These days it seems like there are tons of different options for how to educate your child: there’s homeschool, and private school, but there’s also K 12, hybrid combinations of both, and even schools that let you meet at museums. All these options can be overwhelming, but with a clear definition of what each form of education is with its list of pros and cons, it becomes much easier to decide which form of education is best for your child, whether that’s at home or in a private school.
Private schooling allows for students to learn in a controlled, safe environment with professional and trained teachers to lead the education during the entirety of the learning process. Students learn how to interact and learn alongside classmates and also gain practice with the real world of dealing with group settings and the challenges that may come with those larger group settings as well. However, there is less control over what and how the student learns, which is especially difficult for students who need a more one-on-one learning experience in some or many subjects.
Homeschool is any form of education that occurs within the setting of one’s home instead of the formal setting of a public or private school. Some people teach their own children and some hire private tutors to come teach their children instead. Today, there are also options for completely online learning from home, which makes it easier to homeschool your child if you do not feel comfortable teaching your own child but do not have access to a private tutor.
Homeschooling allows for a very one-on-one learning experience for the student, giving opportunity to focus more on the areas that require more help and to go at one’s own pace. Homeschooling also allows for a close, trusting relationship with the parent and the child as they bond and form a relationship based off of learning and respect. You can specialize when and how your child learns about certain subjects, playing to their creative strengths and personal preferences and beliefs. The timing of the education is also more flexible, which is very helpful for families on the move or with extremely busy schedules.
The disadvantages to remember when considering homeschooling is that your child may not get the experience of socialization with other people his or her age in a classroom that is gained in a public or private school. Experiencing how to learn alongside others is important and allows for problem-solving and collaborative skill building, which is why it is recommended for homeschooled siblings to spend some class time together if possible. It is also important to factor in the parent’s ability to successfully and accurately teach the child in every area of study, which can be difficult when your child gets to higher levels of certain subjects. The teacher-student relationship between parents can also be straining in some situations.
Online schooling can help some of these problems that may be faced in traditional homeschooling because much of the learning is done online instead. An example of online schooling is K12. K12 is a non-profit company that allows for elementary, middle, and high school education all online, focusing on core subjects like math, science, language arts, history, art, music, and world languages. Assessment is based on a mastery level, so students must score 80 percent or higher to move on to the next level. Many lessons are guided by a “learning coach” offline with the help of textbooks and other printable learning materials.
Many students will apply some of all of these learning types to make what is called “blended learning.” Some private schools allow for students to come to the school for certain subjects they need more help in and get other class credits from home for courses they do not need as much assistance in. Some online schools will have assigned dates where students meet up at a local museum or library for group learning.
Some schools like Fusion Academy in Houston aim to reach the one-on-one experience of homeschooling with the socialization of private schools. All the classes are one-on-one and allow for a student to focus on a single topic for one period while allowing for total adaptation to each student’s personal pace and learning preference. The school also allows for many social events like prom, student meetings, and more.
In the end, the cornucopia of choices for your child’s education is a good thing because it means your child has options for how and when he or she learns. Each student is different and has various needs and preferences, and thankfully with today’s technology and passionate teachers, personalized education is possible now more than ever.
