Why Don't Home School Parents Teach in a School Building?
Back to School Concerns
Social Interaction With the Outside World
Contrary to what some may believe, social interaction is very important to most parents of children who attend home school. The ability for kids to interact with the outside world during the day, rather than being restricted to a building is one reason that using a traditional school building may not appeal to some homeschooling families. It can provide a great opportunity for children to socially interact with kids their age, as well as a variety of age groups. This type of outside world interaction could be a great preparation for when kids graduate and get out into the "real world."
Differences in Curriculum and Learning Styles
One of the main benefits to home school is the ability to choose or develop a custom curriculum plan for each child, based on his or her needs. Not all homeschooled kids will be using the same curriculum. For this reason, it may be more difficult to hold school in a building in a traditional class setting. Since everyone may not be using the same plan or methods, parents and other homeschool teachers might all be talking at once. This could be a very distracting and confusing learning environment that may even hinder the educational process.
Flexible Learning Environment
Some home school parents choose this form of education because of the flexibility it provides. Children in a home school environment have the unique opportunity of being able to learn everywhere. Class does not necessarily have to be held behind four walls, sitting at a desk. Math and nutrition might be taught in a combination lesson at the local farmer's market, for instance. Of course, some learning will still be completed with paper, pencils, and books, but there is often more flexibility in a home school learning environment. This flexibility could possibly be one reason some home school parents would choose not to hold school in a traditional school building.
What About Home School Co-Ops?
There actually are some homeschoolers who choose to learn together. This type of arrangement is often called a homeschool co-op. Usually in these arrangements, the classes are offered as a supplement to what the kids are already learning in home school. The classes are usually held only on certain days, still leaving room for the flexible learning environment that home school can provide. There also are homeschool co-ops in which a group of parents work together to form a teaching plan. In these type of arrangements, a parents who specializes in a certain area may have the opportunity to aid other students in that area.
Which Method is Best?
When deciding between public, private, or home school (or various home school options), the answer will differ for everyone. That's often why parents choose to home school. They likely have come to the conclusion that not all children have the same educational needs. What works for one child may not work for another. Education is about providing a child with the best learning opportunities possible. For the most information to be gained during learning, a child's individual needs, as well as the available options, should be taken into consideration.
Note: A special thanks to theBarefoot for asking this question. He's a freelance writer and IT expert who writes about a wide range of topics. His article topics include politics, writing, news, relationships, and many more. He writes content that is entertaining, informative, and engaging. Click Here for some of his published writings.
Source:
Personal experience and knowledge as a home school teacher
Published by Lyn Lomasi - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Lyn's the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network. Contact her with community issues & ideas. She's been contributing since 2007 and previously acted as a Community Guide. Read her tips for success... View profile
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19 Comments
Post a CommentHome school children are generally very interactive with other people and most of them probably have more activities than the parents prefer some times. I know that my daughter does not lack social skills at all and she is homeschooled. My oldest daughter doesn't either and she was home schooled for several years as well. These kids are taught basic social skills each day when they are with adults and other children.
interesting mixed article here. for me the question raised may at first seem a good question but in reality it's a short-sighted question. to "buy a building together with other parents so as to join the home schooled students together" is essentially the same thing as how schools are structured now. there's home schooling where children are taught by their parents and then there's schooling outside the home where groups of children are taught, by and large, by everyone else but their parents. sorry, short-sighted question it is to me.
I've seen homeschooling done badly, so I love your articles that keep reiterating that it is a viable alternative for some families - keep up the good work!
My local AP group tried to form a HS preschool age co-op and even though it was small, it fell apart quickly because of different beliefs. Some were unschoolers, some were Montessori, some were Waldorf and it was so difficult to make it work. I'd imagine that would happen almost anywhere. Great article. I admire HS moms because I could never pull it off myself.
Co-Op is understandable but then again I do have to say that that's why it's called HOME-schooling. But there are traveling parents that aren't at their actual home very often and they want to be around there kids so they teach on the road. Which I imagine to be hard. Like, would you have to change school systems when you travel and go according to school regulations of education in that area or just with the school of which your actual house is in?
My question isn't as good as the one from theBarefoot, but I'm wondering whether you have loud bells in the house. Morning announcements on the P.A. system? School uniforms? And where do you send a kid on a two-week suspension, lol? ...... Actually, the co-op does sound like a good idea, maybe one night a week. ~~~ mike ~~~
All my experiences with homeschooling have been positive. It is almost funny to see the reactions of some who've never homeschooled anyone, yet are positive whoever will is an anti-social person who is trying to "control" their kids. There are some who do have wrong ideas who homeschool, but the bulk are persons who love and want to provide the best for their children. Thus they make arrangements for field trips and gatherings with others to fill any supposed gap. Hey, I was a schooldriver for a while. The kind of socialization school-kids get can border on being sick!
Keep teaching the uninformed. Amazing some of the q's you get.
Reading your articles has sort of turned me on to home schooling.. if I had a school age child I would probably attempt it. I agree your children can learn in every environment, not just in a classroom. I don't think every parent should home school, because some parents may not be consistent in teaching. I believe you have to be dedicated and serious about educating your children if you are going to do it. It's good to see more and more parents actually doing this and their children excelling.
I also am one who questions these home school children and their socialization not that I think it is a bad thing as it is not if they are taught properly but I know my oldest daughter will home school so that the school system doesn't find out that her oldest child is not able to learn at the same level as most children. So then comes the socialization question - how do home school children learn to interact with others in those difficult situations?