What are some of the pros and cons of being home schooled?

Question

i really want to be home schooled this year but my mom doesn't want me to be so i need to know what some of the pros and cons are so that i can convince her to let me be home schooled.

Answer 1

Benefits?  



Many people don't consider home schooling thier children, because they are afraid thier children will miss out on socialization. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it is estimated that 1.7 percent of all students participate in a home schooling program. A greater number of parents are turning to home schooling as an option for educating their children.

This concept once only included the idea of parents assuming the responsibility of educating their own children. Today, the modern home school has evolved to include the use of computers and other technically-advanced equipment. Although home schooling has the predominant form of education throughout history, many people consider it to be a new concept.

Why are parents choosing home schooling more and more? There are many benefits. You can customize your curriculum (just as k12 does). Home schooling enables students to participate in a curriculum that is tailored to their needs. They can focus on specific areas of interest or other areas that require extra attention. Your chouces are many. You can choose a free online charter school, private online schools, an online curriculum or text book based curriculum.

You can use different learning methods, so students don't have to sit at a desk all day. They might go on a field trip to a historical place, explore nature at a park, or visit a science camp. There are many free sites where you can learn about the things that you see on these kinds of field trips too. E Field Trips and National Park Curriculum is available for free to everyone.

Most home school based curriculum is self-paced, so if students require extra help on an assignment or want additional challenges, they can learn as fast or as slow as they choose. In a traditional school setting , the teacher can't always slow down and go over an area that a few students may not understand as well as the rest of the class. This is how so many kids today "get lost" and are left behind. A situation like this is easily avoided at home.

Having a flexible schedule is a great benefit. Home schooling provides students with more options than a traditional classroom. Students can set their own schedule and learn at any time. If they want to take a test at night, they have the freedom to do so. They are learning on their own terms. Many sites are free offering help for children in all subjects through free worksheets, games and activities.

There are fewer social distractions for children at home. Home schooling allows students to learn without the worry or interference of social distractions. They are not faced with the social pressures of regular school. They can focus on their work and not what another kid in the class might be saying or doing. You don't have to worry about bad influences that your child might have at school (drugs, alcohol, the wrong crowd etc). If you teach your child a certain set of morals and values, they will not learn something entirely different as they may have in a traditional school setting.

Home schooling enables students to get one-on-one attention from their teacher. Whether they are learning from a parent or online teacher, they can get immediate attention for all of their educational needs.

A home schooling program can provide students with choices. It gives them an alternative to the traditional classroom. Whether they choose home schooling for academic, safety or social reasons, they can be in charge of their education. It enables them to create an individualized learning experience.

For many children this is definitely a good option. A student needs to be self disciplined enough to do the school work daily. If a student is dedicated to being home schooled and can appreciate it, they can be successful !

Answer 2

Homeschool:

Pros: You get to move at your own pace

You don't have to wait for others to begin another lesson

You won't be wasting your time so much (at least for me)

You'll be more motivated

There's a slightly better chance that you'll get into a good college

You get the exact courses that you want (instead of getting random ones)

You won't be into anything bad. Such as drugs, wild parties, popularity drama, or anything like that.

You could possibly graduate earlier.

You'll get a better education.

Cons:

You won't have that high school experience. (But I'd rather stay away from it considering that my school is bad)

You won't have a good social life. (But you could always join clubs/sports outside of school or talk to people online (myspace))

It'll be costly (Unless you take the K12 Virtual Academy option, otherwise, it'll still be worth it)

That's all that I could think of. Good Luck! =)

Answer 3

pros- more focused education, more opportunity for creative learning, cheaper

cons- lack of regular social interaction(good and bad), your teacher has to be really good if you're expected to excel

Answer 4

If there is some genuine reason for which you want to be home schooled for a limited period of time, then promise your mother that you will study  sincerely and regularly without wasting time.

Studying in the school you will learn the abitily to interact, behave, follow, and perform with others.

While home schooled lack team work spirit, they become little careless and also lack manners.

Answer 5

The only con I can think of regarding homeschooling is having to deal with people that have ignorant beliefs about homeschooling, i.e. they are not socially normal, they can not get a diploma, blah, blah, blah.

As for the pros, they are never ending but here are a few:

A homeschooled student can work at his or her own pace and level.  You can take extra time in one subject if you have not mastered it, and move ahead in another if you already grasp the concept.  You can work at levels ahead of (or below-it is not a bad thing) where you are "supposed" to be.  Not every person learns at the same rate or at the same time.

You still have to learn things that you might not want to, but you can focus on things that interest you.  This can be extremely beneficial towards career goals.

You can study in the way that best suits you individually.  Some people learn better from books, some from hands on activities, etc.-you can discover what works best for you and use it to enhance your education.

Homeschoolers get real world socialization.  Nowhere else in life are you forced to socialize with 29 or so other people just because they were born the same year you were and live in roughly the same neighborhood.  My homeschooled children socialize with babies, adults and the elderly just as well as they socialize with their peers.  They socialize with children at playgroup and coop classes, but they also socialize with the lady behind us at the supermarket, the banker, the mail man...you get hte picture.

You have MORE TIME to spend in extra curricular activities, because your school day is shorter (you do not have to do redundant tasks such as roll call) and you are not overloaded with homework.

You can more easily take college courses for dual credit, and finish high school having already accrued some college credits as well.  Some states will even pay for this!

Then there are the basics-being taught how to handle situations without being forced into those situations first.  I.e., drugs, s*x, and the like. I did not throw my child into the pool to teach him to swim, I gave him lessons.  School is like a deep pool, and our children are often tossed in without a life jacket.  Likewise, I would not expect another child to teach mine math, so why would I expect the other child to teach my child how to properly socialize, when that child is learning himself?  It is important that they learn how to properly socialize, yes-but they are not going to learn it from others that do not yet know themselves.

What are some of the reasons you want to be homeschooled?  Address those specifically with your mother.  What are some of the reasons she is against it?  Address those specifically with your mother as well.

I hope this helps, and I wish you the best!