© 2017 Michael
Swickard, Ph.D. At the
coffee shop someone asked an interesting question: Do home schoolers take
summer vacations like students in public schools? My reaction was that home-schooled
children do not take three months off from learning and camp out on the couch
with their smart phones.
Over several
days I thought about the question. I know several home schooler parents. All
indicated there was no summer vacation for their kids, but some learning tasks
are focused on summer opportunities.
Obviously,
going to Yellowstone National Park is a learning activity. And Yellowstone is
closed during the winter so you must go in the summer. Importantly, none of the
home schooler parents said that when summer comes they just turn the kids loose
to vegetate.
Home
schooling is one of the most contentious issues in our country. The public
receives conflicting messages. On the one hand, they hear that parents are the
most influential force in children learning.
But, on
the other hand, many education leaders say that learning at home is different
and inferior to “real” education. Especially that education done by
professional educators who have teaching degrees from college.
Also,
education is different in a school setting. That I agree with but I do not
agree that public school education in and of itself is superior.
Home
school parents forego the benefits of a tax-supported education for diverse
reasons including religious, social and achievement concerns. Additionally,
there are people in rural areas where the trip to the nearest school is too far
a journey for young children.
For most
people, outside of those with strictly religious concerns, the primary reason
to home school is a concern about the culture of public education. Currently it
is almost entirely focused on taking tests to check on teachers. What a waste
for students.
Others say
the pace of instruction in schools is focused on the entire class rather than
on any one individual. Home school parents pace their instruction specifically
to their children.
One
objection to home schooling is that parents are usually not professional
educators. How then do we ensure that their children are learning? What should
be done if a home-schooled child reaches majority without sufficient academic
skills? Discipline the parents?
Is it the
parent’s right not to educate their children? Sticky questions. We already face
the same questions with public school graduates. Shall we dock the teacher’s
pension if the students do not learn?
Some
parents are not suited for teaching just as some students are not good
candidates for home learning. Sometimes, the combination of parents not willing
to work hard at teaching, and students not driven to learn can lead to bad
situations. Overall, this is not the case.
Home
schoolers do not turn off their minds when they leave school. Learning occurs
at all hours of the day and night. I like home schooling when it is done
correctly. Public schools can learn more from the methods used by home
schoolers than home schoolers can learn from public schools.
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