’s Taking Control Of Their Children’s Education Essay, Research Paper
Never before in the United States have
parents been so disgruntled about their children’s education. The main
reason behind this massive disruption is that public schools are not living
up to parent’s standards. Therefore, parents are taking their children’s
educations and futures into their own hands, and doing so quite efficiently.
Many parents are turning to ["an alternative"] means of educating known
as home schooling. Home schooling is simply ["education of school- aged
children at home rather than at school."] Parents are choosing home schooling
over public because public schools are not meeting their children’s academic,
individual, and handicap needs.
First, parents are choosing home schooling
over public schooling because public schools are not meeting student’s
academic needs. [Parents expect their children will learn to read, write,
and acquire basic math skills by the time they graduate.] However, public
schools throughout the United States are failing to teach these basic achedemic
skills. Recent studies show that [" Of the 2.4 million who graduate, as
many as 25% cannot read or write at the eighth grade level or "functionally
literate," level, according to some estimates."] This is a tragic statistic
for a nation claiming to be so developed. There are more opportunities
to education in the United States than any other country in the world,
yet evidence shows that the United States ranks [" at the bottom of 19
industrial nations in reading, writing, and arithmetic."] In addition,
students are ranking lower than ever on Academic Achievement Tests (ACT).
Children who attend public schools rank in the [" 50th percentile."] whereas,
home schooled children [" typically score at the 65th to 80th percentile...."]
To add to these statistics, [" in December 1989, the education press reported
the amazing news that children schooled at home seemed to be five or even
ten years ahead of their formally trained peers in their ability to think."]
These statistics prove that home schooled children are doing better in
math, science, reading and writing, compared to children attending public
schools.
Secondly, parents are choosing home schooling
over public schooling because public schools are no longer taking student’s
individual needs into consideration. Since students are taught lessons
based on an academic calendar year, they are expected to be able to complete
specific tasks by the end of that year. When students fail to meet these
expectations they are required to repeat the same grade the following school
year. For example, at the end of a school year if a student is having difficulties
reading but doing well in other subjects he or she will be required to
repeat the same grade. If students were properly tutored in the areas they
are having difficulties in they would not have to repeat the same grades.
Unfortunately public schools do not give special tutoring to students like
they once did. Teachers in the public school systems are teaching students
as though they are on an assembly line. They no longer work ["one-to-one...."]
with them. Unlike public schooling, home schooling allows parents to teach
in a style that best fits their children’s needs. For example if a child
is not prepared to move on to a higher level, the parent can continue with
similar lessons until the child understands. Also, children are not held
back in the same grade if they are lagging behind in particular subjects.
Their parents can move them to the next grade and tutor them in the subjects
they are having trouble in. Children who are home schooled also get individual
attention from their parents. They do not have to worry about waiting for
their teacher to find time to help them. In sum, parents are finding that
home schooling meets the individual needs of their children better than
public schooling.
Finally, parents of children with physical
and mental disabilities are finding that home schooling meets their children’s
handicap needs better than public schooling. A major downfall of public
schooling is that handicapped students are graded in the same style as
the rest of the students. In public schools, children with handicaps are
still expected to complete all of their assignments in the same given time
as other students. Teachers are not taking these children’s handicaps into
consideration. For example, children with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
have trouble staying focused and are easily distracted. As a result of
constantly being distracted, they are not able to complete their assignments.
This type of grading style has become a great concern for parents of handicapped
children. Because of situations like this one, parents are making decisions
to teach their handicapped children at home. By teaching their children
at home they are in an environment that is equipped to aid in their development.
For instance, children with ADD ["are in an environment where they cannot
be influenced by the action of other children...."] and cannot be easily
distracted. In addition, they have special time to complete their assignments.
They can also have all of [" their assignments tailored to fit their abilities
and needs."] By home schooling children with learning disabilities are
given equal chances of succeeding in their education which they otherwise
would not get in public schooling.
Public schools may have been the center
for learning years ago. However, today they are not meeting children’s
academic, individual, and handicapped needs. As a result, parents are choosing
to educate their children through home schooling. Statistics show that
home schooled children are ahead of children who attend public schools
by a noticable degree. In addition, Handicapped children are having their
needs met better at home more so than in public schools. They are being
given an equal chance at succeeding in their education that they otherwise
would not have when attending public schools. In summary, parents are choosing
home schooling because it currently offers the best solution to their problems
facing the public school systems.