Homeschooling? More Challenging Than Expected

Even though the school did not always have the form it has today, education has always been a part of people’s life. The word school comes from the Greek word ”σχολή, which initially meant ”free time.” In ancient Greece, however, young men would gather in small groups when they had some free time and talk. During these gatherings, they began to learn stuff. It was a time when philosophers like Socrates were involved in this social life, acting as teachers. The concept of school was yet unknown to humanity.

As years went by, this process became established, and free time in ancient Greece was related to the learning process, and this is how education was initially conceived. It is funny how learning and education were not imposed on people. Still, they came as a natural evolution of what they indeed needed. Later on, education was a privilege of the rich, specifically men. The rest of the people would just grow up without having school experience in any form. If you think about it, not everyone has access to education, even now. Homeschooling is an idea that has been introduced once again in modern society over the last decades. However, people are skeptical about it, and today, we will see why.

Socialization is a crucial criterion

One of the main issues when it comes to homeschooling is the child’s socialization. School is not only about learning things that will prove helpful to a person’s future career. It involves understanding how the world works and how people interact. It allows kids to spend time with children of the same age and develop together. They can also be involved in the school’s sports teams. Public schools will not allow children who do not go to their school to participate in these vents. Therefore kids who attend homeschooling are not expected to join public school events.

Socialization has many aspects. Celebrations and ceremonies are also excluded from the reality of a child who studies at home. Community projects and volunteer opportunities are absent, leaving kids with a sense of loneliness. Especially for those who have no brothers or sisters, interaction with kids is necessary. Psychiatrists are very strict about the importance of kids hanging out with other kids implying that the lack of interaction may cause stress.

Consider the practical aspects

Homeschooling can be time and money-consuming. Regardless of whether teaching a kid at home is beneficial, consider whether it is possible. Doing the teacher’s job means the parent has to dedicate three to eight hours per day, depending on the kid’s age and needs. Parents will either quit their job or have no time for themselves and their partners. A possible loss of income or reduced working time will mean that one has to tighten the family’s spending. 

Of course, there is always the option to hire another individual to teach the child at home, but this will be super pricey. It will finally not manage to offer the kid all the essential stuff the school provides. Unless cash is not an issue, homeschooling is challenging.

How does the kid receive learning?

Parents are not professional teachers and often have difficulties communicating complex concepts to young children. In some cases, they may not even be familiar with the lesson they have to teach to the kids. This means parents have to do a kind of homework as well, and they will still not be sure if they made it like the professionals. They have to build the structure of the subject they want to teach, and so on.

Meanwhile, parents don’t have the tech tools that the school provides and have to figure out every little detail on their own. At the same time, the child can sense this inadequacy and completely disregard the parent’s contribution. Besides, the parent will finally have to perform in so many different roles. This does not only confuse the parent but the child as well, leading to problems in the relationships between the two members.

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