Is homeschooling for you?
The current mainstream education system has caused children and parents many issues in recent years. Parents are beginning to turn to alternative forms of education, such as Montessori schools, nature schools, and most commonly, homeschooling. A lack of funding, underpaid and scarce teachers, school health and safety, and problems with the curriculum have led parents to look further into other schooling alternatives. Parents have begun researching different curriculums that align with their family's beliefs, values, and needs. One of the most common concerns with homeschooling is the fear of a disruption in children’s socialization skills. However, families have begun learning together, as a whole, and have discovered ways to stay connected with the community to promote healthy socialization with other kids. I am going to explain what homeschooling is and a few benefits, different ways to connect with the community when deciding to homeschool, and why homeschooling may not be for everyone.
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The modern homeschool movement began in the 1970s and John Holt, an educational theorist and supporter of reforming schools, began vocalizing how formal schools had a weak focus on learning that produced an oppressive classroom environment. Holt called for parents to reform their children’s formal education and instead follow a method known as “unschooling.” Fast forward to the present date where there was an estimated 3.135 million homeschooled students (i.e., school-age, ages 5 to under 18, K-12) in the United States during the 2021-2022 school year. Parents have discovered the many benefits of homeschooling our children, even our very own, Jessica Griffioen. Jessica has claimed that, from a family therapist's point of view, homeschooling is an amazing opportunity to strengthen the family team. Becoming your child’s teacher increases your time together and strengthens the bond you have with each other. Homeschooling supports a child’s independence, interests, and mental health. As your children's teacher, you get to find the ways they learn best and then help your child to utilize their strengths throughout their life. Homeschooling allows for flexibility, less stress, more outside time, more physical activity, more time for meals, less pressure to get the best grades, more opportunity to really learn the material, and create personalized lessons.
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Homeschooling does not have to strictly be done at home. In fact-most homeschooling can be done in different places, fostering unique ideas when learning in new/different environments. Jessica Griffioen’s biggest suggestion would be to homeschool within the community. Reaching out to other homeschool families and becoming involved with local Facebook groups and homeschool associations is recommended in order for you to see the many different ways you can approach homeschooling. Homeschooling is not “public school at home” and the shift to becoming your parent’s teacher can be hard. Give yourself time to get into a new routine, as a family. Bookwork may only last a couple of hours a day, depending on the age and level of your child, and beyond that, you have plenty of opportunities to really get creative with your children! Many parents decide to develop “learning pods,” which are a group of parents and children who come together and teach the same curriculum. It is essential to meet like-minded parents who are interested in the same approach to education.
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Homeschooling is also not for everyone. The world is very different compared to when John Holt decided to start the Modern Homeschool Movement. Now, there are more careers outside of the home that require long hours away from kids because we are typically in an office from 9-5. In turn, our school systems have created long days of classes. In the US, our school days average around 6.5 hours because longer days are thought to prepare kids for college or future careers and are compliant with most parents' work schedules. Having a career and being your children’s full-time teacher can be a difficult adjustment and may not be possible for everyone. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, it might mean making a big shift for your family.
