Homeschooling vs Traditional Schooling: Which is Better for the Student?

There has always been a debate whether homeschooling or the traditional method of teaching is better suited for children. Homeschooling in India is still a new concept to many parents and gives rise to many confusions and speculations from time to time. Among these speculations is the discussion around public schooling vs. homeschooling.

Also Read: Homeschooling and Unschooling - Alternative Ways To Learn

Traditional school vs. Homeschool
The debate surrounding normal schooling and homeschooling has been going around for quite a long time now. While many parents seem to believe that the formal system of schooling is the traditional method of learning and hence, a better option to be educated in. They tend to negate the fact that a homeschooling curriculum includes the same things as any normal school, just with the absence of peers, and thus, is completely the same as those in traditional schools or any other form of learning.The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) reports that on standardised tests, homeschoolers often get results that are 15–30% higher than those of pupils attending public schools. Homeschoolers typically achieve scores between 85% and 87%, while students in public schools typically achieve scores of approximately 50%. Similarly, the supporters of homeschooling also argue that it is the better mode of learning as it keeps a student grounded and helps them learn at their own pace, and along with a flexible homeschool schedule. Thus, the debate never ends.

Advantages of Normal Schools

• Traditional Learning: The public schools follow a traditional system of imparting knowledge that involves students and teachers from up close. The kids learn in a classroom, in the presence of their classmates, and always have a teacher around to supervise them as and when needed.
• Social Interaction: A school is a place where students from different walks of life come together to attain knowledge. They are in constant company with their classmates and hence, the interaction between children increases. This gives them the confidence to talk to new people outside school as well.
• Constant Guidance: Students are under the constant guidance of their teachers in public schools. The teaching-learning system occurs face to face and thus, teachers and students are better acquainted with each other. The students can also approach their teacher at any time to get their doubts and queries resolved.

Disadvantages of Normal Schools

• Social Distancing Issues: Public Schools are always buzzing with a large number of students and teachers. This large presence makes it difficult to follow the social distancing norms that are a must during the current pandemic situation. Also, the rising number of Covid affected people makes it unsafe for kids to be traveling to school right now.
• Dependency on Teachers: In public schools, students are under the constant supervision of their teachers. This can make the students dependent on the teachers for notes and explanations of the text. 98% of students who are homeschooled take part in 5 extracurricular activities weekly on average: According to studies, homeschooled pupils are more likely than their classmates in traditional schools to take part in extracurricular activities. As a result, a significant portion of homeschooled adolescents take part in up to five extracurricular activities.
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• This can kill the creativity in children as they don’t even take the pain of drafting their answers as they have a teacher to do it for them.
• Fixed Schedule: Public schools follow a fixed schedule when it comes to educating their students. They have fixed subjects that the students should study, and that too at fixed times. Due to that reason, students often end up missing a class or two as they reach school late due to one reason or the other.

Advantages of Homeschooling

• Schedule and Curriculum: The schedule for students being homeschooled is very flexible. The curriculum to be followed too can be adjusted according to the preference of the child. Any curriculum like Kindergarten Homeschool curriculum, Homeschool for preschool, Homeschool preschool curriculum, etc. can be opted for a child.
• Knowledge and Attention: Homeschooling seems to make the student more knowledgeable as the absence of peers makes the students be the sole focus of the educator. This enables the students to clear their doubts without hesitation and gain knowledge, instead of just mugging up.5.22% of all students of school age were homeschooled between late March and early May of 2022, according to data from the institute. Homeschooling has experienced a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1% from 2016 to 2021 so far.The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically affected homeschooling rates between March 2020 and the same month in 2021, according to the Census Experimental Household Pulse survey.

• Safe Environment: This is one of the major homeschooling advantages. A homeschooled child learns from the comfort of his/her home. Parents don’t have to worry about carrying their child to and fro from school or about letting the kids travel alone. They remain assured that their child is learning from the safe environment of their homes.

Disadvantages of Homeschooling

• Social Isolation: In a homeschooled environment, kids are at risk of developing frustration very rapidly. The fact that they have no school life and thus, no classmates, can lead to frustration and depression in many children. Kids might also fear interacting with people in such a condition.
• Pressure on Parents: Homeschooling requires the parents to be the ultimate educators of the children. Hence, parents need to be constantly around their children. They also need to be updated regarding the regular progress of their child so that they can plan the next learning session.
• Full-time Educator: While opting for homeschooling one of the parents has to decide on leaving their job as the kid will now require their constant attention. They have to take over the responsibility of being a full-time educator for the child. Thus, if both the parents are working, it gets a little tougher to opt for homeschooling.

Also, when it comes to a student performing better, it does not just depend on the mode of learning that they take up. Instead, it depends on their sheer hard work and dedication towards learning.