| Parents who choose to home school their children do | | | | that, given the right environment and resources, there is |
| so for a variety of different reasons. In some cases | | | | no need to enforce learning as children are keen to |
| parents have specific religious goals which they wish | | | | explore the world around them. |
| to achieve. Others are unhappy with teaching methods | | | | Beyond this one central idea school of thought within |
| in the public school system, or object to the teaching | | | | home schooling then begin to diverge on what should |
| of specific subjects. Yet others simply feel they can | | | | take place next. |
| provide a better education for their children | | | | In some cases parents embrace 'unschooling' which |
| themselves. | | | | operates on the basis that the parent or tutor does not |
| Whatever the reason however the one thing that | | | | need a curriculum or to give children any direction. Here |
| unites parents who opt for home schooling is a belief | | | | children are simply provided with books and a range of |
| that the public school system does a poor job of | | | | other natural resources and they will then learn |
| educating children. | | | | whatever takes their natural interest. |
| Despite what many parents believe, home schooling is | | | | Other parents turn to a more formal structure, in some |
| not a new idea which requires you to strike out on | | | | cases even going so far as to use the same materials |
| your own and start reshaping the education system. In | | | | and teach exactly the same topics as are taught in |
| fact, until compulsory education laws were established | | | | the public schools. Here the parent or tutor is simply |
| in the middle of the 19th century, nearly all children | | | | taking the place of the state teacher and the home |
| were educated at home. | | | | replaces the school. |
| Public education however really came into its own | | | | These two positions demonstrate the extremes of |
| during the 20th century and followed an authoritarian | | | | home schooling and yet other parents prefer to take |
| model of Prussian schooling started during the 1800s. | | | | the middle ground following ideas such as those put |
| Today public education is the norm and, in most cases, | | | | forward by people like Dr Montessori. Under the |
| the Prussian model is still being followed in most | | | | Montessori teaching system children are allowed to |
| countries. | | | | develop at their own pace but are provided with |
| By the 1960s dissatisfaction with public schooling in | | | | suitable materials and guidance. The parent or tutor is |
| several quarters led to a number of challenges, in | | | | guided by the child, rather than the reverse seen in |
| many cases stemming from books by now well | | | | public schooling, allowing a child's imagination to provide |
| known authors such as John Holt, and parents began | | | | the stimulation for learning. The emphasis is also very |
| to withdraw from the public education system. | | | | much on self-correction rather than correction by the |
| Some of the parents withdrawing were early | | | | parent or tutor. |
| libertarians who were simply eager to be free of the | | | | Whatever your motivation and whatever approach |
| state wherever possible. Others wished to return to an | | | | you adopt, there is one consistent line of thought and |
| older tradition of Classical Liberal training, either from | | | | that is that the children are the focal point of the |
| offshoots of the Roman Catholic Church (like the | | | | learning experience and their proper development is |
| Jesuits) or of the Greek Enlightenment ideals. | | | | the goal. As far as home schooling parents are |
| Whatever the philosophy involved however a | | | | concerned, this goal is best achieved outside the state |
| common set of ideas evolved that have became | | | | system which has not, and cannot, provide the same |
| dominant in home schooling. | | | | quality of instruction as most parents can. |
| One fundamental idea is that a child is a naturally | | | | provides information on many aspects of parenting |
| active learner. This idea is well rooted in history and | | | | from child parenting to step parenting for dummies and |
| dates back to the time of Aristotle who began his | | | | also answers questions such as why choose a home |
| famous book Metaphysics with the words "All men | | | | schooling program? |
| possess by nature the desire to know." This idea holds | | | | |