(NaturalNews) Homeschooling, once steeped in negativity and subject to eyebrow-raising naysayers, is fast-sweeping the nation as an alternative educational method that comes with higher graduation rates than traditional schooling.(1) In fact, there are approximately 2.2 million students in the United States who receive home education, and experts note that its popularity has continued, rather than waned, through the years. These students have been found to score up to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.(2)
With homeschooling, children are taught under the direction of family members who maintain that learning at home allows youngsters to obtain customized instruction that public schools do not regularly provide, while simultaneously strengthening family relationships in a safe environment.(2)
Higher graduation rates, test scores among homeschooled children
Of homeschooled children, 66.7 percent have been found to graduate from a four-year college, whereas those who went to a public school had a 57.5 percent graduation rate.(1) The finding came as a result of a 2009 University of St. Thomas study that analyzed homeschool students’ academics versus those in more traditional educational systems. Not only was there a higher college graduation rate, but compared to public, private and Catholic schooling, those who were homeschooled were found to have the highest GPA and also outperformed in college preparedness tests for reading, science and English.(2)
Homeschooled children more prepared socially for real-world scenarios
One stereotype that often floods those who choose to homeschool their children is that they are isolated at home and, therefore, most likely to be socially awkward and not easily capable of interacting with others. However, Brain Ray, National Home Education Research Institute president, feels otherwise.(3)
He notes that most homeschool students are active volunteers, are involved in sports or are engaged with others through book clubs. “Research shows that in terms of self-concept, self-esteem and the ability to get along in groups, homeschoolers do just as well as their public school peers,” he said.(3)
Another advocate of homeschooling is Jeffrey Koonce, a school superintendent in Miller County, Missouri. So convinced is he that homeschooled children fare better than those who are not, Koonce wrote his doctoral dissertation on how homeschool students handle their transition to a public high school environment. He discovered that it wasn’t uncommon for homeschooled children to hear the students in the high school talk about sexual activity and drunken behaviors, and adds that the homeschooled children took on the “get real… get a life” mindset.(3)
Koonce concluded that the majority of the time, homeschooled children were more mature and socially adept than their non-homeschooled peers.(3)
Sources:
(1) http://i.bnet.com[PDF]
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