Homeschooling Parents Take Control
Thursday, March 16th, 2006By Mimi Rothschild
There are several reasons why some parents choose homeschooling. Besides food, water, love, and sunshine, children also need structure, discipline, books, consistency, diversity, creativity, and a listening ear to hear what is said as well as what is unsaid. Many parents choose homeschooling because they feel that they simply cannot trust the public school system to provide all of these things for their children.
Children are interested in learning as long as the learning is interesting. The idea that children seek out knowledge is not always correct. Even the most avid reader among children will most likely choose to watch a Lord of the Rings movie than pick up an algebra book. Most parents who choose homeschooling know this, and find ways to incorporate learning into things that public schools may not even consider. Homeschooling parents provide an environment that helps children to learn in spite of themselves.
Some mainstream educators believe, or simply hope, that children, if left to their own devices, are noble creatures who will teach themselves. Also, they hope that children will naturally evolve into intelligent, philosophical beings that will both create and absorb a curriculum that will surpasses the requirements of all state education boards. If these things were true, then homeschooling as well as mainstream schooling would be unnecessary and obsolete.
Through homeschooling parents can teach their children that it would be okay to take a break from television and sit down to a Spanish lesson. Generally, homeschooling parents seem to have a better handle on this idea. Though the concept of homeschooling has been questioned for its effectiveness, many people are beginning to realize that homeschooled students are doing more of what publicly educated students seem to be steadily doing less of – learning.