To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool, That is the Question Essay

When a child walks out the door to his first day of school, a parent may ponder about his child’s future. Will he be a doctor or a lawyer? Is music or art in his future? Although most of the questions parents deliberate are positive in nature, fears also arise. Will he be smart? Will he fit in socially with others? From a child’s educational to social growth, parents have a responsibility to navigate their child down a path which will yield the greatest reward. Of these paths are public schools, private schools, online school or homeschooling. Within these schooling options, numerous factors enter into the final determination. Time commitment and money required are two of the biggest factors parents consider when choosing how their children will be educated. Caring parents want the best for their children and know they have only one chance to make the right educational decision. Although the homeschooling option may have some positive attributes steering par ents toward choosing this method, the negative aspects prove it is not the most beneficial choice for a student or his family. Different scenarios of instruction fall under the homeschooling umbrella. Whether a child is actually taught at home with a curriculum his parents either purchased or drafted themselves, or the child is taught online via a home-study course, all are types of homeschooling. In addition, some parents practice a homeschooling method known as unschooling. In this situation, parents fill their house with â€Å"encyclopedias, history books, art supplies, games and other learning tools that children are free to take up if or when they choose.† (Home schooling). This type of schooling uses daily life lessons to incorporate the core subject learning... ...r. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. â€Å"Preface to ‘Why Do Parents Choose to Homeschool?’.† Homeschooling. Ed. Myra Immell. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context.Web. 25 Apr. 2012. Shives, Steve. â€Å"Homeschooling Curricula Do Not Meet Academic Standards.† Homeschooling. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From â€Å"Homeschoolers Who Don’t Learn Science Shouldn’t Receive a Diploma.† American Chronicle. 2008. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. â€Å"Tuition & Class Fees.† The Academy of Creative Learning. 2012. N.p., n.d., Web. 30 Apr. 2012. http://www.azpianoforte.com/464001.html Wilson, Jacque. â€Å"Unschoolers learn what they want, when they want.† cnn.com. 2011. N.p., 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 27 April 2012.