Rebecca Rosa
Compare and Contrast Essay Rough Draft
The great philosopher, Plato, once said, “Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” This statement is so powerful. It is important to consider the individual educational needs of children when determining whether public school or home school is the best academic choice. We live in a country where we are blessed to take a step back and find the fit that suits our children the best.
Public school and home school offer very different learning environments. When assessing a child, one should consider what kind of environment the child learns best in. Public schools offer a structured environment that involves anywhere from 25 to 45 children to one teacher. In a home school environment, the child has more one on one attention. The teacher or instructor is not pulled in many directions by many children. The time and flexibility of home school allows a child to take more time on a subject that they need to or less time if the subject is mastered. Public school does not allow for this flexibility and the time is quite structured with very little room for delay or acceleration. The environment created in a home school is based on what the parent/guardian wants the environment to be. Morals, religious beliefs, virtues and other life lessons can be taught at the disclosure of the parent/guardian. In a public school setting, morals and values are chosen by a stranger and either taught, or not, to a child.
When talking about home schooling a child, socialization is brought up almost 100% of the time. Many people wonder if the child will end up “socially backward” or unable to appropriately react in social situations. The stereotype of home