by Loyd Rawls

Created on: March 12, 2009

You are taking two weeks off from work. Should you drive, take a train, bus, or airplane? The question makes little sense unless you name a destination. The same applies to decisions regarding schooling. The first question should be: "What is the destination (goal) of my planning for my child's education?"

Most parents would be very happy to see their children graduate from high school with the following:

1. Independent interest in learning for learning's sake.
2. Strong critical thinking skills.
3. Strong framework of knowledge in all the core subject areas.
4. High level of knowledge in one or two areas of special personal interest.
5. Physical fitness, health-promoting habits, athletic ability developed to level of personal interest.
6. Musical and/or artistic ability developed to level of personal interest.
7. Well-developed interpersonal skills with emphasis on choosing actions appropriate to differing situations.
8. Strong oral and written communication skills.
9. Ability to adapt to a wide array of situations.
10. Ability to plan, organize and work toward long-term goals.

Now that we know where we want to go, it is easier to look at how to get there.

Schools attempt to provide all these things for all students. Any given school will do some of these things very well and others less well. Most schools struggle to make programs and lessons fit different learning styles and to reflect differences among children's intelligence, experience, motivation, and habits. A parent, teaching only one or two children may be better able to personalize education. On the other hand, the schoolteacher will have had specialized training that could be of great benefit to a student.

Any parent considering homeschooling needs to focus on the best interests of the child. This is a complex decision. Three of the most critical areas to examine are:

1. Family dynamics: How will the family be affected if the child is educated at home?
2. Parents' intellectual ability, academic preparation and emotional readiness to deal with teaching every day across multiple subjects. Can Mom and Dad provide a continuous experience of quality learning for the child?
3. Quality of local schools. What alternatives exist among public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, gifted programs, special education and private schools?

One of the most frequently heard concerns about homeschooling is that the child will miss learning social skills if not taught in a classroom with other students. Proponents of homeschooling counter with the observation that home schooled children learn their social skills from adults such as their parents, guides at museums, mentors from business and others brought in by the parents to expand the educational experience. Often, home schooled students demonstrate a level of social skill that is more mature than their age group peers.

Finally, understand that even if the child attends public or private school, many of the most critical educational experiences still need to come from the home and the parents. Any schoolteacher will confirm that the students who get the most out of school are the ones who are well-taught at home.

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