| Many homeschoolers or families contemplating | | | | curriculum and choose it to match the child. |
| homeschool face a barrage of criticisms and | | | | Some people choose a curriculum and stick |
| scrutiny for their inquiries and decisions. | | | | with that curriculum and use that for all |
| Homeschooling is actually precess that can | | | | their subjects. They can also try one for |
| contribute to a solid family life and bonds. | | | | history and try another for science, for |
| | | | example. |
| The biggest concerns in undertaking | | | | |
| homeschooling are loss of two parent income, | | | | Many homeschoolers use a variety of curricula |
| choice of curriculum and socialization. | | | | over the years. When choosing a curriculum, |
| | | | the family must also factor in the cost. Home |
| From the perspective of committed | | | | school materials are not cheap, but they |
| homeschooling, here are answers to those | | | | probably won't break the bank, either. As |
| concerns. | | | | time passes, however, those costs potentially |
| | | | drop because families are able to reuse some |
| Homeschooling actually benefits families in | | | | materials. |
| innumerable ways. Teaching your kids at home | | | | |
| is not as difficult as it might seem, either. | | | | 3. Socialization |
| Anyone can do it. Keep in mind this is | | | | |
| different than thinking anyone should do it. | | | | The National Education Association (NEA), the |
| | | | nation's largest teacher's union, said there |
| 1. One Paycheck | | | | is another hidden cost to home education. |
| | | | Home-educated students miss out on |
| For many families choosing to homeschool, it | | | | opportunities to build socials skills by not |
| means only one parent is earning a paycheck. | | | | studying with their peers. |
| | | | |
| Sometimes its a choice that comes down to | | | | In a Feb. 26, 2002 letter to the National |
| choosing kids over cash. Besides the loss in | | | | Home Education Network, former NEA president |
| income, there is the cost on home school | | | | Bob Chase wrote his organization was |
| curriculum each year. However, there are many | | | | concerned that homeschooled students were not |
| ways homeschoolers can mitigate the costs of | | | | provided a comprehensive education experience |
| homeschooling and even come out on the | | | | because they did not have an opportunity to |
| positive income side of the equation. There | | | | interact with students of different cultures, |
| is no peer pressure to keep up or have the | | | | economic status or learning styles. They felt |
| latest styles under thrat of being made fun | | | | homeschooled students learned in a setting |
| of. | | | | primarily made up of family members and |
| | | | friends. |
| Many homeschoolers use a variety of curricula | | | | |
| over the years. When choosing a curriculum, | | | | Family and friends aren't the problem. They |
| the family must also factor in the cost. Home | | | | are the solution. You don't want an |
| school materials are not cheap, but they | | | | 8-year-old teaching an 8-year-old how to |
| probably won't break the bank, either. As | | | | behave. You want them to learn how to behave |
| time passes, however, those costs potentially | | | | from someone who hopefully knows how and then |
| drop because families are able to reuse some | | | | practice it on the other 8-year-olds. Forced |
| materials. | | | | socialization with misbehaving, misguided |
| | | | peers is something to be avoided, not |
| Home school children may be spared schoolyard | | | | embraced. |
| ridicule, but critics, including the | | | | |
| National. Education Association, say keeping | | | | Homeschoolers have heard this before and the |
| kids at home also cheats them out of a chance | | | | notion that home schooling retards children's |
| to develop important social skills. | | | | social growth is ridiculous. They actually |
| | | | learn better socialization skills because |
| 2. Curriculum | | | | they're around people of all different ages |
| | | | all the time. |
| When a family decides to home school, perhaps | | | | |
| the biggest question that must be answered | | | | Public schools are not necessarily a real |
| is, what to teach. The possibilities are | | | | representation of what life is like. We don't |
| nearly endless. | | | | all go around in little clusters with only |
| | | | people our own age. |
| First, parents are able to choose any | | | | |