It might come as a surprise to learn that, as per 2015 figures, almost 37,000 children in the United Kingdom are home-schooled and the trend only looks set to continue. Many parents prefer to home-school their children because of the flexible lifestyle that it permits, while also allowing for more one-on-one time with their children.
Equally, one can argue that home-schooling children can blur the lines between home and school life, much the same way as those that work from home can find it hard to separate the two. If your home allows for it, and you are ready to commit to delivering an education, there are many ways in which this can benefit both you as a parent and your children.
Learn at Their Pace –
No two students are the same and, when in the traditional school setting, children that do not learn as fast as others can quickly feel left behind and/or afraid of asking a question in case of looking stupid in front of their peers. When the pressure that comes with a class full of other students is taken away and the child can ask questions on a one-to-one basis with a trusted adult, this removes the stigma of asking questions.
Equally, this also removes the stigma of answering questions, as many students are not comfortable with raising their hands and providing an answer, even when they know it is correct. This could be due to the culture of the school playground (not wanting to be seen as a ‘nerd’) or simply not having confidence in their own ability.
More Time at Home –
When you commit to home-schooling, this means that you will be spending a lot more time at home. This can potentially open up further opportunities for you should you wish to work part-time in order to earn money alongside delivering an education.
For those of us that take pride in our homes looking the very best that they can be, the extra time spent here can be something of a blessing. In between lessons and as soon as you finish with the day’s home-schooling, you can turn your attention to keeping the home looking immaculate. When children are at home, no doubt there will always be some kind of cleaning up required, so factor this in when planning any projects.
Always Aware of Your Child’s Progress –
The information that you receive from parent’s evenings varies from teacher to teacher. With around 20 different students in each class, it can be understandably hard for the teacher to compile a detailed report on your child’s progress. Add to the fact that you are only granted a small window before the next appointment, the only thing tangible that a parent has to go on is the grades that their child is receiving, which do not tell the whole story.
A C grade doesn’t tell you what your child needs to progress to a B, so when you are the one responsible for their education and work with them on a day-to-day basis, you have a clear idea of what your child’s key areas of development are. There are many countries where education either isn’t an option or is severely limited for one reason or another, relying on sponsorship for education programmes by charities. To be able to offer this at home is a benefit that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
National Curriculum is not Compulsory –
When you make the decision to home-school your children, the national curriculum is not compulsory, meaning that you can teach how you see fit. Of course, you must still provide what is seen to be an adequate education that stands your children in good stead as they move into adult life.
As a parent and teacher, you have the ability to make lessons easily relatable to your children by incorporating their own interests. When children have a personal interest in what they are being taught, learning comes a lot easier.
On the Flip Side –
Of course, as well as the benefits that come with home-schooling, there are some drawbacks that you have to consider. The main con of home-schooling is undoubtedly the social aspect – children do not have the opportunity to socialise with other students as they would at school, while the family’s financial situation is also a key factor.
With at least one parent needing to be at home at all times, this means that both parents cannot be in full-time work which, depending on earning power, could be a non-starter.
Whatever you believe is right for your child is ultimately up to you as a parent. If you are in the position where you can home-school, with adequate space in the home to provide an education, it could be an option worth pursuing.
Love,
*This is a collaborative post