.

If you suffer in the area of time management and would prefer to have an outside structure, that could be a down; unless you are willing to really learn how to manage your time, then that'd be an up.

Having control of your schedule is a huge up for homeschooling. You have control over when you get your work done, when you are out and about. You can get a job (if law permits) in the middle of the day or spend some afternoons with homeschool activities or volunteering or pursuing personal interests. If you are someone who would prefer to be told what to do all the time and don't really know what interests, you might find it difficult for a while. But you'd have the time to figure out your interests. :)

Answer 7

pros- one on one attention

cons- not leading a normal life of a teen

          missing out on friends

          expieriencing high school

and there are many more cons. i don't know what i would have done if i was homeschooled in high school.

Answer 8

Speaking as a senior in a homeschool atmosphere, I would say the pros outweigh the cons

Pros:

  Less peer pressure

  Less stress caused by mean teachers or students

  Freedom to say, do or wear whatever

  Lack of criticism for above things

  

Cons

  Lack of abundance of social know-how

  Less ability to deal with a lot of criticism

Answer 9

good things...

having more time to do things

going your own pace

finishing faster

bad things

missing friends

missing teen stuff at a reg school

Answer 10

Some highschools have good facilities and opportunties youi won't find as easily at home.

Student newspaper with printing press

Radio station

Video production

Photography darkroom

Drama Dept

Music Dept and Orchestra

Auto shop

Electronics Shop

Plastics Shop

Chem and Phsyics labs

Answer 11

Hi!

I have written a few articles about this exact thing! I have also successfully homeschooled my daughter 2nd grade through graduation (last year). We loved it!

Homeschool Through High School

Ideas, Tips for Highschool Home Education through Graduation

http://homeschooling.suite101.com/articl...

Should You Homeschool High School?

Helpful Ideas and Tips for Home Schooling 9th to 12th Grades

http://homeschooling.suite101.com/articl...

Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

Deciding Whether to Homeschool or Not? Homeschool Choice Advice

http://homeschooling.suite101.com/articl...

Help Deciding to Homeschool or Not

http://homeschooling.suite101.com/articl...

Hope this helps!

JJ

Answer 12

I see that most of the people who answered your question suffer from the delusion that schools exists so that you can hand out with friends. If that is the case I want all my tax money back.

A school is supposed to be a place of education, not recreation. By turning the public school system into a social forum, the "educrats" have reduced the amount of time actually spent learning (you know, the reason you go there).

Homeschooling your child removes the unecessary amount of recreational interference and allows them to learn in a learning environment (i.e. an ideal one). The "lack of socialization" myth has been thoroughly debunked by every major and credible education study, mostly since parents are not idiots and because children don't need a big brick building in order to make friends (and don't try to tell me that they do since those big brick building didn't even exist 100 years ago).