I live in Colorado. It has been so sad to see the devastation caused by the September flooding. People have lost so much – homes and livelihood. No doubt a flood is a terrible thing. Well, not all floods, though. In response to this tragedy there has been yet another flood – a flood of goodwill. Neighbors and even strangers are reaching out and helping one another. Churches and businesses doing all they can to enable people to recover. While we reel from the first kind of flood, we should celebrate and seek out the second.
For example consider homeschooling. Homeschool fits in the “good flood” category. Here is why:
Flood of Families. Families are rushing over the banks of traditional education in great, gushing waves. Research shows about 2 million children are being homeschooled and the trend is growing.
Flood of Reasons. The reasons people choose homeschool vary and most have more than one reason. These include academic quality, moral education, safety, individualized education, faith-based education, closer family ties, to name only a few.
Flood of Choices. You don’t have to look far into homeschooling and you could become overwhelmed by the options out there. There is a flood of approaches – Charlotte Mason, unschooling, common core, comprehensive programs, virtual academies and homeschool co-ops. There is a flood of curricula – both the hardcopy and the online options are seemingly limitless. One helpful resource for online curricula is Global Student Network (www.globalstudentnetwork.com). GSN is like a lifeline for families finding themselves afloat in a fathomless sea. GSN offers 5 top of the line web-based curricula from one location as well as a virtual academy supported by certified teachers. Also, GSN has enrollment counselors that can assist you in choosing a curriculum that fits your student’s needs and learning style.
Flood of Results. The research (National Home Education Research Institute) shows that homeschool students:
- score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.
- score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions.
- are increasingly being actively recruited by colleges.
- are typically above average on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development. Research measures include peer interaction, self-concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, and self-esteem.
- are regularly engaged in social and educational activities outside their homes and with people other than their nuclear-family members. They are commonly involved in activities such as field trips, scouting, 4-H, political drives, church ministry, sports teams, and community volunteer work.
- grow to be adults who participate in local community service, vote and attend public meetings, go to and succeed at college at an equal or higher rate than the general population.
- internalize the values and beliefs of their parents at a very high rate.
It is said that the Colorado flood was a 1000 year flood. These kinds of things are hard to predict! However, some floods are quite easy to predict; for example research shows that the homeschool flood will continue for some time.
Source:
http://www.nheri.org/research/research-facts-on-homeschooling.html
Copyright © 2013 J. Hoffman / GSN
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Email: JHoffman@GlobalStudentNetwork.com