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|Content and Development |Points Earned | |17 Points |17/17 | | |Additional Comments: | |All key elements of the assignment are covered in a substantive| | |way. | |The paper is focused on one of the required topics. | | |The paper is a minimum of 1,050–1,400 words in length. | | |The content is comprehensive and accurate and compares and/or | | |contrasts at least two subjects. | |The paper develops a central theme or idea directed toward the | | |appropriate audience. | | |The paper remains focused on the key points and uses supporting| | |information to support those points. | |Paragraphs contain topic sentences, supporting details that | | |focus on a single idea, and a concluding sentence. | | |Major points are stated clearly; are supported by specific | | |details, examples, or analysis; and are organized logically. | |The introduction provides sufficient background on the topic | | |and previews major points. | | |The conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, | | |and reviews the major points. | | | | |Readability and Style |Points Earned | |4 Points |4/4 | | |Additional Comments: | |Paragraph transitions are present, logical, and maintain the | | |flow throughout the paper. | | |The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment. | | |Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. | | |Sentences are well constructed, strong, and varied. | | |Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of | | |thought. | | | | |Mechanics |Points Earned | |4 Points |3. 5/4 | | |Additional Comments: | |Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. | |Spelling is correct. | | | | | |Total |Points Earned | |25 Points |24. 5/25 | |Overall Comments: Melody, I made more recommendations for you, because I know you actually read my suggestions and follow them, | |which is great! (Not everyone does. You’ve written a persuasive argument, although nothing could convince me to homeschool my | |kids. : ) I’m always happy to see them get off the bus, but I seem to need that time away from them to work. I teach them all I | |can when I’m with them, but I’m grateful to their teachers, who have all been good. (It’s a good school. ) Back to your paper, | |though! You have worked hard, and I’m proud of your final draft. I hope you are, too. For future courses, try avoiding the use of | |”you,” which some instructors will not like. Be careful with then and than. And keep reading and learning! You’ve got a lot of | |potential! | Could home education be the better option? Homeschool VS Public School
The advantages of homeschooling are prolific; through the benefits of individual focused attention and by reducing negative risks from within public education, homeschooler’s can grow with more personal satisfaction and self-sustenance into adulthood. You may want to home school your child to teach them positive character development, integrity, and to work on their individual strengths. You may not want to send them to public schools due to the risks that are often reported about school shootings, abuse, and drug related events. My report will look at the effects of homeschooling on adults and assess its effectiveness on their development. It is important to find out whether or not homeschooled adults can be stronger socially, mentally, and emotionally as opposed to their public school counterparts. There are many negative statistics that are incurred within the public school system.
The Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base reports that nearly 30% of teens are offered drugs in middle school and high school (FamilyFirstAid/peer pressure). A study of Indiana and Marion County students found that the statistics are higher in all categories of drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and binge drinking for our inner city children. Sixth graders in Marion County had a monthly alcohol use rate at 9% in comparison to Indiana at 5. 3%. The Indiana eighth graders monthly alcohol use rates are at 16. 7%, and 20. 9% for Marion County; by the time they have reached the twelfth grade they are up to 41. 2% for Marion County students, while Indiana is at 37. 8%. Almost one-third of Marion County twelfth graders have used marijuana in the past month.
Nancy Beals, the prevention project coordinator for Drug Free Marion County said, “The earlier our young people begin drinking and using illicit drugs, the more likely they are to become dependent or addicted to these substances as adults. These substances also can affect ongoing brain development and academic performance in pre-teens and teens. ” The study also cited information from “Cannabis Use and Later Life Outcomes. ” which stated that young people who initiate marijuana use by age 13 usually do not go to college, and they are more likely to drop out of high school than their non-marijuana smoking peers (drugfreemc. org). By the end of this study the research will show that one approach will clearly put our children in a better position to succeed.
Indeed, homeschooling is more economical than the state’s bill for public education. For example, from 1993 to 1994 the average amount spent by state schools was $5,325 per student. As opposed to each homeschooler’s education, one year is a median amount of $450, and a mean amount of $575 (nheri. org/vmchk/bibliography). In spite of this, some people may believe that public school is the best economic route; but in fact, a recent news report spoke with a father and mother of two children in Indiana’s Noblesville School District. They had received a bill of book fees for more than $500 and over 60% of the bill was stated to be “consumables”. Consumables are goods that cannot be used over again for next year’s students.
The Noblesville school district said that in 2008 their book budget was reduced by 40% because of forced cut backs (fox59/news/wxin-outrageous-book-fees). The presence of this excessive billing is preposterous considering the fact that we already pay for education through our tax dollars. I believe that the biggest benefit to public education is the extra circular programs, along with the lowered out-of-pocket expense. However, if the cut backs on education continue, than it will only dig deeper into your pocket and there won’t be much of a cost difference left from homeschool to public education. Giving individual focused attention helps your child better than public schools that are filled with certified teachers.
Some people believe that parents who are not certified are not qualified to teach their children. In fact, scores from homeschooled achievement tests showed that those parents who weren’t certified, their children scored one percent higher than those who had certified parents (Ray Study, Figure 2). Also, homeschooling can be done anywhere that enhances your child’s learning capabilities. The one-on-one teaching can cultivate individual creativity, critical thinking, and originality. It is important to realize that homeschooled children’s retention and learning rates are greatly increased due to the individual attention, which means that you can spend less time teaching something over and over again.
In comparison, public schooled children are sent through rigorous hours of school, then they are sent home with more work, followed by tests that tell whether they pass or fail. I heard many adults tell me as a child that they could not remember anything from school, maybe this is because the method that public schools use to teach has been proven to not hold long term retention, but it does allow for very short term retention (finehomeschooling. com). If homeschooling parents dedicate their time to teaching their children everything that is important to learn than it can be easier to teach them merely because of the individual attention to the child’s strengths and weaknesses. The most compelling evidence is that homeschoolers achieve higher test scores and levels of education.
Even government regulations on homeschools core curriculum did not affect the national percentile more than 1% (Ray Study, Figure 3). Dr. Paul Jones and Dr. Gene Gloeckner wrote a study that stated “Although not statistically significant, the average first-year GPAs, credits earned in the first year, ACT Composite test scores, and ACT English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science and Reasoning subtests for home school graduates were all higher than traditional high school graduates” (inpathways. net/homeschool-study). It seems that homeschoolers have proven that they can exceed the traditional high school graduates in all tests. The home educated adults surveyed in Dr. Brian D.
Ray’s study, achieved higher levels of college education on every measured level; Associates, Bachelors, graduate, and professional degrees (hslda, socialization). So homeschoolers not only do better during their pre-college years than public school attendees, but they also achieve more in furthering their education. A report from Canadian homeschoolers shows that they are happier and more socialized than their comparable population. A comprehensive study conducted in Canada in 1994, “Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults”, surveyed the parents of home schooled students. It found that 69% of home educated Canadians, from ages 15-34 participated in organized activities at least once a week and only 48% of the comparable population did the same. That is a 21% difference.
Surprisingly enough, 11% of Canadians rely on welfare while there were no cases of any homeschoolers relying on welfare as a primary income. The homeschooled Canadians are also happier, 23. 5% more stated that they were very happy and 96% believed that homeschooling had prepared them well for life (Washington Times). This is proof that homeschooled children can grow up to be more socially involved and self-sufficient adults than the comparable population. The statistics for American homeschooler’s is parallel in nature with the Canadian research. In Dr. Brian D. Rays study, “Homeschooling Grows Up”, he asked “Taken all together, how would you say you are these days? ” 58. % of homeschoolers stated that they were very happy, 39. 1% said they were pretty happy, and only 2% stated that they were not too happy. While only 27. 6% of general Americans could state that they were very happy, 63% stated that they were pretty happy, and 9. 4% stated they were not too happy (hslda/socialization, figure 8). In conjunction with this, when homeschoolers were asked “On the whole, how satisfied are you with the work you do? “. 21. 7% more (than the general United States public) stated that they were “very satisfied” (hslda/socialization, Figure 10). Homeschooler’s have also proven to be much more involved in political parties, public meetings, and voting.
They also believe more in hard work than luck in being able to get ahead than the general United States public (hslda/socialization, Figure 12). These statistics cannot be denied. Homeschoolers are much happier and more satisfied than most Americans. While you may not be able to avoid state taxes on education or paying for home schooling materials, you can avoid the lifelong costs that public education can bring to the table. The gift of a better education through your love and attention is what children need the most of to grow up and be strong, successful adults. Everyone is not in a position where they are able to homeschool their children, but I believe that if there is a will, there is a way.
Parents have an obligation to give their children the best. You only have 18 years of your child living under your roof, hopefully, and we all need to make the best of that time. Why give your child’s most crucial and developmental times to people that do not care for your child the same as you? You are your child’s most influential figure. It is possible to teach your children everything that he or she needs to know to graduate high school and go onto college. If you have the confidence in yourself, and help there for when you both need it, you and your child can achieve your dreams. The research clearly shows that homeschooling is the better option.
Homeschooler’s are happier, more socially active, acquire better test scores, and more homeschooler’s seek furthered education than their non-homeschooled counterparts; how can we not utilize this better option for our children’s future? http://www. familyfirstaid. org/peer-pressure. html http://www. drugfreemc. org/LinkClick. aspx? fileticket=KcCqgfgrQ4Y%3d=36 http://www. nheri. org/vmchk/Bibliography/Home-Schooling-on-the-Threshold-PDF/Detailed-product-flyer. html (page 7) http://www. fox59. com/news/wxin-outrageous-book-fees-fire-up-local-parents-20111013,0,7655058. column http://www. hslda. org/docs/study/ray2009/2009_Ray_StudyFINAL. pdf