“How can I make sure that I am providing the best education for my children?” A lot of parents find themselves asking this very question. Many parents wonder if public school is the only option for the children and if it is good enough for their child. Also many parents wonder if their child is getting the attention that they deserve or if their child is just going to get lost in the crowd of many. Education is very important and we need to figure out what is most beneficial for our children’s future.
Education is very important. In the Oxford English Dictionary it defines education as the ”development of personal knowledge or understanding, growth of character, moral and social qualities” and “The process of bringing up a child, with reference to forming character, shaping manners and behavior”. The way a child is educated shapes how they will turn into as an adult and will shape how their life will turn out. Education is the key to the future. Education will provide our children with financial stability and quality in life. Education is said to be the “gateway to success” and can be better for your health and happiness. (Federici, M. 2011).Education is a the foundation of how a person lives their life and is essential in every aspect in life whether we know it or not we are learning every day but depending on what we learn is how we will live our life.
Public Schools are the most common type of education but does that necessarily means that it is the best? Between the years 2009 and 2010 about 85% of public schools reported some sort of crime and about 74% of schools reported more than one crime. (The Conditions of Education, Page 44) In public schools there is peer pressure, bullies and negative influence that could lead to depression, drugs, alcohol, violence, sex and even in some cases death. You have little influence of what your children learns in a public school. There are also other things to consider about public schools like how long does it take for your child to get to school, your child’s health condition, if the school is overcrowded and would your child get the attention that they deserve. The children do have access to transportation, after school programs, can take classes like choir and band and be able to go to school with their friends. Also public school is the less expensive route and the usually things that you would pay for are supplies and school activities.
Home Schooling is another type of education that is considered. When a parent decides to homeschool that have to be dedicated in their child’s learning. The parent is the teacher and has certain criteria that needs to be meet by government regulations. The parents though have the opportunity to make sure that their child gets all the attention they need in learning and can control, to a certain aspect, of what they learn. When the child is home taught they don’t get to learn all the negative things that they might learn in a public school like violence and other things. Also the child learns at his or her own pace if a child is particularly slow in one subject and is better in another he or she could use the extra time to work on the other subject compared to a traditional school the child would have to stay in the one class until it was over and then go to the next and then afterwards tried to put in extra time to work on the other subject that he or she is having difficulties in. It is often thought that a child doesn’t receive as great of an education that a child that goes to homeschool because they are not learning from someone who has a degree but there has been studies done and it was found that on average, students ended in the “86th percentile on standardized tests” (Strengths of Their Own). It is often misconstrued that children that are homeschooled are confined to the home and miss out on interacting with other children. That is usually not the case, most of the time the children participate in events and are involved in the community. Not do only home schooled children interact with other children their age they are often interacting with other people in a variety of ages. Also another thing is that if a child is homeschooled you don’t have to worry about them traveling great distances on a bus if you live to far from the nearest school. Some children have to travel over an hour to get to school.
Distance Learning is another type of education. Distance learning is sort of like homeschooling since you are at home but you are learning from a professional teacher that is located at a great distance. Distance learning is often done on the internet now but back in its early stages it was done by mail back in 1830’s and 40’s. Distance learning has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages is that when it’s done online you don’t have to worry about being in school at a certain time. When considering distance learning the children have to make the effort to read all the material and make sure that their assignments are turned in on time. If they have a problem they have to message their teacher to get the help that they need and if they put off doing their assignment to the last minute then they probably won’t get their answer in time and then they will have a late assignment. The child has to make sure they have the motivation to keep up with their class work and manage their time efficiently so that they don’t fall behind in their work.
Private schools are also another form of education. Private schools cost a lot in tuition cost. Private schools also are very selective about the students that they administrate into their school and if a child starts causing problems within the school then the child may be expelled from the school. Private schools also set their own requirements for both the students and the teachers.
Education is very important to a child’s welfare and we need to make sure that we look at every avenue to make sure that we choose the one most beneficial for our children. Whether it be public school, homeschooling, distance learning, or private school we need to make sure that we look at every aspect to make sure that it is the best for your child. Education is what shapes our children into adults and make them who they are.