Pros and Cons of Different Types of Schooling

Pros of Home Schooling
1. The child learns time-management, self-motivation and independence
2. The environmental influences on the child are very controlled: a. The parent can control how many times people try to emotionally beat down the child, staying away from those people, if necessary, and allowing the child to become an emotionally strong individual. b. The added strength that a child gains from this controlled time allows the student to form his or her own opinions without being shot down by other damaging forces. c. The parent chooses who the child plays with and who influences the child. He or she can play with healthy, imaginative kids, instead of being forced to sit in a classroom with kids who may not want to learn at all.
3. Freedom to learn, freedom, freedom, freedom!
4. Elimination of traveling time to and from school allow for a more relaxed atmosphere.
5. No wasted time in study halls
6. No unnecessary rules, yelling teachers or silly restrictions.

Cons of Home schooling
1. Limited outside influence. Exposure to "bad" opinions and influences is sometimes necessary for the learning process, and totally eliminating those influences may harm a rounded and informed perception of the surrounding world.
2. People who know little about home schooling constantly criticize those who do.
3. Home schooling is more and more being viewed as a religious choice. I have had to continuously explain that I do not home school for religious purposes.

Private School - The Pros
1. Good private schools hire great teachers.
2. Many private schools are selective in the types of students they admit, weeding out bad elements and building a student body of enthusiastic learners.
3. Kids have a certain academic level they must meet before being admitted.
4. Excellent grounds, facilities and many times great food.
5. Colleges may choose a student based upon academic performance AND the previous school's reputation.
6. Private schools can be a status indicator.

Private School - The Cons
1. Cost can be enormous
2. The parent often has to provide transportation
3. There isn't anyone to complain to. The headmaster/headmistress and the Board of Trustees are often the highest officials you may complain to. The state government has very little to do with the regulation of private schools.
4. Private schools are not required to hire teachers with any particular level of skill. You must constantly monitor who is teaching your child.
5. Often, husband and wife teams are hired at the same institution. If you have a problem with either the husband or the wife, the administration may have their hands tied in solving the problem because they can't fire one or the other. This may also be a problem in the Public School System.
6. The private school most likely writes its own curriculum. This can be very beneficial in many instances.
7. Sometimes the children whose parents have the most money are often allowed to act any way they want and make ridiculous demands which may affect your child.

Public School - The Pros
1. Transportation is provided
2. Great programs such as band and chorus
3. After school programs
4. In many states, teachers must be certified, providing a level of proficiency.
5. There is always a higher official to complain to and state and federal laws may be utilized if officials are not responsive.
6. Sometimes public schools are better funded than private schools, and therefore may have more resources to offer.

Public School - The Cons
1. The bus is often not the greatest environment.
2. Even good administrators have their hands tied, unless they want to risk their career status and stand up for what they really believe.
3. There is too much emphasis on state testing.
4. There is a lack of freedom, and individualism. Innovative thinking is often squashed.
5. Classrooms are often filled to capacity, therefore gifted kids sometimes get lost.
6. There is no "level" of student quality. You get all kinds of kids from all kinds of families. As a parent, you have no choice who your kid must sit next to during classes or who they will be partners with in gym class.
7. Too many kids are not excited about learning.
8. It's a prevalent theme in our school system that anyone who gets A's is a loser. I've seen many A students hide the fact that they do well so they won't get "the business" from other kids.
9. Kids are not thinking about careers after school ends.
10. Rudeness is a main theme.
11. Drugs and alcohol may be factors in the social experience, as in any school environment.