Home Schooling vs. Going to Public School

Schooling is very important for every single person in the world. Some people believe a good education is the difference between being successful and being a failure in life. Parents need to make the decision of where to send their children to school. Many parents choose schools based on location, reputation, curriculum, or even cost. Some parents choose to forgo education in a formal setting and instead school their children at home, or hire a tutor for their child. There are many factors that can determine whether or not your child is successful, and choosing where they get their education can have a major impact.

First, I would like to talk about the differences in education regarding home schooling and public schools. Being home-schooled means the child is the complete focus of the teacher, who could be a tutor or parent, formally educated or not. I believe that being the only student in a classroom can have a very beneficial effect or possibly a very detrimental one. The teacher could tailor the curriculum to the student’s need and develop a very good way to teach them in a way a public school teacher cannot. At the same time, an uncooperative student can completely derail the class and end up not learning anything. Conversely, public school teachers teach several students at one time, so it can be difficult to meet each student’s individual needs. At the same time, students can learn from each other, possibly explaining things to each other in a simpler way than a teacher. Both definitely have their pros and cons.

Next, I would like to examine the learning environment. Home-schooled children learn in their own homes. Home is a place to relax and spend your free time. If a child is unable to distinguish between learning time and playtime, then it can be difficult for them to focus on learning. The children may also feel lonely because of the lack of classmates. For some children, competition is a good motivator for learning. At the same time, however, some students work better without any distractions around them. Thinking about public school, it is a very separate place from home. Classrooms have a different environment; they are places for learning and socializing with people of the same age. The competitive nature of children can lead to motivation in unexpected ways. At the same time, not everyone gets along. There can be many distractions or even favoritism from teachers that can affect learning in the classroom.

Finally, let’s discuss relationships. As I mentioned earlier, home-schooled children are taught by parents or a tutor. Having your parent as your teacher could negatively or positively affect you as a child. As I mentioned earlier, drawing the line between playtime and learning time is important. A parent must be able to appropriately teach their child while caring for them as a parent. If a child is unable to tell the difference between when their parent is trying to be a teacher or trying to be a parent, they will get confused and may become stressed any time they are home. On the flip side, a parent who has a strong bond with their child as both a teacher and parent may be able to help their child succeed greatly. One key element is missing from home schooling however, classmates. Having someone your own age near you as you grow up will help you learn how to socialize with others and be able to forge many kinds of relationships in the future. Home-schooled children may not be able to socialize well in the future, or so many think. Public schools give the opportunity to socialize before going out into the world, which I believe is very important. The world is a huge place and in order to live in the world, we need to forge bonds with other people.

In conclusion, I believe that while both methods of education are valid, going to a public school is better. There are so many things dependent on the teacher, other classmates, and curriculum that would determine which gives a better education. However, I believe that the social element that public schools provide is the most important one. Interaction with people that are similar or different from you is important to live in the world. There are definitely a couple of stand-out people who were home-schooled, like Tim Tebow and Emma Watson, but I think that going to public schools can help anyone adjust to living life outside of home.

Rai

Vocabulary

forgo (verb) – to refrain from; to skip
beneficial (adjective) – helpful, positive
detrimental (adjective) – harmful, negative
uncooperative (adjective) – not willing to work with or help another person
derail (verb) – to get off track; to not follow the intended plan or path
forge (verb) – make or create (something strong)