A big difference between public schools and homeschooling is that homeschoolers work to make sure all kids are successful, where public schools work to make sure a select few are successful. This might sound harsh, but shools tend to set a single standard that all kids must acheive or fail, while homeschoolers move the standard, or allow alterations of approach so that all kids can be successful.
Some might argue that you can’t expect all kids to do well in school as you would get more of the “everyone wins” touchy-feely stuff that handicaps children. After all, what does an A really mean if no-one gets an F? There is a point to be made here, but the point is that each student needs to be judged on his or her own merit and how hard they work versus how they demonstrate what they know.
Let’s take two students for example of equal intelligence. You can take two students through the exact same course step by step, doing the exact same work every week. Student one can take a multiple choice test at the end of that period and pass the test with flying colors. That same student, when asked to tell back the information in an term paper would be unable to comply. Student two can take the same test and fail miserably, but be able to explain all they learned, plus add reasonable arguments and defenses of their viewpoint easily on paper. Who is to say that one parent learned less than the other? Who is to say that one student understood the information better than the other? No one.
As homeschoolers, we can look at two different children and use the approach that best fits their learning style. I believe that students should be given options as to how they will show what they learned in a subject. Sure, it might be harder for teachers to write and correct tests for some and to grade papers or projects for others, but when you are in a one-one one, or even one-one-three educational environment, it is alot easier to make them successful.
If we take that a step further, we should also be considering the way students intake information. Some learn by reading text. Others learn by listening to instuctors. Still others learn best by tackling the subject in as hands-on a manner as possible. Classrooms do thrive to integrate these learning styles as much as can happen in a class of 30, but to tailor learning to each child is near impossible. In a smaller invironment, it is much easier to make them successful as you can key in on the learning style of each student and present the information in the matter that is best for them.
If you liked this you should also read my blogs at the home blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.
Also read:
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.