Homeschooling
Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or online teacher, many homeschool families use less formal, more personalized and individualized methods of learning that are not always found in schools.
In the mid to late 20th century, more people began questioning the practice of school learning, which again led to an increase in the number of homeschoolers, especially in the Americas and some European countries.
Health reasons and special needs can also play a role in why children cannot attend a school regularly and are at least partially homeschooled.
[5] In many cultures, home education often consisted of literacy training centered around religious texts, as well as basic math skills needed in everyday life.
Reading aloud, reciting, and memorizing passages from the Bible and other Christian writing were central to this practice, as well as workplace-based education such as apprenticeships.
[6]: 16 The Toledo Reverend Patrick Francis Quigley was put on trial in 1891 for resisting the requirement to report the names of students at his school, which he was principal of; he argued unsuccessfully that "the state has no right to control the education of the child.
[6]: 26 This form of homeschooling was targeted primarily at those who needed to educate their children at home due to ill health, and many of their materials were dispatched to hospitals.
[6]: 28 In the 1960s, Rousas John Rushdoony began to advocate homeschooling, which he saw as a way to combat the increasingly secular nature of the public school system in the United States.
Rushdoony was frequently called as an expert witness by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) in court cases.
[12] Conservative Evangelical Christian parents were increasingly dissatisfied with the public school system and were the main demographic that organized to promote home education in the United States.
[13] Prominent Evangelical pastor and activist Jerry Falwell expressed horror that sex education and lessons on evolution had replaced prayer and Bible study in schools.
[17] Homeschooling in France is permitted only in specific circumstances: for the health of the child, for intensive artistic or sports training, for itinerant families, and for those who live too far from a school.
These restrictions were introduced in September 2022, known as loi contre le séparatisme: a law designed to reduce "Islamist separatism" and enforce secularism.
For those who are in isolated rural locations that are too far from a conventional school, living abroad, or travel frequently, homeschool provides more consistency and convenience, eliminating the issues of distance or cultural barriers.
[26] Some parents homeschool in order to have greater control over what and how their children are taught, to cater more adequately to an individual child's aptitudes and abilities, to provide instruction from a specific religious or and moral position, and to take advantage of the efficiency of one-to-one instruction and thus allow the child to spend more time on childhood activities, socializing, and non-academic learning.
[27] Some parents have objections to the secular nature of public schools and homeschool in order to give their children a religious education.
[28] In a survey of adults homeschooled in Christian households, over half of respondents characterized their family as fundamentalist, and over 80% reported being taught Young Earth creationism as part of their science education.
An exposé of a Nazi homeschooling network in Ohio with over two thousand members led to no consequences or restrictions on the group due to lax regulatory requirements in the state.
"[49][clarification needed] Individual governmental units, e.g. states and local districts, vary in official curriculum and attendance requirements.
Structured homeschooling includes any method or style of home education that follows a basic curriculum with articulated goals and outcomes.
[53] Another prominent proponent of unschooling is John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down, The Exhausted School, A Different Kind of Teacher, and Weapons of Mass Instruction.
Gatto argues that public education is the primary tool of "state-controlled consciousness" and serves as a prime illustration of the total institution — a social system which impels obedience to the state and quells free-thinking or dissent.
[62] A commonly cited reason for choosing this model is that parents are not sure whether they can provide their children a comprehensive and neutral education at home or cannot devote themselves to homeschooling full-time due to time constraints or excessive stress.
With social networks, homeschoolers can chat, discuss threads in forums, share information and tips, and even participate in online classes via learning management systems similar to those used by colleges.
[6]: 99 [66] With the studies available, a 2022 review found it was unable to offer firm conclusions because of these issues, but did not find systematic evidence of poor educational or social outcomes.
However, the existence of a financial incentive to homeschool in Alaska does raise questions about the applicability of the results to other areas which do not have these programs in place.
[77] Snyder (2013) provided corroborating evidence that homeschoolers at a Catholic university were outperforming their peers in the areas of standardized tests and overall GPAs.
[66]: 20 Homeschooled children have been found to score higher than average in self-concept, a metric correlated to positive social outcomes.
[66] A review of studies on the topic found that while homeschoolers were slightly more likely to report feelings of social isolation and be less peer-oriented, this may have fostered a greater sense of independence and self-determination as well.
The homeschool cohort reported lower SAT scores, less time in college, and higher rates of feeling helplessness about life and lack of direction.
