This question will have more than one answer. Some people will say it is highly effective while others might completely disagree.
The effectiveness of homeschooling will depend on a variety of factors.
The reasons why people prefer homeschooling instead of public schooling are many and varied.
One of the main reasons why people choose homeschooling is religious conviction. Nobody can tell parents and children that they have to conform to schools where no specific religion is used as a basis for teaching, but rather religious tolerance for all beliefs. If these parents go about homeschooling responsibly and sensibly there is no reason why homeschooling can’t be effective.
Another reason provided for homeschooling is that the environment of the public school is unacceptable to the parents. Again it is how the parent perceives the school and again nobody can argue with this perception. If the only school in your area is having problems and constructive learning can’t happen, it would make more sense to look into homeschooling. Parents who feel strong about this will make sure that they apply homeschooling effectively and that it will be to the benefit of the child.
With all the research available on the academic achievements of children in homeschooling, it would be difficult to argue that it is not effective.
There are instances where it might not be more effective than public schools.
A lot of the effectiveness of homeschooling will depend on how it is approached. The parent responsible for the teaching will have to be enthusiastic about teaching the child. It will involve some effort and creativity. If teaching becomes a chore for the parent it can result in a negative experience for both the child and the parent.
If the curriculum isn’t planned well and with specific goals in mind, homeschooling can be ineffective. If a child plans on going to college or has a specific career in mind it would be vital that the homeschooling is structured around that goal. Children that are not sure about their future careers will have to work with a curriculum that will prepare them for a variety of future jobs. If at the end of a child’s school career, he or she suddenly decides to become an engineer, but there was never really any focus on science in the curriculum, it can be disastrous.
The effectiveness of homeschooling will depend on the quality of the curriculum and the subjects taught during a child’s homeshooling years.
