The educational system in
Canada offers to parents different kinds of education. They have the right to
choose the most appropriate education for their children. There are public,
private, religious and international schools. Homeschooling is allowed as well,
but the regulations vary from province to province. The education of children
is one of the responsibilities of parents, and they must think very carefully
before they make a decision to withdraw their children from the social learning
environment in public school and place them in a homeschool.
Homeschooling has
as many advantages as disadvantages. Speaking of homeschooling,
there are certain odds for children and parents. One of the advantages is
individual schedule that parents create for needs of their own child. A flexible
schedule allows to put an emphasis on certain courses which children are more
interested and most successful in. It also allows adding some courses in the
home school curriculum. It means that children might study at different levels
of the different types of subject. In addition, parents can create a weekly
schedule that fits their needs and allows them to do things without the force
of a traditional classroom schedule. Finally, many parents know the time of the
day when their children may work and learn better. Some children learn best in
the morning; some of them in the noon or evening. This fact gives possibility
to parents to make the best individual schedule for their homeschooled
children. Another advantage of homeschooling is ability to study any time. It
helps homeschool families to continue their children’s education at any time.
Homeschoolers can learn at home in a relaxed atmosphere, and even vacations
might be educational for them. Furthermore, children who are homeschooled may learn
out in their community resources such as museums, libraries, business, marines
and other resources in order to acquire new skills and knowledge.
At the same time some
disadvantages can be crucial for parents who decide to choose homeschooling
education for their children. One of the disadvantages of homeschooling is huge
amount of work. Firstly, if they want to give a child perfect education, they
have to prepare each lesson very accurately and be able to explain new
information very clearly and in a understandable manner, especially if the
parent is not skilled in some subjects. Secondly, parents still have household
duties and chores that usually take a lot of time. They should remember that
homeschooling is a full time job. Thirdly, there is no time for parents’ job
besides home. Parents have to devote all of their time for home education of
their kids if they want to give them quality education. The second disadvantage
is social communication of homeschooled children. All kids need to have friends
and be around other children or classmates. Some homeschoolers can feel cut off
from their peers, especially during the teen years when friendship is very
important for children. Besides, children miss the opportunity to learn how to
communicate with adults who are not the members of their families and how to
build respectful relationship with them.
Parents who decide to teach
their children at home have numerous reasons as motivations. They include
religious reasons, family reasons, poor learning environment at the school,
child’s disability or special needs. If you decided that homeschooling is the
best option for your children, you need to do research by internet to know more
advantages and disadvantages of that kind of education.