The Home-Schooling Groundswell

As of 2008, more than 2 million children in the US and millions more around the globe have joined the growing homeschooling movement. Why is this becoming a popular option? Parents generally tend to home school children when they feel that the school environments aren't suiting a child's needs or simply because they feel a child will benefit more when studying at home. However many children are being homeschooled for different reasons as well.

A recent survey showed that 43% of the homeschooled children in America were being home schooled due to religious reasons. Many people feel that modern school culture and violence mar old religious principals, and thus withdraw them from school. Several churches around the US have advocated home schooling through sermons.

Home schooled children haven't performed badly either. The 1st and 2nd place winners of the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee were home-schooled. The Princeton class of '06 valedictorian was homeschooled, and homeschooled students tend to score 15-30 points more than schooled children on standardized tests.

I, myself as a homeschooled student feel that it is a better option. It gives me freedom to channel my attention accordingly, based on my strength in subjects. Not being in a big class itself helps, with more attention and concentration. Besides that, homeschooling gives me certain freedom, which can be devoted to a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Comparing my two educational experiences, homeschooling definitely allowed me to develop more through the different learning environment.