These days it is safe to say that homeschooling is more and more commonplace. We are certainly moving away from the days of homeschooling being “strange” or “weird”. There is a growing number of parents in Brooklyn ditching the traditional educational system and seeking homeschooling clubs, co-ops, mentors and online educational groups. Additionally, in Brooklyn, there are many resources dedicated to parents and their homeschooled children of various ages such as Brooklyn Apple Academy or Cottage Class, Brooklyn.
I have had many conversations as a parent about this topic and I have to say the homeschooling families I have met in Brooklyn are like any other traditional educational family. Nothing out of the ordinary. The primary difference to me is the amount of time the homeschooling family puts into their children’s education/curriculum and their reasons for doing so. “I wanted to create an environment where my child would never feel held back if they were advanced or pushed too fast if they needed extra attention” said Michelle R. from Crown Heights (Mom to a three-year-old). Parents are very involved in the direct material their children are learning from and contrary to popular thought, the parent(s) are not always the “teacher” in their children’s lives. What is more, is that many parents feel that the emotional development in the traditional system sometimes can be overlooked. The parents of homeschoolers can zero in on the emotional development of their children and decide how to best support their individual growth.
Personalization is fundamental to academic success. Engaging children holistically is the key to raising success and many Brooklyn parents are opting for a different educational method. There are roughly 7 main approaches to homeschooling such as unschooling, Montessori, classical to name a few. If Brooklyn parents need support as newbies or seasoned vets looking to gain more resources, Meetup and Park Slope Parents provide a community to do so and Brooklyn Queen LEAH provides Brooklyn Christian families homeschooling resources. In true NY spirit, Brooklyn parents are coming together and creating resources and micro-communities for homeschooling families.
How do you know if homeschooling is right for your family? Is it something you have thought about prior to having a child? Perhaps, your child was in a traditional school and you came to realize the environment was not supporting your child’s growth and development. You might be on board with homeschooling your child, but have questions like, how will my child make friends or how will I find a mentor? All of the homeschooling parents I spoke with either made the decision prior to having a child as Michelle R. states, “ I have always known that if I were lucky enough to have a child, I would attempt to homeschool” or parents that quickly realized that their child was not thriving, but rather declining in a traditional educational environment for whatever reason in various grades: academically, socially, emotionally, etc.
Homeschool is not for all families and not all families will love the homeschooling lifestyle. It is important that we give all children the chance to thrive in the best environment for their individual needs.
When it comes to homeschooling children, there is currently no lack of solid options today. Thanks to online programs like Time4Learning, K12 and Calvert Education, etc. guessing and scrambling for the curriculum is not necessary. “I get a lot of resources from Facebook groups where the kids are in just about the same age group as mine,” said Nicole D. from Prospect Height (mom to a 7-year-old). “I felt like my son was slowly becoming uninterested in learning and this was concerning.” Several parents expressed how the world and the environment was their classroom. Real-world and life experience are great teachers in addition to their chosen educational platforms. “My child stays curious now about learning and shows no signs of boredom like before,” says Nicole D. Another tip is to really take a look at your child. What are her interests? What style of a learner is she? Understanding these particulars about your child will assist you in the direction you want to go in.
Some of the homeschooling highlights from parents I spoke to have included: Family bonding changes from homework anxieties and social stresses to flexible start times or spontaneously taking the day off to visit a museum to learn about something new or different. Travel becomes much easier. Instead of cramming vacation in the summer months, you now have the flexibility to take vacations at different times of the year which might be better for some families in terms of the cost (flight tickets) or the time/availability to take off from work. Shared values are not compromised. Parents can educate their children according to their own values and/or religious beliefs. Schools may not foster the emotional/spiritual support you wish your child to have. You decide and set the environment. Lastly, there was an emphasis on safety and freedom from bullying in addition to accommodation for special needs children.
Let’s look at the academic side of homeschoolers. Parents, in general, feel their children are thriving and excelling as a result of homeschooling. I would like to note the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) has stated home-educated students typically score 15 to 30 percent above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. They also achieve better outcomes on the SAT and ACT tests. A lot of the parents I spoke with feel the independence and personalized curriculum has added to the academic success of their children. Often, they are learning through doing and learning through subjects they are interested in learning about.
It was wonderful to talk with homeschooling families of Brooklyn. They want the same thing all parents want for their children: The best possible education and environment. Of course, homeschool is not for all families and not all families will love the homeschooling lifestyle. It is important that we give all children the chance to thrive in the best environment for their individual needs. Today, we have options and homeschooling is no longer for child actors or school-aged Olympic athletes. Life is fluid and sometimes homeschoolers do go to traditional schools at some point and vice versa. Whatever you decide, keep in mind that your decision on how to educate your child is not etched in stone, it’s not final. If it does not work, you can take another route and try something different.
Rachel Rogers
My name is Rachel Rogers and I am a content writer. My ideal articles are those written for parents, kids and just the mamas. I write articles that bring joy and guidance to everyday parents. When I am not writing for parents, I am writing resumes and helping folks land jobs as I am also a professional resume writer. In my downtime I spend time with my husband and our son while enjoying this wonderful city and all its gems. I love talking about food, culture, languages, watching movies that bring happiness and dancing to music with my son. I live my life simply and make peace-of-mind a priority.