| Making the decision to home school is, on the face | | | | different approach. If your child falls into this |
| of it, not an easy one. There are many questions | | | | category, you will be best placed to evaluate your |
| that need to be asked, and answered, before you | | | | child's needs and requirements. |
| can take this very significant step in your child's | | | | 6. Scientific studies indicate that home schooled |
| education. What can influence the decision is an | | | | children can come out ahead in every |
| idea of some of the benefit of home schooling. | | | | measurement. Other factors may affect this of |
| So here are some things to think of. | | | | course, but the indications are that home schooled |
| 1. Your child will get one to one attention with you. | | | | children achieve more academic success than their |
| The issues associated with large class sizes will be | | | | traditionally schooled counterparts. |
| gone forever. | | | | 7. Research also indicates that home schooled |
| 2. Noone knows your child better than you, so | | | | children actually have better social skills than |
| you can tailor the lessons to suit your child. That | | | | traditionally schooled children. This rather flies in |
| will be something that could never happen in a | | | | the face of most people's beliefs. |
| conventional class room. | | | | 8. Although not a statistic that should affect your |
| 3. If your child is someone who is particularly | | | | decision making, every child taken out of the |
| susceptible to peer pressure, then home schooling | | | | state controlled education system actually saves |
| can alleviate the problem. With your child | | | | the tax payer around $9000 per pupil per year. |
| completely under your control, you not only | | | | Whilst it is not a task to be undertaken lightly, |
| dictate the curricular activities, but the friends and | | | | there are compelling reasons for educating your |
| social elements of their day. | | | | child at home. It can be argued of course that the |
| 4. Family life can return to how it should be. No | | | | benefit of home schooling will not be so strong |
| more strangers passing at the breakfast table. | | | | for all children, but equally, there are many who |
| 5. Many children get wrongly labeled with 'learning | | | | could benefit significantly from home tutoring. |
| difficulties' when all that they needed was a | | | | |