Ten Reasons to Consider Homeschooling Your Pagan Kids
In today’s sometimes frightening world, education remains one of the most discussed and critical aspects of child development, and in this day of pandemics and school shootings, it’s one of the areas where many families are taking a closer look at their options.
It’s true that traditional schooling has long been the norm for most families and homeschooling has primarily been the domain of the more Christian families (and the occasional rebel like myself), but more and more parents of all denominations are now exploring the benefits of homeschooling. And why not? With the ability to tailor a curriculum to each child and the option to add content that centers around your family’s specific beliefs, schooling at home offers many desirable options. Here are several compelling reasons to consider homeschooling your Pagan kids.
1. Personalized Learning Experience
One of the primary advantages of homeschooling is the ability to tailor the curriculum to your child’s unique learning style, interests, and pace. If they struggle with something, you can take the time to get it right before moving on. Likewise, if they breeze through a particular lesson, they are not stuck sitting around, bored, in a classroom waiting for the others to catch up. Traditional classrooms, with their standardized methods, often struggle to meet the individual needs of each student. Homeschooling allows you to focus on your child’s strengths and address their weaknesses, providing a more enriching and effective educational experience.
2. Flexible Schedule
Homeschooling offers unparalleled flexibility when it comes to scheduling. This means you can plan lessons around family vacations, cultural events, field trip opportunities or other important commitments. Unlike traditional schools, which adhere to a strict academic calendar, homeschooling allows learning to happen at any time, making it easier to strike a balance between education and other life experiences. In our home, we opt to homeschool from August 1 through July 31 so that we can take more frequent vacations throughout the school year. In addition, we might include a field trip on a weekend, or start and end later in the day, because it suits our family’s rhythms better. (As teens, our kids often do most of their school work in the evening or even at night, when they feel most alert and prepared to focus.) We know other families who school year-round, but only do lessons a few days each week. With homeschooling, what you do is entirely up to you, provided you fulfill the required number of learning hours specified by your town’s school system.
3. Enhanced Family Bonding
Spending more time together as a family can strengthen relationships and build lasting bonds. Homeschooling offers more opportunities for parents and grandparents to be involved in their children’s day-to-day education, and siblings can also collaborate and support one another academically. This could lead to a more supportive and nurturing home environment. In the photo below, my husband is dissecting owl pellets with my grandson–something my grandson enjoyed doing with his Poppa very much!
4. Safe Learning Environment
One of the concerns that lead many families towards homeschooling is ensuring a safe learning environment. Issues such as bullying, peer pressure, and school violence have become increasingly prevalent in traditional schools. To say that being Pagan is still grossly misunderstood is an understatement and word of your family’s spiritual affiliation getting out could open your child to possible unwanted ramifications. Homeschooling minimizes exposure to these negative influences, providing a secure and positive atmosphere conducive to learning.
5. Focus on Values and Morals
Homeschooling allows parents to incorporate their family’s personal values, beliefs, and morals into their child’s education. This can be particularly important for families who wish to skip specific religious, ethical, or cultural teachings that are often taught in public school, or, conversely, perhaps you want to start or join a secular homeschool group so that the children can be exposed to a broader range of religions. That’s what we opted to do back when I homeschooled our daughters. The choice is entirely yours when you homeschool. By directly influencing your child’s moral and ethical development, you can ensure that they grow up with the principles that matter most to you.
6. Real-World Learning Opportunities
Homeschooling often extends beyond the confines of textbooks and worksheets. Children have the chance to engage in hands-on learning experiences, such as field trips, community service, internships, and travel. See the photo of my grandson taking falconry classes? He’d never have had that opportunity in public school. These types of activities enrich the educational experience and provide practical, real-world insights that are invaluable for personal growth and development.
7. Academic Excellence
Studies have shown that homeschooled students frequently outperform their traditionally schooled peers in various academic assessments. With the ability to customize the curriculum and one-on-one attention, homeschooling can lead to a deeper understanding of subjects and greater academic achievement. Homeschooled students also often have more opportunities to pursue advanced topics and specialized areas of interest.
8. Socialization on Your Terms
A common misconception about homeschooling is that it limits socialization. On the contrary, homeschooling enables children to interact with people of all ages and backgrounds, fostering well-rounded social skills. Parents can create opportunities for their children to join clubs, sports teams, and other social groups, allowing for meaningful social interactions and friendships. You can also opt to do all of your homeschooling in a Co-op with other families. However, it is to be noted that there is undoubtedly more effort on the part of the parents to insure that all of these opportunities come to fruition. Your child will not be able to get this exposure on their own.
9. Development of Independence and Responsibility
As they get older, homeschooled children often develop a strong sense of independence and responsibility by managing their own schedule and taking an active role in their own education. Once they reach the teen years, the kids should be encouraged to aid in the design of their now curriculum, including outside interests and areas that stretch them to higher personal standards where ever possible. These traits are crucial for success in higher education and beyond, helping them to become self-motivated, disciplined, and capable of managing their time effectively.
I’m proud to say that when my middle daughter started college, I was delighted to receive a message from her professor telling me that she was the most-prepared first-year college student he’d ever had the privilege to teach.
10. Cost-Effectiveness
While homeschooling requires a time investment from parents, it can be a cost-effective alternative to public and private schooling. Resources such as curriculums, educational materials, and online courses can be tailored to fit a variety of budgets, providing a high-quality education without the high price tag. There are countless free resources online such as Kahn Academy, Education.com, and Discovery K12. A simple search for free curriculum will provide a treasure trove of resources. Curriculum need not cost your family a dime.
Many families also find relief from the frantic rush to buy school clothes and supplies each autumn as this necessity can be spread throughout the calendar year as needed. And it is important to point out that the kids themselves do not feel pressured to wear the latest styles as most of their homeschooled peers aren’t wearing them either.
In Summary
Homeschooling is a viable and increasingly popular option for educating children in a way that best meets their individual needs and aligns with family values. By providing a personalized, flexible, and safe learning environment, homeschooling can help your child reach their full potential academically, socially, and personally. While it may not be the right choice for every family, it’s worth considering as an alternative to traditional education.
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