Because of the increasing number of incidents involving bullying alongside other concerns relating to safety, many parents have now become open to the idea of homeschooling. Some parents have actually stopped sending their children to study in formal public or private schools. Instead, they have taken on the responsibility and role of teachers to address their children’s educational needs. They devote their time and effort in teaching their kids at home.
Homeschooling poses many benefits to both students and parents. The advantages are the following:
1.Safe learning environment
Because studying is done inside the house, homeschooling provides a safe learning environment. The welfare of homeschooled children is not compromised in terms of psychological, social, and physical danger. Homeschooled children do not experience teasing, bullying, abuse, harassment, and pressure from both teachers and classmates. They are also protected and sheltered within the confines of their homes.
2. Family bonding
Homeschooling also intensifies the closeness of the family as parents and children work together, interact, and assist each other in the learning process. The relationship between parents and children is strengthened as they bond together. Parents also become more involved and hands-on with their children’s education. They are able to witness the academic achievement and milestones of their children.
3. Focused and individualized learning
Because the parents act as teachers and the children are their only students, the instruction is focused and individualized. Homeschooling becomes a one-on-one tutoring. The children are helped individually by their parent-teachers, assisting them according to their pace. The children are fully supported in the acquisition of knowledge and mastery of their skills. They are also aided as they move to an advanced level after they have mastered a basic skill or concept.
4. Personalized teaching
Homeschooling is also tailored to address the specific educational needs of the children. Parent-teachers are able to assess their children’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests as they interact with each other. Thus, they adapt to their children’s learning styles and use the appropriate teaching strategies and methods. In homeschooling, parents can customize their children’s education in order to maximize learning, strengthen weaknesses, and develop special areas of interest or giftedness. They make sure that their kids are highly motivated to learn and they develop a love for learning. Homeschooling makes the children learn and work for the knowledge, instead of grades.
However, there are issues which some parents have brought up with regards to homeschooling. Because children stay at home, they might not able to socialize with other kids. Their constant companions are their parents and siblings so they do not have contact and interaction with other people. Because of this, they might have awkward social skills and might not be able to relate with people outside their family. Parents who teach their children might not also have the qualifications and skills that teachers have. Their knowledge might be limited and they may not be able to cope with their children’s academic demands. Thus, homeschooled kids might not get a well-rounded, intensive, and complete education like those who go to traditional schools.
To address these possible setbacks of homeschooling, AHEAD Junior provides homeschool support to help parents educate their kids. AHEAD Junior offers academic tutorials in subjects such as mathematics and science to homeschooled children. AHEAD Junior also has enrichment programs to enhance their skills and intelligence.
Parents have the option of sending their children to a AHEAD Junior center or make arrangements for a tailor-made curriculum. AHEAD Junior partners with parent-teachers so that their homeschooled children can achieve academic excellence in the same level as students from traditional schools. Most importantly, AHEAD Junior cultivates children’s love for learning. For more information on AHEAD Junior ’s homeschool support program, email: junior@ahead.edu.ph