Why Being Home Schooled is Worth It and Public School's Not

Having been home schooled my entire education thus far, and having graduated from said homeschooling, I have some notes to share.

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When I am home schooled:

-I am able to spend quality time with my family that would not be possible if I was away from the home all day, everyday.  Sometimes that means learning to get along.  Getting along with your siblings is not mandatory if you are never with them, right?  So, you can miss out on a wonderful, God-given relationship.
-I am able to learn with a Biblical worldview, instead of from a secularist, humanistic viewpoint.  I can learn things in light of God's Word.
-I am able to be taught by those who know me best - who know how I learn best, how well I comprehend things, and what lessons I need to learn most at the present.
-I am able to become like someone who I want to be like. (Luke 6:40: "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.") Of course, God is my ultimate Teacher, and I desire to be like Him most of all.
-I am able to spend less time on my school, but learn just as much (or more) than I would if I were in school.

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I am glad I was not sent to public school because:

-they teach things that God doesn't approve of
-they are not edifying, nor do they encourage someone in their Christian walk
-the bad outweighs the good
-they influence you toward wrong thinking, dressing, and acting
-they don't teach the truth
-they encourage rebellion toward authority
-the teachers and other students have more influence than your parents
-the influence mentioned in the last point is usually bad, or at least not God-honoring

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Doesn't the Mode of Education Affect The Quality of Education?

Yes, it does.

In public school, I would be able to learn whatever the government decides. I would be able to learn about evolutionism as fact and socialism as profitable.

In home school, I am privileged to learn the truth from a Biblical worldview. I am able to learn about my Creator and learn what He would have me do. I am able to learn about my nation's and world's past in light of the Scripture and eternity. My focus is able to be centered around my Lord and Savior, who is true, rather than a Big Bang and a bunch of nothingness, which are not true. In short, I suppose you could say that I am able to learn the truth from people who care about it.

In addition, I am able to spend less time on school, while learning just as much. In school, after the teacher reads something, you go home and read the same exact thing and then do the questions. In home school, you read the pages, answer the questions, and you're done. You don't have to sit through an hour long talk about something that you can understand just as easily by reading it yourself.

Of course, some children are different and need to be taught something twice. But, in homeschooling, a child is tutored, in essence, by their mother (usually) and even their father. If they need to learn something twice, that's fine. If they need to learn something in a unique way, then they are free to do so. If they don't finish their book on time, then they can just keep going instead of having to re-start, which I'm sure can be very discouraging and frustrating.  Also, when their education can be tailored to their interests, they will learn more.  And they will want to learn more.


This enables the quality of their education to be higher when their parents are investing in their lives.

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God Chose My Teacher

Throughout my entire education, I have been instructed, tutored, coached, trained, and refined without having to go to a school to do so. My parents are the exact teachers God has chosen for me. If He had wanted one of the teachers at my local school to teach me, then He could have given me to them as their kid. But He didn't. He chose my mother and father, and they are to instruct me in the ways of God.

Which, I think, is partly why children are commanded to obey their parents. Children can learn a lot from their parents, and if they accept instruction from their parents, then it makes their parents' job easier. Of course, I know very well that obeying or cheerfully taking instructions is a struggle for every kid, but it is something we should be striving for.

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What About Siblings?

Now, about the whole thing of being home schooled in a large family. Before I say anything else, let me clarify a very important point. I am very blessed to be given the opportunity to be educated in my home around all my siblings. It gives us all a chance to grow together as a family more closely, and we get a lot of experience having to cooperate with people of all sorts of personalities and opinions!

Sure, siblings can be very distracting, but there's several ways I have been able to avoid it. One: we would have a 'quiet time' each day - one hour each day during which time the little ones take a nap, and everyone else has to do some quiet, individual activity, such as reading a book.

Two: I have sat in my bedroom many, many days for doing school, especially while doing those subjects which require reading.

Three: Now that I'm older, I can get up early and do school before anyone else is up.

That's not to say that I always do one of these things, but they are a few ways in which I have been able to help myself concentrate on my school more. Of course, certain classes of mine can be distracting to others who are doing school too - like piano. So, we just have to tolerate noise from each other to the best of our ability, and then be quiet for each other.

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The Exposure Issue

I'm not talking about exposure to the sun, though that is important as well.  That can be remedied by doing your PE (physical education) outside. 

One of the supposed detriments of homeschooling is that homeschooled kids don't get as much exposure to the outside, 'real' world, and will therefore be less able to survive in that world when they grow up and leave the nest. I beg to differ from this viewpoint. I am learning about the 'real' world, and all the sin in it, and I don't really want to participate.

However, I was of course, during my 'school years',  getting exposure to others (yes, including peers), esp. at church.  Any other peers, like those I saw at the store, were not necessarily people I need to have rubbing off on me.  The Bible has quite a bit to say on the subjects of what friends you have.  Consider these verses:

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another. 

Proverbs 12:26

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray. 

Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men will be wise,

But the companion of fools will suffer harm.