Education Perspective : Homeschool – The World as a Classroom
By Brianna Carter , @ mamaknowsnada
Homeschooling is on the rise . Florida has seen a steady increase of registered home education students since 2015 . Last school year alone ( 2020-2021 ) boasted the greatest increase to the homeschool community , with more than 37,000 children partaking in home education . Today , the total homeschool students in Florida is over 140,000 — a 35 % increase over the prior year .*
Why is it increasing in popularity ?
Why teach at home ?
Parents have personal reasons for choosing to pull their children from conventional education . Some cite bullying , insufficient resources and safety concerns as factors , while others believe there is a lack of flexible curriculum to meet children ’ s educational needs and learning styles as a deciding factor . Access to more faith-based instruction is another reason parents refrain from enrolling their children in public education . Yet , curating lessons is not for the faint of heart . Though it comes with great flexibility , it also is a huge responsibility .
Homeschooling can be expensive and time consuming . “ The only disadvantage is that it can be a lot of work , time , and sometimes money , to fully provide for all those needs ,” says one parent who asked for anonymity .
Parents acknowledge structuring coursework for multiple children and dual roles as both parent and teacher can be tiresome . Additionally , there is no reimbursement for home education or tax incentives .
“ The disadvantage is that I am their everything and sometimes I just want to be mom ,” admits the same anonymous mom .
Enticed by a global classroom
Though homeschooling has some headaches , many parents say the expanded academic capacity and fluid curriculum outweigh any obstacle . Tailored education plans allow for a deeper investigation into topics of interest . Children can spend more time on areas that they enjoy and study more extensively . And , for many families , there ’ s travel .
“ Every day is a lesson in itself . Curriculum is a broad term , even though most people associate curriculum with books . Your day-to-day living is a curriculum ,” says Jennifer Thomas , a mom of two has been homeschooling for four years , visiting 18 states . Her focus is on learning through experiences .
Recalling a specific adventure with her son , Thomas describes mining gold in Colorado in the cold of January , bundled in coats with headlamps to navigate the surrounding terrain . While her son was curiously inquiring about the miners ’ lives and work , she observed him taking initiative , exploring fearlessly , and then glowing like gold when he discovered gleaming metal in the beam of his flashlight .
“ That is something a book can never give you ,” Thomas muses . “ Yes , you can learn things from a book , but to actually experience [ it ], that is a core memory . You are in that moment imagining , feeling emotions , creating your own opinions . That ’ s something someone can ’ t take away from you , it ’ s knowledge .”
Patricia Linde , now in her seventh year of homeschooling ,
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