Ever felt rather peckish? Been hungry for something but you weren’t sure exactly what? According to the National Home Education Research Institute, many families in America found what they were looking for in homeschool. In 2010 around 2 million children were homeschooled and the numbers are growing. That’s a lot of families hungry for a change in their children’s education! So what exactly are they hungry for?
Something Meatier, Please. Some families are not happy with the academics of their public schools. Whether too much emphasis on testing or not enough emphasis on academic excellence, some families feel schools fall short. They are seeking out a more satisfying education.
Full Plate. The typical family schedule is demanding to say the least! In fact to call it a “family” schedule is practically a misnomer because there is so little time to actually be a family. With work and school and sports and activities, everyone is going in a million different directions! Homeschooling allows families to be together. Simple, but profound during the season of life when the days are long and the years are short.
Hibachi, Anyone? How great is it to watch your food prepared right in front of you?! You don’t have to worry about what may or may not go into your favorite entrée while it’s being prepared back in the kitchen because – there it is, right under your nose! That’s exactly where some families feel their kids are safest – right where they can see them. It is sad to say but the truth is a lot happens at school that wouldn’t happen at home where parents can be proactive in the influences and safety of their children.
In a Word, Gourmet. Here’s the choice – mac and cheese from a box or a meal cooked from fresh ingredients. It’s a no brainer, right? Some families feel this is the choice they have in education – a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter, pre-packaged deal or the freedom to create an educational experience tailored to their children’s needs and interests.
Sautee, Simmer, or Bake. You sautee onions, you bake chicken breasts. The other way around wouldn’t work out so well, at least not for the chicken (baked onions are yummy, though!). There are different rates of cooking for different food items. This goes for children as well. Children learn at different paces. Families choose homeschool because their children can learn as fast or as slow as they need.
Do You Taste Oregano in This? What goes into a dish determines its flavor. Homeschool allows families to put into their children the ingredients important to the parents. Knowing how to interact with all age groups, a real-life education, service to their community, and learning the family’s faith and beliefs – all these give children and families a distinctive flavor.
So if you feel like it’s time to cook up something new for your family, if the educational recipe you are using now just isn’t working any more, if you’re a hungry for a change, take a good look at the homeschool option that so many families are finding so delicious. You just might find something on the menu that suits.
Bon Appetit!
Source:
Ray, Brian, PhD, “Research Facts on Homeschooling,” http://www.nheri.org/research/research-facts-on-homeschooling.html
Copyright © 2013 J. Hoffman / GSN
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Email: JHoffman@GlobalStudentNetwork.com