Home School vs. Public School

Home Schooling vs. Public SchoolSchooling is an important decision in educating children. In today’s world more and more families are choosing to home school their children. While there are advantages and disadvantages to both options. The major factors in deciding which option is best are the learning environment, the curriculum, and meeting the needs of the child or children.
Advantages: Home School
Learning environment. Children within the home school environment are more likely to be calm and comfortable in his or her home. The children will not have the peer pressure of the public school, but the children will have peer pressure from his or her siblings. The children may also show competiveness to one another. A child will feel safer in his or her home surrounding which will give them a better success rate in his or her learning and testing scores (Public School vs. Home School). In a recent study children that are home schooled, test in reading, language, and math are in the 88th percentile, whereas public school children are in the 50th percentile (Home School Domination). Children are more comfortable with his or her family which let the child have less fear and allow them to focus and study more. The beneficial factor of home school is the child or children can create a bond with his or her family, and a closeness that lets the child or children learn at his or her own pace, and feel comfortable with his or her learning style, for there is no right or wrong way to learn.
Curriculum. There are many types of home school curriculums a parent can choose to teach their child or children. In order to choose the right option the parent addresses the child or children and makes a choice based on his or her needs. Some of the curriculum options are the traditional approach, the unit study approach, the Charlotte Mason approach, and the un-schooling approach (Educational Philosophies Defined). Curriculum can be taught as long as a child needs, when it is best suited to learn for the family and the child or children, and how the child learns best (Public School vs. Home School). Home schooling allows for a shorter day, where learning can be taught in a few hours vs. a few days or weeks. The schedule can be modified to the needs of the child or children, field trips can happen more frequently, visits to museums and art galleries can be offered, and daily activities outside the home can create hands on learning of the child or children’s environment.
Meeting the needs of the child. Home school offers a great advantage of the child or children’s needs being meet on a daily basis. Parents can take the time to sit one to one with the child and allow adequate time to teach them and make sure the child is understanding what is being taught. Some children may not need one to one and excel at a rapid pace and at home the parent can make sure the child has adequate amounts of learning so the child does not get bored. The parent can also offer a wider variety of activities, creativity, and unique ways to teach their child or children (Home Schooling vs. Public Schooling: The Pros and Cons of Home Schooling). Some children may learn to read in certain positions or places where they feel comfortable and safe, some children may learn counting with toy cars vs. counting cubes, and some children may learn science with experiments. These are all things okay to allow a child to do while being taught at home. These are all options to offer the best possible learning, for a child and meeting his or her needs.
Advantage: Public School
Learning Environment. Public schools offer children the ability to interact and work with others (Advantages of Public Schools). It provides academics and skills to use and apply for interactions with peers (Advantages of Public Schools). Children in a public school setting have more exposure to a variety of teachers and curriculum, such as foreign language, art, home economics, shop, welding, physical education, drama, music etc. (Advantages of Public Schools). The higher number in students gives opportunities to work in groups, do projects, and team sports. The learning environment gives an understanding of diverse backgrounds and the ability to build dynamic skills for the real world (Advantages of Public Schools).
Curriculum. Most states are adopting the common core curriculum for the public school system. “The Common Core State Standards provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life” (Common Core State Standards). The curriculum of language arts, literacy, and math offered in public schools offer basic classes to advance classes. A general focus on the curriculum is giving the students the ability to learn with a strong foundation in basic skills for life and work success (Wyoming Public Schools). Not only is the public school system focusing on language arts, literacy, and math they also offer a wider variety of extra-curricular classes that help children learn. This gives the children more experiences of what to expect in higher education.
Meeting the needs of the child. Public schools have the No Child Left behind Act. This has allowed the public school system to treat each child as an individual and as a whole child (National Education Association). It requires the teaching staff to address each child’s physical, emotional health, and well-being. It requires assurance that students are actively engaged in varying experiences and settings inside and outside the classroom (National Education Association). “The public education system is critical to democracy and its purpose, as reflected in this Act, is to maximize the achievement, skills, opportunities, and potential of all students by building upon their strengths and addressing their needs, and to ensure that all students are prepared to thrive in a democratic society and diverse, changing world as knowledgeable, creative, and engaged citizens and lifelong learners.” (National Education Association).
When a parent is deciding on the education of their child or children there are many factors to take into consideration. While there are many more factors to consider than what you have just read, the decision is ultimately the parents and what fits for their child or children. Home schooling seems to give the more flexible approach and the benefits of that in its self are endless. Public school gives many opportunities that home school may not offer as the child or children get older. In general the facts are what matter most and that is the learning environment, curriculum, and meeting the needs of the child and each one of those are met either in home school or public school.
Works Cited
National Education Association. Meeting the needs of a Whole Child. Web. 15 Oct. 2009.
“Public School vs. Home School.” Education Bug. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.
“Public School vs. Home School.” Public Schools. Web. 16 Oct. 2014
"Preparing America 's Students for Success." Home. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
"Wyoming Public Schools." Wyoming Public Schools. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
Martin, Jaime. "Educational Philosophies Defined, Part I - Simple Homeschool." Simple Homeschool. 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
“Some Fascinating Facts about Home School vs. Public School” Home School World. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

Cited: National Education Association. Meeting the needs of a Whole Child. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. “Public School vs. Home School.” Education Bug. Web. 16 Oct. 2014. “Public School vs. Home School.” Public Schools. Web. 16 Oct. 2014 "Preparing America 's Students for Success." Home. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. "Wyoming Public Schools." Wyoming Public Schools. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. Martin, Jaime. "Educational Philosophies Defined, Part I - Simple Homeschool." Simple Homeschool. 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. “Some Fascinating Facts about Home School vs. Public School” Home School World. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.