HOMESCHOOL: A Wise alternative
Did you know that it is possible to establish a peaceful, steady, and stimulating learning environment where your child's education is customized to meet their unique needs and abilities in the middle of a fast-paced world?
Do you know that you can create an atmosphere where learning is enjoyable and you, as a parent, have the liberty and time to help your child develop moral values and character?
Homeschooling offers you and your child these and many more. It is no longer news that education or effective learning does not only take place in a building set up by the government or by certain established individuals.
This reality hit home during the COVID-19 pandemic, as we were all confined to our homes with our children.
With so much going on around us, we need to take a moment to reflect on what it really means to educate our children.
- What is your goal in raising and educating your child?
- How satisfied are you with who your child is becoming?
- Are the resources and investments you are committing to your child’s development moving your child towards his/her purpose?
- Are you getting the time you need to invest fully in your child to prepare him or her to cope with the outside world?
As parents, we must keep reminding ourselves that, as important as academics are, there is more to life than what goes on in the four walls of a school building.
As good as formal education is, it is not enough for today's world. We have been homeschooling our children for seven years now. Before then, all five of them attended conventional schools, with two of them completing their high school education there. So I have been involved with the traditional school system.
You would agree with me that so much has changed over the years. The world as we knew it a decade ago, is far from what it is today, and more changes keep occurring with each tick of the clock. Our young ones need to be raised to live in this changing world.
A picture of the world we now live in
Because the world around has and is changing so much, education as we all knew it, is no longer catering to the needs of today's world.
It is no longer a given to "go to school, graduate, and get a good job." Job security no longer exists.
It is interesting to note that a growing number of people are choosing to follow their passions, talents, and gifts as a career instead of pursuing degrees.
These influencers are the ones leading the "dream lives," unlike in previous decades when good formal education was a determining factor.
I am in no way saying that giving your child a formal education is wrong, or that sending your child to a conventional school is wrong. I am also not saying that your child must be homeschooled to make it in today's world.
That being said, I am saying that parents today need to look into and prioritize raising and educating their children in a way that will empower them to live purposeful and balanced lives in today's world. Anything less, would be the continual emergence of young, and disillusioned adults, roaming our streets.
Why I believe that Homeschool is a wise alternative
1. Any parent who really wants to can homeschool his/her child.
2. Homeschooling offers the opportunity to personally work with your child. This way, you are able to discover and guide your child according to his or her gifts and abilities. You are also able to tailor your child’s learning according to his or her learning style and interests.
3. You have the ability to identify your child's weak areas in real time and work with them on them—a task that a traditional teacher may not always be able to accomplish due to the large number of other children who require her attention.
4. Your child is free to unwind and enjoy learning at his or her own pace because there are no pressures to keep up with a room full of other children who have different talents, skill levels, and learning styles.
5. Your child is shielded from the negative aspects of peer pressure and bullying that can occur in traditional or conventional school settings. This is something that we know can help with better mental and emotional well-being.
6. Homeschool removes age and class barriers, and promotes bonding between your children, who are at different ages and academic levels.
I have watched my kids use the social skills they learned at home to form meaningful bonds with friends they make outside of the house.
7. Additionally, homeschool strengthens your relationship with your child— talking with your child on any subject matter is made possible and unintimidating in this loving atmosphere.
8. Your child can work, think, and communicate freely without fear of a highly test- or grade-focused environment, an overburdened teacher, or pressure that comes from peers. The child is forced to also focus on those much needed values and character traits like love, diligence, kindness, faith, and mastery. Values and character traits that will enable them to accomplish worthwhile goals and get along with others in day-to-day life.
9. And in case you are wondering about performance (because I did too). A study published in the Journal of School Choice, found that homeschooled students in the United States outperformed their public school peers by an average of 15 to 30 percentile points in standardized tests.
In another another research conducted by the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) homeschooled students were suggested to typically score well above the national average on standardized tests.
These studies demonstrate that, despite popular belief, homeschooled children do learn, even if they do not achieve the highest test scores on every standardized test.
10. Because of the high-tech world we live in, you can build a successful business or career while you homeschool your child/children. Your kids will be ecstatic to participate in it. They can take lessons from it and replicate it since it will be an actual life experience.
Conclusion
If we want our children to succeed in these changing times, we as parents must unquestionably reevaluate and replan the way they are educated. It may feel like a "sacrifice" today, but investing in our children will protect them from the effects of the storms of life that are raging around us, and set them up for a successful and forward-thinking future.
As we raise our children, let’s not only think grades; let’s think life; let’s think values, legacy, impact, and purpose. Let’s prioritize ensuring that our children are adequately prepared for life. Homeschooling is a wise alternative to consider today if, like me, you are looking forward to unwinding, resting, and spending quality time with grandchildren in the evening of your life. All that is required is a proactive, loving parent who wants the best for their child. By God's grace, the rest will become history.
