Public school has traditionally been the collective option among most United States parents; however, homeschooling is gaining popularity in recent years, resulting in one of the leading debates on whether parents should send their children to public school or adopt homeschooled system learning. Homeschooling refers to the process of educating a child away from the typical school system, usually; it is a parent-directed education established at home. In contrast, public school outlines learning institution that allows all students to attend and acquire an education; these institutions are maintained and funded by the government using public funds collected using government-imposed taxes. Whereas public school and homeschooling have similarities, such as subjects taught to pupils, they are primarily different. Therefore, this paper will discuss various features that present differences between these school systems, including; cost, socialization skills due to the social aspect of the learning atmosphere, learning and teaching environment, and individualization of instructions.
One of the main differences between sending children to public school and homeschooling them is the cost. Public schools are funded using public funds collected through government-imposed taxes; this guarantees their affordability to all children regardless of their financial status (Musaddiq ET AL., 2022). This provides a chance for all children to acquire an education despite their parents’ difficult financial backgrounds. On the flip side, parents cater for all costs incurred in the homeschooling education system; this reflects why homeschooling is more expensive than sending children to public school. For example, curriculum fees, textbooks, internet devices, and connectivity, besides other required supplies in homeschooling, are provided by parents. A single student under homeschooling requires about $1000 in a single session. Thus, the cost is one of the main features that reflect differences between sending children to public school and homeschooling them; as discussed, homeschooling is more expensive while public schools are considerably affordable regardless of parents’ financial status.
Socialization is one of the primary differences between attending public school and homeschooling. Socialization outlines how individuals learn rules of behavior, attitudes, norms, beliefs, and ideologies, allowing normal functioning to be effective in the community. Public schools enhance improved socialization by allowing children of different ages and backgrounds to interact and share the same interest, acquiring education. More so, this school setting exposes students to rules through various routines set with time consciousness to be followed during learning in public school. For instance, during communication and interaction with teachers, children must follow outlined rules, for example, raising their hands to answer a question (West and Robin, 2019). This exposure enables children in public to learn how to behave and cope with various challenges in life. On the contrary, homeschooled children lack the opportunity to socialize with other children, reflecting on the undermined socialization aspect in the Homeschool learning system as it limits the association or contact of homeschooled children with diverse persons. Thus, sending children to public school provides an opportunity and exposure to learn appropriate behavior and features necessary to be an influential member of society, such as effective communication and coping with societal challenges.
The learning environment is the other primary feature that portrays a critical difference between public school and homeschooling. Public school is characterized by a complex learning environment associated with various factors that influence effective learning. For instance, peer pressure, high diversity in children’s background and ethnicity, and other negative factors such as substance use and bullying describe the public school environment. However, this enables children to adapt and learn to cope with various societal challenges. On the contrary, a homeschool environment is characterized by a calm, comfortable, and safe learning environment that favors learning in the homeschool set-up but hinders students from coping with real-life life events and challenges. Homeschool offers the best learning environment, but challenges faced by students in public schools facilitate their learning and coping with various life challenges met in society.
Lastly, individualizing instructions to students outlines another primary difference between public school and homeschooling. Generally, the teacher-to-student ratio in public schools is significantly high; it ranges from 20 to 25 students per teacher; this means that a teacher has a massive responsibility for having a large number of pupils under the care of one teacher. This hinders the availability of an effective and smooth individualization of instructions to students in public schools, discouraging the success of those pupils in need of one-to-one teaching for their success. On the other side, individualization of instructions is enhanced in the homeschooling learning system; this is facilitated by a few students in the teacher ratio (Ray and Brian, 2015). In most cases, homeschooling has one or two students; this encourages one-to-one directive teaching by the teacher providing the required support to students in need. This reflects on homeschooling flexibility in finishing the curriculum as the teacher may choose to move on a high-level instruction or provide extra support and slow down depending on the student’s ability. Individualizing instruction promotes learning among children; thus, the homeschool system has an added advantage regarding this feature compared to the public school system.
The main differences between public school and home school include cost, individualization of instruction, environment, and socialization. The public school is affordable for all parents to take their children in, regardless of their financial status, as the government funds it. It encourages socialization among students as children of different ages and backgrounds attend and interact in public schools. On the contrary, homeschooling is expensive and hinders socialization but encourages individualizing instructions to students; this reflects its flexibility in covering the curriculum. It is an ultimate decision for all parents to choose whether they should send their children to public school or homeschool them; in my perspective, I would choose the public school as it exposes the children to real-life situations shaping their behaviors, attitudes, and abilities to cope in society.
Works Cited
Hirsh, Aaron. “The Changing Landscape of Homeschooling in the United States.” Centre on Reinventing Public Education 2019.
Musaddiq, Tareena, et al. “The pandemic’s effect on demand for public schools, homeschooling, and private schools.” Journal of Public Economics 212 2022: 104710.
Ray, Brian D. Research facts on homeschooling. ERIC Clearinghouse, 2015.
West, Robin L. “The harms of homeschooling.” Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly 29.3/4 2009: 7–12.
write