The Home-schooling Atmosphere: does it work?

Just the other night I was babysitting for a home schooling family in our area who’s youngest adopted child has ADD, and I was again amazed at how much he had developed over the past few months. Since I had last babysat for them he seemed much calmer; he was able to sit still without constantly moving his hands and head for a little while. He is now able to speak in four word sentences; which is a huge step from what he could say a few months ago. I am not very educated as far as ADD goes (well, unless you count the “slight” cases my brothers have! :) but am convinced that had he not received the one on one training and education he was given at home by his parents, he would be quite beyond our reach as far as communication. I can remember how impressed my mom was when he stood up on stage at our home-school fair to say the ABC’s! It’s wonderful to see what progress he’s making at home…

Even as home schooling gets more popular throughout the U.S., devoted public schooled pupils and parents seem very suspicious and critical of the home schooling system. Can education at home actually work? What about socialization? How will they be exposed to the real world? And my goodness; child training? You must abuse your children! Yes, I’ve heard it all before. My family is active in a small town where just about every person over the age of 40 is or was a teacher for our school. People at our Fitness Center often ask the same questions when curious of or prejudiced against the system. For them, it’s hard to imagine that anything but the traditional method of education can actually work. But in fact, when you hear of successful home schoolers (my older brother *gasp* was a national merit finalist and made it to college with a full ride) it’s often not just the method of education we used, but more the attitude used with it. You can call public school traditional and natural, but from the beginning of time education has started in the home, and the home has been the most natural place to learn. Ask a public schooler if they would rather learn at home with family or at school and with their friends, and they will most likely say at school, because age segregation is such a big thing in America that they can’t even fathom relating to their older or younger siblings for a WHOLE DAY! And that’s one of the big factors that sets public school and home school so far apart; we can relate well with our parents and siblings because we spend every day with them. Elderly people that work out at our fitness center in town are often amazed at how mature I seem; simply because I can hold a conversation with them.

So really, as far as the attitude and atmosphere we kids are exposed to at home, is it that bad that we would be abused, sheltered, isolated, and un-educated? Because as I see it, even young children with ADD or learning disabilities grow faster and more stable when taught by our parents in a loving, natural atmosphere. Nothing is harder on a struggling child than to be tossed around among strange, stiff teachers in an even stranger, ever changing atmosphere where bullying and teasing is never far away. I say let’s quite with the taxes and all; pull your kids out of public school, use your own money for your own books and curriculum, and make sure that your children are provided with the education YOU believe in… most importantly, please make sure that your precious jewels are raised in an atmosphere where they can simply be themselves.

Speaking from my perspective here at home, I would have to say that truly the best and most effective teachers and counselors are our own parents!

Jennifer

P.S. Thanks mom and dad; I love you!