Because of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, schools were closed down and both the parents and the schools were forced to resort to either home schooling or online classes. Although this practice was already established even before the pandemic, this has become a controversial topic amongst the people in the school community.
What is Home schooling?
Before we get started, let’s reiterate what both home schooling and online classes are. Let’s talk about home schooling first.
“The modern home school movement began in the 1970s when John Holt, an educational theorist and supporter of school reform, began arguing that formal schools’ focus on rote learning created an oppressive classroom environment designed to make children compliant employees.”
– (source: responsiblehome schooling.org)
Ever since then, a lot of parents have been using this practice with their children with many various reasons. Many have been home schooling their children in order to avoid any concerns within their school community. There are also those who are dissatisfied with the learning process some schools have. To briefly explain what home schooling is: It is a kind of education that, unlike normal schools, you do at home. Oftentimes, parents are the ones who teach their children. But there are some who hire tutors. And there are those who buy textbooks/workbooks from certain stores and have their children learn at their own pace.
Opinions on Home schooling
People have been having debates on whether home schooling is beneficial for their children or not. I’m not going to lie; I myself also have opinions on the benefits of home schooling. Let’s look at the pros and cons that were derived from different people’s opinions.
Pros
- Kids don’t get bullied
Those who have experienced home schooling in their younger days stated that the socialization in it was different from regular schooling. For one, there was nobody to pick on you like how people get picked on in schools. Sometimes, there’s also that peer pressure you experience when getting compared. Socialization is different when it comes to home schooling because it gives your kids time and a chance to explore different hobbies. Many have stated that kids just don’t get the sufficient amount of time they need to explore their hobbies in school.
2. Learning at their own pace.
Children are given the chance to learn more about the things they want to learn because of the flexibility they have in home school. Children are also given the benefit of learning their subjects at their own pace. When a child is having a hard time understanding a topic, they can talk to their tutor/parent about it and have them explain what they don’t understand clearly. In home schooling, kids can get that chance to learn about advanced topics and possibly even expand their knowledge.
3. Saves money.
Parents also state that you can spend less when it comes to home schooling their children. They’d spend less just to buy their uniforms, and miscellaneous fees. Parents can also take their children out for an outing and do other activities for their home school curriculum.
Cons
- Decreased social interaction with other people.
People have shared their experiences in socialization in home school. Unfortunately, due to the small interactions that home schooled children have, they also have a smaller circle of friends. One described that they witnessed the people who were home schooled as children to be full of uncertainty. It could be that because of the lack of their social skills, they grew up to be anxious of making friends and how to talk to people they don’t know.
2. Reduced income.
If the parent cannot afford a tutor to home school their children, they’d have to do it themselves. That would mean making a lot of spare time in order to educate their child properly, and having less time to work. That would mean having a reduced amount of income. The education in home schooling can also be different in a negative way. If the parent can’t get the required materials for their children to learn, then the child would have insufficient learning.
3. Parent’s ability to teach the children.
Oftentimes, regular schooling offers things that you can’t offer to your children in home schooling. You’d need to have been educated properly so that you would be able to give your children the sufficient amount of learning they would need in order to grow up with good jobs.
Spending money in home school may be less than what you would normally spend in regular schooling. As stated in the previous con of home schooling, if you were the one to teach your children, you would need to devote almost all your time in teaching them instead of having to work. If your income is reduced, you would have to be more conscious of spending your money in both your household needs and your educational needs.
What are Online Classes?
Again, before we move on to the opinions and facts about online classes, let’s talk about what it is first.
“An online class is a course conducted over the Internet. They are generally conducted through a learning management system, in which students can view their course syllabus and academic progress, as well as communicate with fellow students and their course instructor.”
– (source: tophat.com)
Typically, in an online class, the student is provided with either video recordings or live lectures done by the teachers themselves. The student is then provided with time to complete the assignments given to them by the teacher. In some instances, online schools let the students do their assignments at their own pace so as not to pressure the student in adapting quickly to the new environment of online schooling. Some may be used to the idea of it, but to those who had no other choice but to participate in this, aren’t too used to the practice of it.
Opinions on Online Classes
There are a lot of people who don’t know what to think when the topic of online schooling comes up because some have never considered the idea of it until now. They turn to the different opinions of different people who have either experienced it or considered it so they would know if it really is a good thing for their children. So I’m here to help you with gaining insight on the opinions of different people on online classes with their pros and cons.
Pros
- Flexibility.
First on the list is flexibility. Online schooling gives the students increased flexibility in doing their school work. Most schools give their students the benefit of doing their work at their own pace. With that, students often have more time to spend with their family or with themselves. They’re given the chance of focusing not only on school, but also on their other hobbies. Students can also complete their school works anytime, and anywhere. Some have said that online education helps them from having their work hindered by assignments because of the pace online education gives them.
2. Potentially saving yup more money.
Another pro of online classes is potentially saving up more money. Most of the time, students have to spend their money on transportation, cafeteria food, and additional school fees. In online classes, students don’t have to commute to their school and spend money on school fees. They can stay at home and not have to worry about spending money on things for school. Some online schooling sites just need to have the student pay for an annual fee, and that would be it.
3. Ease of Access.
In online classes, you don’t have to worry about getting to school on time. In other words, there is an ease of access when it comes to online classes. All you need to participate in online classes is to have a laptop or any mobile with stable internet connection. Most of the time, the study materials you’ll need for completing school tasks will be provided to you through the web, especially since there’s a pandemic on-going.
Cons
- Lack of peer interaction.
Up first on the list of cons is lack of peer interaction. And with the on-going pandemic, we wouldn’t really be able to go out and interact with anyone. Online schooling may give you the chance to see your classmates through video calls, but that’s it. You wouldn’t really be able to interact with them as you would usually do. The problem with online schooling and the on-going pandemic is it limits you from having any normal interactions with your peers.
2. Fewer subjects.
You would also have fewer subjects in online classes. Some schools have decided not to offer certain subjects to students because of the complications of studying it. One example is Physical Education. Physical Education is normally a subject where you’d be learning about how to do a sport and practicing it. Another example is Home Economics; you’d be able to study about its essentials, but you wouldn’t be able to practice doing it without a proper and physical explanation of it.
3. Affordability.
Another con of it would be its affordability. Some students are able to go to school with scholarships instead of paying for the school’s tuition fee. It’s mostly because there are those who aren’t able to afford paying school fees. It’s also not guaranteed that everyone has a mobile or a stable internet connection. Some schools barely reduced their fees which made it harder for parents and students alike to continue attending certain schools.
Which is better? Home schooling or Online Classes?
There are a lot of topics about having to decide on which is better for your kids. However, I won’t be the one to tell you what you should do. It’s your choice to decide how you’re going to help your child get educated properly. Both home schooling and online classes both have their ups and downs. Ultimately, this only serves as a guide for you to know what to do. The final decision will be up to both you and your child alone.
If you already have plans to either home school your child or enroll them in online classes – you’d need the right tools to properly execute your plan. First, you’d need a reliable internet connection. Check with your local service providers like PLDT or Converge. You would also need a laptop or a desktop computer. Check out iRentmo’s Facebook page for amazing rent to own offers. Good luck!
