In 2003, the state of Texas started requiring students in the third grade and up to pass the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test, in order to be promoted to the next grade (Waller Independent School District, 2002). Even if a student makes the “A” honor roll all year, but fails this test, that student will not proceed to the next grade without repeating and passing the test. Last year, 16% of Texas’s seniors failed the TAKS graduation test that is one out of every six seniors (Dallas News, 2007). These seniors did not get to graduate with their class. As a result of this requirement, public school teachers are pushed to prepare students to pass this test. So the teachers are constantly worrying about the preparation of the test and students are constantly worrying about failing the test. Home schooled children do not have this kind of stress, for they are not required to participate in the testing. Home schooled children are also not required to do homework either.
Public schooled children have to get up early in the morning, spend eight hours at school, come home and do homework. Some children, high school students especially have hours of homework to do, stopping only to eat and shower before bed. What kind of day is this for a 15 year-old child? Where is the “me” time in a student’s day or the “family” time, for that matter? Many Jr. High and High school students are over-worked and sleep-deprived. Home schooling does not require extra work after schooling hours. These children have more time to be with family and to do what interest them. Interaction with family is very important in developing social skills.
Social skills are a big controversy when it comes to home schooling a child. A great deal of people, believe that a child who is home schooled misses out on learning social skills. Dobson (2004) points out, “The great advantage of home schooling, in fact, is the protection it provides to vulnerable children from the wrong kind of socialization.” Is there a wrong kind of socialization? What about segregation?
Starting in grade school students in public schools segregate themselves according to rich and poor, black and white, or cool and un-cool. Is that what home schooled children are missing out on? Students in public schools are expected to be dressed a certain way, with name-brand clothes and shoes. If they are not, they are categorized as poor or un-cool children. People say that home schooled children lead sheltered lives. Is it wrong for parents to want to protect their child from being picked on and bullied around by the “popular” children, just because they are different? Public schools will teach a child early on in life that people are mean and it is best to just learn to deal with it. For some parents, this is important in the development of their child’s social skills. Other parents feel like their children can get all they need, where social skills are concerned, at home.
Home schooling provides quality family-time. Interaction between siblings is a good source of social skills. Going to the grocery store teaches a home schooled child about the real world. Field trips with the family or going on vacation can be very educational too. Home schooling does not require keeping a child sheltered from the real world. Everyone just has his or her, own version of what is considered the real world. Public schooled children do not get this kind of quality time with their family. As mentioned earlier, public schools provide a long day and little time for anything else. Some children flourish in public schools, interacting well with other students and some do not. Peer pressure can be a problem for the latter of the two.
Peer pressure can be defined in many different ways. Competitiveness can be pressured onto students. In order to be popular in school, one must wear the right clothes, have money, be beautiful, and hang out with the right group. Being on the football team or a cheerleader will definitely help where popularity is concerned. What about the children who are not any of those things? These are the ones that usually turn to drugs and violence. The unpopular child will be looking to fit in somewhere. That only leaves two categories, the geeks and the misfits. Now the geeks will not be a problem but, who wants their child in this category? The misfits are going to be the druggies and the ones having sex. No parent wants this for their child.
Home schooling prevents outside temptation and pressure. These children are happy children. They do not have to worry about whether or not they are virgins and who might pressure them into having sex. In public schools older children can be dominating younger children. Making them do things to keep from getting hurt physically, picked on, or called a coward. Some children are confident and know how to deal with bullies. These children will do fine in public schools, but consider the easily influenced or intimidated child. Would home school be better, for that particular child? In some situations home schooling can be dangerous too.
Home schooling can be just as dangerous as public schools, just in different ways. Some parents may want to hide physical abuse by enrolling their child in home school. Drugs could be a factor in the reason for the abuse. In this situation, public school would be better, for that particular child, to have a safe place away from the home. The child would also have the opportunity to tell someone and get help. But do not be fooled into thinking that public schools are drug-free zones. These days’ schools are full of drugs and violence. Drugs are actually being sold and used at school. The violence at school could be directly related to the drug use, although the reason does not have to pertain to drugs for a fight to erupt. These are problems that weighs heavy on the minds of most parents.
Parenting plays a big role in how children act at home and at school. Parents need to practice discipline at home in order to teach students morals and good manners. Many times this issue is neglected. Some parents could careless where their children are and what they are doing. There are even some parents, who enroll their children in home school programs because their children do not want to go to school and the parents do not want to get fined. When the child is old enough, they are then permitted to drop out. This is home schooling for the wrong reason. A parent must be truly dedicated to teaching their children, if they are going to home school.
A good public school can be a wonderful place. Getting out of the house and socializing with friends is very important to some children. Take that away from them and their parents may have a miserable child on their hands. Keep in mind however, that a particular little girl or boy could be the outcast, never fitting in, getting picked on all day. Home schooling is not the best solution for every problem but, it may be better for one child. Take every child’s happiness into consideration.
By: Singing ButterflyReference:
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What is TAKS? (2006). Waller ISD. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from Waller ISD.com
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