Before parents decide to do homeschooling, it is necessary to look at it from both sides. There are definite pros and cons regarding homeschooling. It doesn’t mean that the cons can’t be overcome but it is necessary to be aware of them. It also helps the parents to decide if homeschooling is achievable in their specific situation. Some of the cons can also have pros attached to it.
Some of the Pros and Cons
Time
Homeschooling will take up a lot of time. The parent that will be responsible for homeschooling must be prepared to dedicate this time to the education of the child. On the other hand, education time can be flexible and can be adapted to fit into the family’s schedule rather than the opposite.
Finances
The cost of homeschooling will depend on the method you choose. If you choose to make use of an online program it can cost around $900 a year. These courses are complete with tests, worksheets and planning already done. On the other hand, homeschooling can be very cheap if you are going to plan your own curriculum and make use of the many free online resources available. Even if you choose the cheapest option the family will have to be finically strong enough to live on only one parent’s salary. Planning the curriculum and finding online resources that are perfect for your way of teaching will be time consuming and very difficult if it has to be combined with a fulltime career.
One-On-One Teaching
Homeschooled children have the privilege of immediate attention when needed. For learners with special needs this is actually necessary but for all other learners it is invaluable for excellent achievement. It is very important that the parent should understand the demands this will make on them. The parent-teacher should be patient and understanding. The parent will have to spend a certain amount of time a day focusing only on the child and his or her learning needs. This might not be as stimulating for the parent as it is for the learner.
Curriculum
In certain states the homeschooling laws enforce the teaching of certain subjects, where in other states the parents and child can choose which subjects they want to do. The flexibility to choose subjects the child shows interest in will make teaching of those subjects much easier. Teaching a child a forced subject that he or she might not like and the parent might not be interested in either, can be very challenging for the teacher-parent.
For homeschooling to be successful these challenges must be considered carefully. If after careful consideration the parent is still passionate about homeschooling there is no argument that it would be the best choice.
