Homeschool vs. In-Person School
Written by Anabel A. ‘27
At some point, you have probably asked yourself: What if I had been homeschooled? Or how homeschooling is like since most of us have been going to in person school our whole lives. I interviewed Charlotte W, a sophomore at SJND, about her experience of being a former homeschooled student for almost three years. But before that, let’s first dive into what homeschooling is.
What is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling is an alternative to in-person schooling where parents or guardians are the primary educators for their children. (Tutors and online teachers can also be included in homeschooling.) It involves teaching academic subjects at home, usually following a structured curriculum or personalized approach. There’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to scheduling, curriculum choices, and individualized instruction. Unlike in person school, homeschooling allows for a more individualized approach and can meet the needs of specific learning styles or necessities. It can be an excellent option for families who want to have more control over their child’s education.
Benefits of Homeschooling:
- Allowing a customized learning experience
Parents/Guardians can tailor the curriculum to their child’s individual needs, interests, and learning styles. This can promote a deeper understanding for learning.
- Providing flexibility
Families can create a routine that works best for their child, allowing a balance between academics, family time, and extracurricular activities. This flexibility enables students to pursue other interests outside of traditional subjects.
- Often fostering a strong parent-child bond
Spending more time together can allow for more meaningful connections. Parents can also provide one-on-one attention, guidance, and support making sure that their child gets the necessary assistance to academically succeed.
- Offering a safe environment
Homeschooled students can learn at their own pace, without the distractions or pressures that they could face in a traditional school setting. This could lead to elevated self-esteem and confidence.
What are some of the Drawbacks of Homeschooling?
While homeschooling has its benefits, it’s also important to consider the drawbacks as well.
- Limited social interaction
In-person school offers opportunities for their students to socialize with their peers, develop social skills, and learn in a group setting. Homeschooled students most likely need to actively seek out social activities, like non-school sports for example, to make sure that they have a well-rounded social experience
- Lack of specialized expertise in certain subjects
Homeschooling parents may not have the same level of expertise or qualifications as trained teachers do in specific subjects. This could limit the depth of knowledge available to students in that area.
- Requirement of significant time commitment from parents
They have to serve as educators, plan lessons, grade assignments, and provide ongoing support. This can be very arduous, especially for parents who have work commitments or other responsibilities.
- External validation and recognition
There are some colleges, universities, or even employers that may have specific requirements or expectations concerning educational backgrounds or credentials.
There are ways to alleviate these challenges; for example, joining homeschooling co-ops (groups of families who come together to support each other in homeschooling their children), participating in extracurricular activities, or online public school.
Charlotte’s Point of View of Homeschooling
I met with Charlotte, sophomore at SJND, at the end of the day in room #41. We settled into our seats and our conversation began when Charlotte shared how homeschooling for her was. She said, “It was an interesting experience. I would say it was a lot easier then going to Alameda High because that school’s huge and I’d been homeschooled because of Covid so it was an easy transition but I kind of wish I was in-person for my freshman year, you know it’s a big year.” She told me what ways both were different from each other. “I had a very different schedule. For one, I got out most days at one o’clock and some days I got out at ten-thirty and it was mostly independent study at my program so I was given work and I kind of taught myself and I didn’t have interactions with other kids,” she added. Charlotte continued, “I’d say it might be easier to focus in person. It’s easier to learn in-person because there’s someone watching you and you have rules being put on you and when I was at home I could kind of goof off with it.”
Now that I had gained the main idea of how homeschooling was for Charlotte, I wondered a couple of things. Were there any things about in-person school that surprised her? Did she participate in any sports while being homeschooled? Were there any drastic changes in grades? Which was more difficult, academically?
Charlotte responded, “I hadn’t been to school since the sixth grade so I was kind of surprised so I was kinda surprised how nice people were at Saint Jo’s because at my middle school people were pretty mean and they were very cliquey when it came to social groups.”
She added, “I did cross country and ballet which was later in my homeschooling journey because Covid put a big damper on everything but once I was doing sports it got rid of some of that isolating feeling which was definitely beneficial.” When I asked her about grades she answered, “I somehow managed to get all A’s in online and then when I came to in-person I had more distractions and I goofed off slightly more but I have A’s and B’s now so there wasn’t so much of an impact on my grades but it’s definitely harder to maintain good grades since there are more distractions.”
Charlotte then told me which was harder: “I would say in-person is more difficult because online there was a lot more flexibility like tests and stuff like that and in-person you don’t have that same amount of flexibility when it comes to when you can do tests and due dates or at least that’s how it was like in my program.” The last thing we discussed was which Charlotte preferred more, being homeschooled or being at SJND in which she simply replied, “I definitely prefer in-person.”
In-Person Schooling
As we all know, in-person school is the opposite of online school and is very different from homeschool. In-person schooling involves attending a physical school building where students learn in a classroom setting with peers and teachers while homeschooled students learn at home under the guidance of their guardians, parents, or tutors. Here at SJND, they focus on a combination of hands-on activities, project based learning, interactive discussions, as well as traditional teaching approaches. Overall, in-person school offers a more social and immersive experience.
Benefits of In-Person Schooling:
- Direct interaction with teachers and classmates
When you can directly interact with your teachers, you can ask questions, seek clarification, and receive feedback that’s immediate. Same goes for your classmates, it also allows for more meaningful discussions with your peers as well as collaborative learning.
- Better focus and attention
Like Charlotte mentioned in the interview, the presence of teachers helps create a more focused atmosphere than it would at home. With fewer distractions it becomes easier to concentrate and stay engaged in the lessons. The presence of the students also helps when everyone is actively participating and learning together.
- Access to physical resources
Libraries, laboratories, and extracurricular activities are provided at in-person school for student’s utilization which may not be accessible at home. This way, it’s easier for you to explore books, conduct experiments, and engage in activities that enhance your learning experience.
- Offers hands-on activities, group projects and discussions
Hands-on activities allow students to apply what they’ve learned in a practical way. Group projects provide an opportunity to collaborate with your peers, share ideas, and practice teamwork skills. And discussion in the classroom gives students a chance to express their thoughts, gain different perspectives, and learn from others.
What are some Disadvantages of In-Person Schooling?
With all the benefits of in-person schooling mentioned, there are still reasons why parents or guardians would rather have their child homeschooled.
- Lack of flexibility in terms of scheduling
It may limit your ability to balance and partake in other commitments or activities. If you have extracurricular activities outside of school or part-time jobs, it can be challenging to fit those responsibilities into a fixed school schedule.
- Commuting to and from school
Depending on whether you drive or your parents drive, there’s a significant amount of time spent traveling back and forth between home and school if you’re unfortunate enough to live far away from your school.
- Class sizes
Larger class sizes may limit the amount of individual attention and support that students receive from their teachers. With more students in a class, it can be challenging for the teacher to address the specific needs or questions of that student.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you are now well informed about the difference between in-person school and homeschooling, their benefits, and drawbacks. With the help of SJND sophomore Charlotte Wilson, we delved into the topic of her homeschooled experience as well as what homeschooling is, the benefits, and the disadvantages. From schedule differences to extracurricular activities to grades, my discussion with Charlotte shed light on the intriguing subject that is homeschooling.
