Home School vs Public School

Public schools have been widespread for nearly 200 years, and have evolved in many aspects. Over time classes have been separated by grade levels, education for girls has become as common as for boys, and the time spent at school has increased. Public schooling began as an effort to educate children so that they could grow up to become active and helpful participants in society, which mainly related to future worklife. The homeschooling movement began by John Holt, who stated that public schools “created an oppressive classroom environment designed to make children compliant employees”. Both kinds of schooling affect kids socially and academically.

Each stage of a child's life is essential to their development. Between the ages of 6-8, which is around the time school first begins, children start to rely and thrive on socialization. So how does homeschooling a child differ from public school, socially? Six hours (average school day in the US ) of a public schooled child's day is spent surrounded by other children. There is likely a significant difference in exposure to peers for those who spend those hours at home. But something to consider is that homeschooled individuals can get socialization in other ways. Sports, homeschool groups, and other community groups are necessary to make up for the interactions missed. Many pro-homeschool individuals argue that with a more controlled environment of socialization young people are less likely to come across bullying, gossip, peer pressure, and teasing. However, it can also be argued that kids who are exposed to gossip, bullying, and the like are better equipped for the “real world.” In addition, adolescents in school may be exposed to more diversity and belief systems than those who are homeschooled and are more accustomed to their parents viewpoints.

Even though there is a significant social aspect of school, there is also a major focus on academics. It is a misconception that people who are homeschooled are not as smart as their public schooled counterparts. Educationbehavior.com says that according to a study, “homeschooled students had, on average, a higher high school GPA, a higher SAT score, and a higher first-year of college GPA.” This could be due to homeschool curriculums, which are based on “personalized learning.” Kids are being taught based on their interests. Therefore, they can learn about certain topics when they feel more prepared or ready, so they then gain a better understanding of the material. Learning for homeschoolers is self-paced, so kids dont get left behind without fully understanding the material. While learning, they are also surrounded by family, who can put effort into making sure their child has the tools they need to be successful. Whereas, in public school, it isn’t feasible for a teacher to exert immense effort towards one student’s comprehension of the materials.  They need to move on for the majority of the class. 

When choosing whether to homeschool or send their child to public school, a parent may need to forfeit a better option socially in order to make a better decision academically, or the other way around. But looking at the pros, cons, and realities of schooling in all areas can help understand the people educated differently. Ultimately, people should come together in work environments and other communities, despite the way they were educated. Learning in any way is important and essential in growing up.