The Homeschooling Movement Of The United States

Imagine what it would be like to not get to have your first day of school as a child. For a child that is home schooled, they never get to walk through the doors on their first day with a new backpack, new school supplies, and new clothes. As little as this issue may seem, is it important for people to understand the effects that homeschooling can have on the cognitive development of elementary age children because by not being exposed to the resources and relationships children can get out of public school, they lack the benefits that come along with the system. Children cannot develop their emotions and problem solving skills, which could result in them being less successful in the future. The next generation is meaningful to society because they are the ones that will help American progress, so people need to ensure that they are getting the best education for their children. Although many parents believe homeschooling can be beneficial to their children because of the convenience and closeness to home, thoroughly examining the negative effects it has including a lack in the cognitive development, limited exposure to problems associated with the public as well as not having the benefits of a relationship with teachers and other students can prove that homeschooling are harmful to the cognitive development of elementary aged children.

Thesis: Homeschooling environment is an effective approach in education due to evidence of higher achievement on placement tests, success through college, engaged socially with activities outside homes, and students becoming active members of society.

All homeschoolers aren’t always necessarily smarter than public schoolers, but because they are very good at self-motivating themselves and they work very hard and set high expectations they normally do well on standardized tests. When it comes to college graduation, homeschoolers graduated at a rate of 66.7% and public schoolers graduated at a rate of 57.5% at a doctoral college. Homeschooled students also normally score fifteen to thirty percent higher on standardized testing and graduate with a consistently higher GPA than the average public schooler. Colleges, such as Harvard, have been looking for homeschoolers in particular because they are often the most prepared for college. It has been made clear that because of the homeschooler’s superior form of education, they score quite high on standardized tests and turn out to be more intelligent than the students of other schools. The fact that this type of education benefits the student should be an influential factor in the decision about homeschooling.

Homeschooling is a type of education which typically occurs in the home with the child’s parent or guardian serving as the primary educator. Currently, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and is considered to be one of the fastest growing segments of K-12 education in the United States. In 2007, homeschooled students represent approximately 3 percent of children attending K-12 in the United States (Cogan 19). Since homeschooling is outside the control of the traditional education system, questions have been raised as to whether or not homeschooling can adequately prepare students for a college environment and the rigors of college academics. One side of this argument claims that homeschooling does not adequately prepare students for a college environment. Supporters of this side believe that homeschooling isolates students from the outside world, rendering them socially and educationally handicapped (Romanowski 125). Since their schooling experiences are limited to their homeschool setting, they are at a disadvantage with their postsecondary studies (Romanowski 127). The other side argues that homeschooling is an adequate form of schooling for college preparation. I BELIEVE THAT HOMESCHOOLING CAN ADEQUATELY PREPARE STUDENTS FOR A COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT.

In 1980, homeschooling was illegal in 30 states. Later on, it was recognized as a parent's right across the country in the year 1993 (Martin, 2014). A survey was made to the respondents. They were asked if homeschooling was an acceptable means of education. As the results of Phi Delta Kappan Gallup survey, Americans have become more receptive to the idea of homeschooling. They think that homeschooling has become an alternative option to public schools because it is more socially acceptable (Moreau, 2012). In the previous related study, it was mentioned that the increase of homeschooled students had been consistent. It only shows that the acceptance of homeschooling has been broad as the years passed

All throughout our lives parents tell us: “Go to school… you have a test to study for tomorrow get to to studying”. What if there was a way to flip that schedule right on its back? Homeschooling: a hassle free, no needed transportation kind of learning. Parents can’t even imagine what they're getting themselves into now.

Public schooling in the United States fails in providing a quality education for student in K-12. In 2015 the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures reading ability and math and science literacy among 15-year-olds in dozens of developed and developing countries, found that the United States is ranked 35th in math and 27th in science Desilver, D. (2016). The number one thing every parent wants for their children is for them to have access to the best possible education available. As a result of a low quality public education, parents are progressively looking for alternative ways of schooling. In particular, some parents have decided that homeschooling would better prepare their children in life. This paper will analyze both the pros and cons of homeschooling.

Education in our society is a very important factor in shaping our future. One’s future is depended on the education they receive and everyone is somehow affected by this. Children from the ages of kindergarteners to seniors in high school, college graduates, and stay at home mothers, are all shaped by the education the government provides us. There are many different ways to acquire an education some through private schools, public, charter, and being homeschooled. However, homeschooling is growing more in popularity than it has ever been.

This research paper analyzes data from case studies and peer reviewed articles to examine, whether home schoolers who are educated away from the public school are able attain the expected higher academic standards comparable to public school students (PSS). Additionally, socialization, which has plagued homeschoolers will be considered to be a part of this research., Subsequently, the search for answers about the homeschooling success had becomebecame more difficult, due to the abundance of misrepresented information and public opinions. Historically, Finally, those who have a basic knowledge of the homeschooling community, developed their assumptions based on limited exposure with parents who homeschooled. Unfortunately, parents who

Research claims that homeschoolers usually exceed expectations in college compared to traditional-school students. According to Michael Cogan, author of “Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschool Students,” majority of admission staff located at different colleges believe homeschool students either meet or exceed expectations of traditional-school students (Cogan 19). These expectations include GPA, how many college credits were earned prior to enrollment, and how well they retain information. Homeschool students were also reported as to having significantly higher ACT-Composite scores. The average ACT-Composite score among homeschool students is a 27, while the average score among traditional-school students is a 25 (Cogan 24). Not only are homeschool students’ standardized testing scores higher, their GPA scores are usually higher as well. The average GPA of homeschool students is 3.64, and traditional-school students’ average GPA is between 3.54 and 3.44 (Cogan 24). In addition, homeschool students earn more college credits prior to enrollment than traditional-school students because few public schools offer concurrent classes (HSLDA). The

Postlewaite, Charlotte C. "The Home School Debate. (Cover Story)." State Government News 47.2 (2004): 18-20. Academic Search Complete. Web.

Homeschooling causes students to miss out on social events that typical students experience and creates issues for their families and future education. Homeschooled students do not get a conventional high school experience, and they miss out having a sense of school pride and social events such as football games and pep rallies. The lack of connection with peers can cause loneliness as well. Homeschooling may cause strain on family relationships and financial problems if the family does not monitor it. Homeschooled students may also not receive the proper rigor needed to succeed in college or in a conventional classroom setting if he or she wishes to continued their education. They may also lack the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. Homeschooling poses issues not only on the student and

Surprisingly, there are a variety of people that do homeschooling. Both people from high-income to low-income families. There are parents that even have doctorates or even a diploma in a general subject. Families with either one or two parents and differing ethnics and religious or secular inducement choose to homeschool (Ray 2002). Researchers come to the conclusion that homeschoolers, for the most part, have free reign when it comes to their homework and school pace that they feel that suits them the best.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), the number of homeschoolers rose up to 300,000 in 1992 to an estimated 2 million in 2003. Homeschooling has been around since 1960s, created by John Holt, a humanist. He believes that homeschooling is one of the greatest educational movements of our time. Supporters love the idea of students being homeschooled rather than being exposed to public schools because they believe that homeschooling students will boost their test scores and help lessen their insecurities. However, others believe homeschooling students lack the ability to socialize and interact with the community.

Since parents are the teachers in a home schooling environment, they have ultimate authority. They can have an oppressive amount of control over the student. Parents spending more time with their children may seem like an advantage, but there comes a point where the students need time away from their family and their parents. School is a place where students can socialize with people outside of their family and not be under their parents’ constant observation. Eventually,