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