What is homeschooling?

What is homeschooling?

Homeschooling means studying away from all public and private schools and educational institutions; it can be done by one or both parents, or by a private teacher. It is also possible for the student to study the school curriculum itself, or the curriculum for homeschooling, or what the parents deem most appropriate to understand and absorb their child.

When did homeschooling start?

Homeschooling has existed since ancient times, as most children were homeschooled by a family
member, before the Compulsory Education Act was enacted. At the beginning of the seventies, the homeschooling system began to progress and became legally recognized in 50 countries around the world; in the United States alone, the Homeschooling Research Foundation revealed in a study that there are more than two million children receiving homeschooling, and this percentage increases from 7% to 15% each year.

=  The most perplexing question for parents is: how can they begin the homeschooling process.

=  The most important thing that parents need if they want to teach their children at home: to love them, to enjoy their company, presence, movements and follies, to find pleasure in their conversation and questions, and to try hard to answer those questions. In his book, John Holt states that if parents want to pursue homeschooling, they must have the desire to do so in addition to the educational process.

What are the motivations of parents to follow the homeschooling system for their children?

Their lack of confidence in the school's ability to provide for the educational needs of their children.

Parents fear for their children from the phenomenon of bullying among students, which has recently become widespread in most schools.

Their lack of confidence in the curriculum and teaching methods.

In addition, homeschooling gives parents more control over how their children are taught and the curriculum content.

The large number of family travels and instability in one country can be an important motivation for choosing homeschooling.

Read also: How to use entertainment in education!

What are the disadvantages of homeschooling:

Many studies have shown the drawbacks that can result from homeschooling, including: the lack of friends for our children, due to limited opportunities to interact with other children. In addition to the following:

1. The material cost of homeschooling:

Some parents believe that homeschooling is inexpensive. But in fact: this is not true, especially if both parents work, because neither of them will leave work and devote themselves to the education of the children, and thus the family's income will decrease, in addition to the cost of books and educational supplies.

2. The scope of extra-curricular activities is very limited:

Children need extra-curricular activities, from various sports to school trips. The most likely is that parents cannot take their children permanently to parks or clubs, because it is an effort-consuming and time-consuming process, and it becomes more complicated and difficult when the children become teenagers.

3. Increased parental stress:

At first, parents may think it's easy, but it's actually a physically stressful subject that takes a lot of time and effort to prepare lessons and teach children. They can face many of the problems that teachers themselves face, and they must also provide their children with practical learning experiences and activities.

4. Spend long times and hours with children:

We love our children, and we want to spend as much time as possible with them, but we certainly can't afford to spend the whole day without any weekend, or even hourly. Therefore, parents who are considering making the decision to homeschool, should rethink repeatedly, because it is a difficult decision for those who cannot deal with children for very long periods. But we advise parents to look at the glass half full, as this tiring time spent with their children is the biggest opportunity to get closer to each other.

What are the advantages of homeschooling?

Although there are many negatives to the home education process, there are many positives that can overcome these negatives, including:

1. Speed in education:

Studies have shown that children who learn at home are faster to learn and more focused on the information they receive. Parents can also choose the right time to start and finish school in the day, and they can also choose the appropriate curriculum, focus on the subjects that their children love the most, and give them more importance; parents are the most able to understand their children, and know their desires and inclinations.

2. Increase educational productivity:

Is it plausible that the concentration of information that a child receives in his mind from the teacher alone is the same as when he is present with at least 20 students? Answer: It definitely doesn't. Rather, he can do many things that distract him and take him away from the context of the lesson. The situation at home is completely different, where the child can accomplish and learn a lot in a shorter time than school hours, and he can finish his homework during school hours.

3. Freedom of religion and beliefs:

Many families consider religious and moral beliefs and values to be very important and should be instilled in their children from a young age. In this case, homeschooling allows parents to teach their beliefs, religion, values and morals within the curriculum their children receive.

4. Children get more rest:

The child's access to sufficient hours of sleep is one of the most important reasons for the development of his mental development and intelligence, especially the early hours of the morning, which school students are deprived of, as they must wake up early in the morning to go to school, to spend at least 6 hours outside the house, and return exhausted.

5. Children's emotional stability:

Studies have indicated that children who are subject to the homeschooling system are the most emotionally stable, as they can overcome the challenges they face and deal with them better; and they can overcome the trauma of moving to another city, unlike children who undergo the school system.

6. Emotional and physical security:

In these times, bullying among school students has increased very clearly, and this is devastating for some children emotionally, and also academically, as the learning process of the bullied child becomes almost impossible, so the best option for parents to spare their children these harms is homeschooling.

7. Academic Excellence:

Studies have confirmed that children who undergo the homeschooling system, have much higher results on standardized tests than others, excel at the university level, become self-learners, and succeed in their fields of work and careers.