This is a difficult decision for many parents and guardians. Many are dissatisfied with the perceived quality of education in our schools today. There are stories of children not being able to read and write at grade level which begs the question of how they were able to advance from grade to grade. There are also issues of security within many schools that has made many parents increasingly uncomfortable with sending their children there. Others are equally disturbed by the type of morals and general socialization that children appear to be subject to. Parents often want more control over their children with respect to the values that are inculcated in them.

However, home schooling is not an easy option. There are serious issues that must be addressed if this is to be a successful alternative. The best interests of the child/children must be foremost and will require careful planning and preparation.
One of the first things to consider is who will be the competent replacement for the teacher. Not only should this person understand how to teach, they should know what the acceptable curriculum is. Although they may wish to divert away from this in certain areas e.g. religion, it is probably best not to do so for the basic subjects like Mathematics and English. It can be time consuming and costly to find the right tools and syllabus, but there are various educational packages available.
It is also important to recognize that school serves a social function. Children need to interact with other children as part of their socialization and overall development. Keeping them out of conventional school will therefore require some form of compensation. Special attention must be paid to making alternative arrangements for this e.g. on the weekends. You should also join a home-school group to allow your child to interact with other age-matched children, or form one if there are none in your area. Another option is to involve your child in organizations like girl guides or boy scouts.
Similarly, arrangements should be made to allow for adequate physical activities. It is commonly felt that the conventional schools are falling short in this area. Home schooling may actually present an opportunity to encourage adequate physical activity. The same could also be said for proper dietary practices.
Remember that home-schooling is a serious commitment. This is a job normally done by full time teachers, and in this case you or your employed substitute will be teaching all subjects. If the parent is the one teaching this will be a significant investment of time to address the educational, social and physical needs of your child. It is perhaps therefore not a reasonable option for all, but certainly a serious decision.

Yours for Learning

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