| Reasons to Homeschool |
Spend more time together as a family.
Spend more time with children when they are rested and fresh rather than
tired and cranky from school.
Avoid having to struggle to get children to do the tedious busywork that
is so often sent home as homework.
Allow children time to learn subjects not usually taught in their school.
Allow children to have time for more in-depth study than what is allowed
in school.
Allow children to learn at their own pace, not too slow or too fast.
Allow children to work at a level that is appropriate to their own
developmental stage. Skills and concepts can be introduced at the right
time for that child.
Provide long, uninterrupted blocks of time for writing, reading, playing,
thinking, or working so that the child is able to engage in sophisticated,
complex activities and thought processes.
Encourage concentration and focus - which are discouraged in crowded
classrooms with too many distractions.
Encourage the child to develop the ability to pace her/himself - this is
prevented in a classroom where the schedule is designed to keep every
child busy all the time.
Spend a lot of time out-of-doors. This is more healthy than spending most
weekdays indoors in a crowded, and often overheated, classroom.
Spending more time out-of-doors results in feeling more in touch with the
changing of the seasons and with the small and often overlooked miracles
of nature.
Children learn to help more with household chores, developing a sense
of personal responsibility.
Children learn life skills, such as cooking, in a natural way, by spending
time with adults who are engaged in those activities.
More time spent on household responsibilities strengthens family bonds
because people become more committed to things they have invested in
(in this case, by working for the family).
Time is available for more nonacademic pursuits such as art or music.
This leads to a richer, happier life.
Children will not feel like passive recipients of subject matter selected
by their teachers. They will learn to design their own education and take
responsibility for it.
Children will realize that learning can take place in a large variety of
ways.
Children will learn to seek out assistance from many alternative sources,
rather than relying on a classroom teacher to provide all the answers.
A more relaxed, less hectic lifestyle is possible when families do not
feel the necessity to supplement school during after-school and week-end
hours.
Busywork can be avoided.
Learning can be more efficient since methods can be used that suit a
child's particular learning style.
Children will avoid being forced to work in "cooperative learning
groups" which include children who have very uncooperative attitudes.
Children can learn to work for internal satisfaction rather than for
external rewards.
Children will not be motivated to "take the easy way out" by doing just
enough work to satisfy their teacher. They will learn to be their own
judge of the quality of their own work.
Children will be more willing to take risks and be creative since they do
not have to worry about being embarrassed in front of peers.
Children will be more confident since they are not subject to constant
fear of criticism from teachers.
Peer pressure will be reduced. There will be less pressure to grow up as
quickly in terms of clothing styles, music, language, interest in the
opposite sex.
Social interactions will be by choice and based on common interests.
Friends can be more varied, not just with the child's chronological age
peer group who happen to go to the same school.
Field trips can be taken on a much more frequent basis.
Field trips can be much more enjoyable and more productive when not
done with a large school group which usually involves moving too
quickly and dealing with too many distractions.
Field trips can be directly tied into the child's own curriculum.
Volunteer service activities can be included in the family's regular
schedule. Community service can be of tremendous importance in a
child's development and can be a great learning experience.
Scheduling can be flexible, allowing travel during less expensive and
less crowded off-peak times. This can allow for more travel than
otherwise, which is a wonderful learning experience.
Children will be less likely to compare their own knowledge or
intelligence with other children and will be less likely to become either
conceited or feel inferior.
Religious and special family days can be planned and celebrated.
More time will be spent with people (friends and family) who really
love and care about the children. Children will bond more with siblings
and parents since they will spend more time together playing, working,
and helping each other.
Feedback on children's work will be immediate and appropriate. They
won't have to wait for a teacher to grade and return their work later to
find out if they understood it.
Feedback can be much more useful than just marking answers incorrect
or giving grades.
Testing is optional. Time doesn't have to be spent on testing or preparing
for testing unless the parent and/or child desires it. Observation and
discussion are ongoing at home and additional assessment methods are
often redundant. Testing, if used, is best used to indicate areas for further
work.
Grading is usually unnecessary and learning is seen as motivating in and
of itself. Understanding and knowledge are the rewards for studying,
rather than grades (or stickers, or teacher's approval, etc.).
Children can be consistently guided in a family's values and can learn
them by seeing and participating in parents' daily lives.
Children will learn to devote their energy and time to activities that
THEY think are worthwhile.
Children will be able to learn about their ethnicities in a manner that will
not demean. Children will be able to understand multiculturalism in its
true sense and not from the pseudo-multicultural materials presented in
schools which tend to depict others from a dominant culture perspective.
Children will not learn to "fit into society," but will, instead, value
morality and love more than status and money.
Children do not have to wait until they are grown to begin to seriously
explore their passions; they can start living now.
Children's education can be more complete than what schools offer.
Children who are "different" in any way can avoid being subjected to the
constant and merciless teasing, taunting, and bullying which so often
occurs in school.
Children with special needs will be encouraged to reach their full
potential and not be limited by the use of "cookie cutter" educational
methods used in schools.
Low standards or expectations of school personnel will not influence or
limit children's ability to learn and excel.
Children will be safer from gangs, drugs, and guns.
Parents will decide what is important for the children to learn, rather than
a government bureaucracy.
Family will not be forced to work within school's traditional hours if it
does not fit well with their job schedules and sleep needs.
Spend more time with children when they are rested and fresh rather than
tired and cranky from school.
Avoid having to struggle to get children to do the tedious busywork that
is so often sent home as homework.
Allow children time to learn subjects not usually taught in their school.
Allow children to have time for more in-depth study than what is allowed
in school.
Allow children to learn at their own pace, not too slow or too fast.
Allow children to work at a level that is appropriate to their own
developmental stage. Skills and concepts can be introduced at the right
time for that child.
Provide long, uninterrupted blocks of time for writing, reading, playing,
thinking, or working so that the child is able to engage in sophisticated,
complex activities and thought processes.
Encourage concentration and focus - which are discouraged in crowded
classrooms with too many distractions.
Encourage the child to develop the ability to pace her/himself - this is
prevented in a classroom where the schedule is designed to keep every
child busy all the time.
Spend a lot of time out-of-doors. This is more healthy than spending most
weekdays indoors in a crowded, and often overheated, classroom.
Spending more time out-of-doors results in feeling more in touch with the
changing of the seasons and with the small and often overlooked miracles
of nature.
Children learn to help more with household chores, developing a sense
of personal responsibility.
Children learn life skills, such as cooking, in a natural way, by spending
time with adults who are engaged in those activities.
More time spent on household responsibilities strengthens family bonds
because people become more committed to things they have invested in
(in this case, by working for the family).
Time is available for more nonacademic pursuits such as art or music.
This leads to a richer, happier life.
Children will not feel like passive recipients of subject matter selected
by their teachers. They will learn to design their own education and take
responsibility for it.
Children will realize that learning can take place in a large variety of
ways.
Children will learn to seek out assistance from many alternative sources,
rather than relying on a classroom teacher to provide all the answers.
A more relaxed, less hectic lifestyle is possible when families do not
feel the necessity to supplement school during after-school and week-end
hours.
Busywork can be avoided.
Learning can be more efficient since methods can be used that suit a
child's particular learning style.
Children will avoid being forced to work in "cooperative learning
groups" which include children who have very uncooperative attitudes.
Children can learn to work for internal satisfaction rather than for
external rewards.
Children will not be motivated to "take the easy way out" by doing just
enough work to satisfy their teacher. They will learn to be their own
judge of the quality of their own work.
Children will be more willing to take risks and be creative since they do
not have to worry about being embarrassed in front of peers.
Children will be more confident since they are not subject to constant
fear of criticism from teachers.
Peer pressure will be reduced. There will be less pressure to grow up as
quickly in terms of clothing styles, music, language, interest in the
opposite sex.
Social interactions will be by choice and based on common interests.
Friends can be more varied, not just with the child's chronological age
peer group who happen to go to the same school.
Field trips can be taken on a much more frequent basis.
Field trips can be much more enjoyable and more productive when not
done with a large school group which usually involves moving too
quickly and dealing with too many distractions.
Field trips can be directly tied into the child's own curriculum.
Volunteer service activities can be included in the family's regular
schedule. Community service can be of tremendous importance in a
child's development and can be a great learning experience.
Scheduling can be flexible, allowing travel during less expensive and
less crowded off-peak times. This can allow for more travel than
otherwise, which is a wonderful learning experience.
Children will be less likely to compare their own knowledge or
intelligence with other children and will be less likely to become either
conceited or feel inferior.
Religious and special family days can be planned and celebrated.
More time will be spent with people (friends and family) who really
love and care about the children. Children will bond more with siblings
and parents since they will spend more time together playing, working,
and helping each other.
Feedback on children's work will be immediate and appropriate. They
won't have to wait for a teacher to grade and return their work later to
find out if they understood it.
Feedback can be much more useful than just marking answers incorrect
or giving grades.
Testing is optional. Time doesn't have to be spent on testing or preparing
for testing unless the parent and/or child desires it. Observation and
discussion are ongoing at home and additional assessment methods are
often redundant. Testing, if used, is best used to indicate areas for further
work.
Grading is usually unnecessary and learning is seen as motivating in and
of itself. Understanding and knowledge are the rewards for studying,
rather than grades (or stickers, or teacher's approval, etc.).
Children can be consistently guided in a family's values and can learn
them by seeing and participating in parents' daily lives.
Children will learn to devote their energy and time to activities that
THEY think are worthwhile.
Children will be able to learn about their ethnicities in a manner that will
not demean. Children will be able to understand multiculturalism in its
true sense and not from the pseudo-multicultural materials presented in
schools which tend to depict others from a dominant culture perspective.
Children will not learn to "fit into society," but will, instead, value
morality and love more than status and money.
Children do not have to wait until they are grown to begin to seriously
explore their passions; they can start living now.
Children's education can be more complete than what schools offer.
Children who are "different" in any way can avoid being subjected to the
constant and merciless teasing, taunting, and bullying which so often
occurs in school.
Children with special needs will be encouraged to reach their full
potential and not be limited by the use of "cookie cutter" educational
methods used in schools.
Low standards or expectations of school personnel will not influence or
limit children's ability to learn and excel.
Children will be safer from gangs, drugs, and guns.
Parents will decide what is important for the children to learn, rather than
a government bureaucracy.
Family will not be forced to work within school's traditional hours if it
does not fit well with their job schedules and sleep needs.
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