Collaborative Post
Our children are incredibly important to us. From the moment they’re born, we seek to give them the best opportunities and experiences in life, so that they can become well rounded individuals as they grow up.
The problem with trying to do this, however, is that it can be hard to know what is the best way to achieve this for them. One such question that often comes up for parents is whether to homeschool their children or not. Considering how quickly our children adapt and learn, thinking about their educational needs doesn’t take long to become one of our main points of focus. Therefore, you need to weigh up the pros and cons of both options to decide which is best for your children.
For Homeschooling
Tailored Classes
One of the obvious benefits of teaching your child at home is that they get a tailored educational experience. Instead of being one in a class of many, with sometimes up to 30 children in one class, your child doesn’t have to vy for the teachers’ input and knowledge. This in turn, will mean that they can learn in ways that are better suited to their needs, such as visual learning and practical application.
Knowledge is King
In a lot of schools, the focus isn’t on imparting sound knowledge onto pupils, but that they achieve the best grades possible. As a result, a lot of stress starts to form around the need to be the “perfect student” and only getting As and Bs, sometimes with the stress having damaging, lasting effects. When your child is taught at home, you can ensure the focus is on genuine learning, devoid of competing against classmates in order to be the top of the class.
Greater and Wider opportunities for Socialisation
Traditional education provides a limited range of socialisation for your children; they’ll mix only with children from the same birth year. However, when you home educate your children will be learning alongside younger and older children. This can often lead to them feeling much more comfortable in social situations as they grow up as they’re used to interacting with a wide range of people. Of course, if they attend a public school, they can meet new people, make friends, and generally feel comfortable with being part of a group. What is more, if you opt for a more specialist school, they can socialise within a small reception class, thus eliminating the potential issue of limited time with the teacher.
Public School
Access to Trained Educators
Even with the best will in the world, unless you’re well versed in every subject in the curriculum, your child won’t have access to learning from a trained professional. Although this isn’t necessarily an issue, as teacher training is often about behaviour management. You will need to organise your home lessons well and invest in research and planning. Often parents are learning as they teach their children, as opposed to being a professional teacher experienced in their chosen subject of choice.
Early education can feel like a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be. As long as you thoroughly research and understand the options available, you’ll be able to find the right educational route for your children.
