There are approximately 2.

2 million students currently being educated at home in the

United States. It appears the homeschooled population is continuing to grow at an estimated 2%
to 8% per annum over the past few years. (Ray, 2011) The home schooling community continues
to grow along with their success. Though the vast majority of children are still in traditional
schools, home schooling can be more beneficial than traditional schools. The main benefit of
homeschooling is a generally well-rounded and personalized education. Parents have the ability
to include family religion, ethics, and morals in their childs education. Having the power to
control when class time is gives children the ability to participate in more extra-curricular
activities. Some studies have revealed that in schools, the smaller the students-teacher ratio, the
more the students understand. Among other advantages, the students are tended to separately,
and teachers can certify that all students master a necessary skill or idea before moving on to the
next level. It guarantees that authentic learning is taking place. Since parents are able to be with
their child during class time, they can recognize their childrens strong points, weak spots,
preferred learning methods, and interests. Home-schooling permits parents to modify their
children's education to capitalize on learning family values, building up academic weak spots,
and allow plenty of attention to be given to distinct areas of interest or giftedness. This can
increase kids enthusiasm to learn, which results in kids having an increased love for learning.
Homeschooling is a movement that has been continuously growing around the world.
More parents are deciding to teach their family at home as a substitute for sending them to a
conventional public or private school. Families prefer to home school for a mixture of reasons.
These reasons can involve displeasure with the educational options accessible, special religious
values or educational beliefs, and the idea that children are not succeeding within the established

school arrangement. In the 1970s, when trendy authors and researchers, such as John Holt and
Dorothy and Raymond Moore, began discussing educational modification, the homeschooling
movement started expanding. They recommended homeschooling as an option. Legal
necessities for homeschooling in the U.S. differ depending on the state. Some states have a small
amount of or no requirements. However, others request folder reviews or standardized testing at
specific intervals. Home schooling is much more private than traditional schooling. Traditional
school includes public and private institutes. Public schools or state schools normally refer to
primary or secondary schools that are open to all children for free. These schools are paid for
mostly by taxation by the government. There are specific rules and guidelines these schools must
follow that are set by the state. Although a form of traditional school, the rules are different for
private schools. These schools are completely funded by private establishments or individuals.
The government takes no part in funding these schools; therefore there are no requirements that
must be met. Private schools arent always open to all children. Usually parents have to pay
tuition for their children to attend these schools. Private schools also typically have some sort .of
religious affiliation. These types of schools may be selective since they are not funded by taxes.
Smaller class sizes due to home-schooling can be beneficial to students because more
attention is given to children individually. According to the National Home Education Research
Institute (NHERI), homeschooled students tally 15 to 30 points greater than public school kids
on standardized tests. Because home schooled children are individually taught, there isnt as
much pressure to be at the same tempo as an entire class. Being able move at a comfortable pace
helps children to stay relaxed and stress less; hence, remain more focused in the classroom and

receive better test scores. Also, being more secluded can affect the amount of participation from
a student. Not being able to grasp a concept can be embarrassing, therefore the child may not
want to ask questions or become involved in classroom assignments and activities. The child
being alone or in a small group can cause him or her to be more comfortable and willing to learn.
A graph created with information gathered by Dr. Brian Ray shows that homeschooled children
in grades K-12 score on average about 30% higher in core subjects than public school children.
With learning being a part of the flow of everyday life rather than a separate activity,
homeschooled children dont learn for grades. They learn for interest or to actually master the
skill. Most traditional schools have to review previous material with children because it was
never really mastered, but memorized for a test.
Home schooling allows parents to incorporate family ethics, morals, and religion into
their childs academics. There are some private schools that have a religious affiliation; however,
depending on where a person lives it can be difficult to find a school that includes certain
religious beliefs. Some parents and their children are involved in religions that are not very
common in the United States. In order for their children to be properly taught the values of their
religion outside of churches, temples, etc., parents feel it is better if incorporated into their
schoolwork.
Though homeschooling has its perks, traditional schooling also includes benefits for
students. Traditional schooling allows children to be in a more social setting while learning. It
teaches them to be a part of a team and work with others. Traditionally schooled kids also have
the advantage of being around peers their age which makes it easier to make friends and life-long

connections. Conventionally schooled children are exposed to a wider variety of people. They
meet other kids from different backgrounds and different customs. Most public and private
schools have set schedules and uniforms. This can be an advantage because it helps kids get used
to a daily routine, rather than being able to move on their own time. There are also school rules
students must follow and consequences if these rules are violated. This provides training for the
real world and for a work place.
The social advantages of public and private schools may seem convincing, but these
benefits can backfire. The social setting of traditional school can be intimidating to some
students. Some children can experience rejection, bullying, peer pressure and isolation. The kids
who deal with being an outcast in a conventional school environment would do better in a less
stressful place where they can focus on academics and skills that interest them. It's a popular
fallacy that homeschooled kids are inside majority of the time and dont get out much; however,
homeschooled kids are typically keenly involved in church groups, clubs, sports teams, YMCA,
Girls and Boys Scouts, music and choir classes, etcetera. Parents having the authority to set their
childs schedule the way they want allow children more time for activities outside of school.
Homeschooling parents sometimes form assemblies called co-ops where they have guest
speakers, sports, camping, field trips to museums, zoos, parks, and many more places so that the
children are not secluded. The children being able to get out and participate in these events allow
them to meet children and adults that have different backgrounds and customs. Homeschooled
childrens freedom to dress how they want and have class time when they want makes them feel
more comfortable and independent. Some kids might feel like they can be more focused at night
rather than in the morning. The children making this decision about their schedule show

responsibility and independence while creating a cozy setting for themselves. Being comfortable
with the way ones time is spent must include having an established sleep pattern. The human
brain doesnt stop developing until around the ages of 18-21. In order to operate and grow
properly the developing brain needs sleep, and high school kids in America are being deprived of
that. Recent data from the Child Development Centers youth risk survey in 2011show that 69%
of U.S. high school students get fewer than 8 hours of sleep on school nights, and 40% get 6 or
fewer hours. Results from the 2013 survey were virtually identical. This means that students
today cant obtain the recommended amounts of rest and sleep. This is a problem that causes
much more issues than the average person may think. Insufficient sleep in teens is associated
with obesity, migraines, and immune system disruption and with health risk behaviors including
smoking, drinking, stimulant abuse, physical fighting, physical inactivity, depression, and
suicidal tendencies (Mckibben 2014). This can all lead one down a devastating path. According
to recent studies, sleep-deprived students are more likely to be involved in violent or property
crime. This goes to show that the freedom to design ones own schedule for his or her child is
extremely important to the success of that child. Conventional or traditional school doesnt
provide one with that luxury. The average student in America is expected to arrive at school
anywhere from before 7:30 to 8:30. The brain of a teenager isnt actually active and ready to
retain to information until after 8:30. When schools have delayed the start of the school day,
communities have seen reduced tardiness, sleeping in class, and car crash rates, as well as
improved attendance, graduation rates, and standardized test scores. When looking at the
statistics, being able to dictate ones own time is extremely beneficial, while the use of
conventional school scheduling can be extremely detrimental to the development of a teenage

brain. Students who do utilize home schooling opportunities after being in traditional school
experience a sense of freedom. With their lives no longer revolving around school hours,
homework, and the school calendar, these families can plan off-season vacations, visit parks and
museums during the week, and live their lives according to what works for them and works in
the best benefit of the child (Shaw 2014). Not only can homeschooling open up the opportunity
for more out of class learning, it also gives students what conventional school doesnt. Parents
can help to ensure their children understand the important daily duties and activities they must
perform after high school such as how to pay taxes, how to pay bills, how to save and budget
money, how to drive, how to cook, etc. These are things that young adults are expected to know
even though they dont teach it to them in school.
Conventional schools teach us basics such as reading, writing, and arithmetic and
as we get older we continue to learn these things, just on a more advanced level. There is more to
life than that. If we as a race, the human race, continue to teach future generations the same
things our parents and grandparents learned, how could we expect to progress and advance not
only our planet but also ourselves? This is why when it comes to standardized test-taking, grade
point averages in college, and college graduation rates, homeschooled kids consistently outperform public schools according to home-school.com. Looking at sources that aid or support
public schools one will only see negative statements about homeschooling that say it leaves
students improperly socialized due to the lack of peer contact. That is absurd. How can
uncivilized children socialize or civilize one another? They cant, this means the responsibility of
socializing a child is left on the teacher. What social skills or values can a teacher teach that a
parent cannot? The values taught at school are mandated by the state; the values instilled at home

are derived from love, experience, and parental nurture. Kids that are homeschooled are still
presented with opportunities to interact with other kids during teambuilding and extracurricular
activities such as girl/boy scouts, martial arts, music lessons, arts, speech and debate, sports, etc.

This gives students more time to work on and mold their craft while fulfilling their
educational requirements at their own pace and with their own style, the way school
should be.

Homeschool and conventional school both serve the same

purpose: educate the future generations. Which one gets the job done more effectively is
the golden question. Based on statistics of students during and most importantly after
school, homeschooled kids out perform traditional school kids in many different areas.
Conventional school is modeled after the prison system where the students are the
inmates, teachers are correctional officers, and the principal is the warden. Uniformity
and submission seem to be more of the focus of schools today than the advancement of
our future world leaders. Conventional school kids all across the country face peer
pressure, acts of bullying, and a chaotic environment almost, if not, everyday. These are
not the concerns of students taught at home. They have a stable and calm environment
with many more opportunities for one-on-one teaching. This ensures the pupil is getting a
full grasp and understanding on the topic at hand ultimately leading to the mastering of
the skills taught. This is great because not only are students understanding the material
but they do it at their own pace ensuring that no child is left behind. With the popularity
of homeschool increasing, and the negative effects of conventional school remaining in
place, we can expect to see more students being educated at home in the future leading to

the production of more well-rounded individuals ultimately advancing the human race
and planet Earth.