Homeschooling
vs Public Education

One area of difference between homeschooling vs public education is academic instruction. The following article compares classroom teaching techniques to methods that are used in the home.

For information about differences in the learning environment of public schools and home schools, read part 1 of this article, Homeschooling vs. Public Schools.

Academic instruction in a home environment is more efficient and effective than that which occurs in public school classrooms. Homeschoolers have the freedom to choose materials and teaching techniques that maximize their children's opportunity for success.

Here are some of the academic advantages of homeschooling vs public education:

• Homeschooling allows for more one-on-one academic instruction. The student/teacher ratio in public school classrooms can sometimes be as high as 30 to 1. Instruction often caters to students who are average, and students who are gifted or have special needs may fall through the cracks. Homeschoolers have more time to spend instructing children individually, and can focus on the needs of each child, rather than focusing on needs of the class as a whole.


• Home schools are parent-directed. Homeschooling allows parents - not teachers, principals, administrators and school boards - to choose what and how their children are taught. Parents can make decisions according to what's best for their children, without thought toward the conflicting agendas, financial pressures and professional concerns that schoolteachers and administrators must consider.


• Home education is tailored to a student's learning style. Children can be auditory learners, visual learners, hands-on learners, or any combination of the three. Homeschoolers can choose curriculum and teaching methods that fit their children's primary learning styles; thus minimizing frustration and helping each child reach his or her full academic potential.


• Homeschooled students progress at their own pace. Because instruction takes place in a one-on-one environment, homeschoolers can spend as long as they need to on a particular concept or topic, and move on as soon as they have mastered the material. This ability to slow down or move forward as necessary helps students avoid the boredom and undue pressure that come from following arbitrary time lines and striving to meet outside standards.


• Homeschooling encourages discovery and love of learning. Homeschooling provides children with more freedom and time to pursue their interests. Children develop as a result of their desire to learn new information, not as a result of external motivators like grades and class ranking.

Here's a chart that further examines the differences between homeschooling vs public schooling.