Is Homeschooling A Viable Alternative For Traditional...

Is homeschooling a viable alternative to traditional classroom-based education? According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), â€Å"Homeschooling †¦ is an age-old traditional education practice that a decade ago appeared to be cutting-edge and ‘alternative’ but is now bordering on ‘mainstream’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ray). There are about two million home educated students in the United States, an increase of two to eight percent over the past few years (Ray). Yet with this steady rise, there are many families who disregard homeschooling as a schooling alternative simply because they are oblivious to the fundamentals of it. If parents were knowledgeable of the benefits associated with homeschooling, most would embrace it rather than question the social aspect and academic credibility of a homeschooled student. Socialization is a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. The development of social skills is a frequent question directed towards parents of homeschoolers. Contrary to the belief that homeschoolers are incompetent to socialize, a study conducted by Thomas Smedley, M.S. proves otherwise. Thomas C. Smedley is a graduate of Redford University with a Masters degree in Corporate and Professional communications. In his master’s thesis titled â€Å"The Richards 2 Socialization of Homeschool Children,† he uses the VinelandShow MoreRelatedHomeschooling: On the Rise in America1869 Words   |  8 PagesHomeschooling is on the rise in America. According to a 2007 NHES study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education there are an estimated 1.5 million students actively being homeschooled up from the 850,000 estimated in previous study conducted in 1999 (NCES, 1). Once seen as a fringe activity usually associated with the religious right, homeschooling now encompasses many mainstream families looking for educational alternatives in the face of such issues as violence, peer pressure, and poor academicRead MoreBenefits of Homeschooling2307 Words   |  10 Pageswhen it came to his or her education. Although Freeport, Illinois, does not have a significant amount of schools from which to choose, we certainly looked at them all. After we had spent numerous hours talking to teachers and touring classrooms, we were not impressed by any of the lo cal schools. Basically, every school offered the same general subjects served in a cookie cutter fashion. We, however, wanted our children to have a more diverse and individualized education. Therefore, we decided to look