Why Homeschool?
By Evelyn Blake
The decision to homeschool varies greatly among families; let’s look at some common reasons and I’ll share my own as well.
The most common reasons fall under autonomy: parents can choose curriculum, environment, social influence, and scheduling. This allows for the inclusion of religious teaching and isolation from outside ideologies until the parents are ready. Other parents want to encourage more exploration of social and cultural differences. Curriculum can be tailored to a child’s needs. In order to meet strict standards, schools have to teach the same material to everyone. At home, a child’s best subject can be explored further, even jumping far ahead of their peers. A subject that is especially difficult for a child can either be carefully attuned to their learning needs, or minimum goals can be met and further advancement left optional while awaiting brain development. Flexibility in scheduling is great for many families. Children can study year round, take breaks for family vacations, study in small separate sessions, only in the evenings, or really any number of options.
Homeschooling offers flexibility in other ways as well. Families aren’t tied to certain school districts and could even move frequently or practice what’s called “world schooling,” where frequent travel is incorporated into the curriculum. Curriculum options fall on a wide spectrum, from intense academic studies to play-based learning or “radical unschooling,” where parents let the children’s own interests guide their learning. Schooling can look different too — rather than traditional textbooks and testing, learning might happen through projects, experiments, and everyday experiences. Children spend more time alongside their parents and pick up on the rhythms and responsibilities of adult life.
Homeschooling can be especially beneficial for children with special needs or unique learning profiles. Children with disabilities and neurodivergence can receive accommodations and more individualized curriculum to suit their learning needs. Gifted children can be challenged appropriately in areas where they excel. Behavioral issues can be managed without the added pressure of a social environment. Doctor and therapy appointments are also much easier to schedule with a flexible school day.
For families with concerns about safety, homeschooling can offer peace of mind as well. School shootings are rare but terrifying, and active shooter drills, bulletproof panels in backpacks, and increased security measures are constant reminders to children that they could be at risk. Bullying has long been a major concern for many families. The COVID pandemic thrust many families into homeschooling whether they wanted to or not, and some found they preferred it. Of course, homeschooling is not a perfect shield from the world — children can still encounter illness, conflict, and difficulty in their communities and social lives.
For our family, the decision to homeschool was deeply personal. My husband was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and struggled with the rigid structure of traditional school. I was socially awkward — possibly on the autism spectrum — and struggled with making friends. We want our children, who are very much like us, to have the freedom to play and to learn to love learning. We want to closely participate in their social and moral development and help them grow into functional, well-rounded, emotionally regulated adults. We want them to be happy and to have happy childhoods to cherish. None of these things are guaranteed, even with homeschooling, but we enjoy the freedom to pursue these goals. While education is important to us, we feel it is our role to give our children a safe place to launch from — and then let them decide where they want to go.
What reasons draw you to homeschooling? I’m certain there are many I haven’t mentioned here, and I’d love to hear your stories. If you have questions you’d like me to try to answer in a future column, feel free to reach out!
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