Reasons for Homeschooling

REASONS FOR HOMESCHOOLING
(compiled by homeschooling parents-in no particular order and could be any or all of the following for any family)

We homeschool to be able to:
- individualize our student's education
- have a family-based learning experience
- allow our children to learn at their own pace
- allow our children to follow their passions and explore their interests
- to spend more time as a family
- allow more time for our children to grow
- have time for travel
- be part of a small community (homeschool or other)
- have time for special instruction in music, art, or sports
- teach children with techniques that work best for their learning style or learning differences
- avoid 'pop' culture and 'peer driven' behavior
- To limit the amount of stress, and to avoid sleep deprivation and learning burnout
- follow a particular educational or developmental philosophy
- have learning be free-flowing, not stopped by bells or artificial time periods
- respect and delight in individual differences
- impart our family's values
- have education include a greater emphasis on any of the following (than what is done in regular schools): health, politics, cooking and home arts, woodworking, gardening, the environment, spiritual or personal growth, arts and music, academic area or other subject
- to determine our own schedules, have a flexible schedule or schedule that fits with parents' work schedule
- 'unschool' by allowing the child to learn through daily activities and as their interest dictates
- to follow a more rigorous academic program
- follow our religious, spiritual, alternative lifestyle, moral, or political views
- work at a family business


- save our students daily wasted time with testing, teacher paperwork, and time going between classes, etc.
- have more time with a sick or dying family member or deal with a student's medical condition
- educate our children in a physically and emotionally safe environment
- challenge our children intellectually
- act against mainstream educational practices
- hold on to the innocence of childhood
- to allow for families who share custody to create a flexible school schedule that isn't dependent on a regular school calendar
- ensure that our children with disabilities (of any type) receive their needed accommodations for learning
- allow children to read, play, do art or whatever for hours at a time
- protect our children from bullying, harassment or traumatic school experiences (or allow them to recover)
- have more time for social connection
- avoid government bureaucracy and control
- create time and common experiences for siblings to develop deeper relationships
- develop deeper relationships with extended family
- build relationships with community members/mentors who assist in educating our children
- have more exposure to real life learning experiences
- learn within and be involved in the greater community
-have a choice in who our children's role models are and what they are exposed to
-determine our own priorities
- use or create an environment that works best for our child to learn in
- teach children how to think, not what to think
- to allow flexible instruction time for children who participate in competitive sprots or traveling sports teams or who work in theatrical profession, etc.
- give students an “extra year” or "break" before beginning a regular school program (at any point: kindergarten, junior high, high school or college)
more?