家庭教育替代学校教育

In certain countries, there has been a rise in the number of children being homeschooled, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. And even if the pandemic should end soon, many parents state they will continue homeschooling as it is better than a traditional school. In my view, I think the benefits of this trend outweigh the negatives.

Many in society are currently lamenting the lack of values among the youth. Though adept at technology, children are disrespectful and very worldly because they lack value formation at school and home. But in homeschool, parents can observe and teach their children these values, something that teachers struggle with due to too many students and lack of time. The result may be better-mannered and caring young people, not the rude and apathetic ones we have now.

Next, homeschooling helps strengthen family bonds. This is another big issue in society caused by busyness at work and school. Unfortunately, as children grow up without a meaningful relationship with their parents, this somehow disrupts their relationships at work or with friends. Homeschooling, however, can address this as children can have more time with their siblings and at least one parent, hopefully translating to people who value relationships.

Lastly, this homeschooling trend also benefits students who are still in regular school. If more and more parents opt to homeschool their children, the class sizes in schools will shrink, allowing teachers to better supervise the students. The values formation may still not be the same as homeschooling, but at least there may be a higher chance that students will come out more reformed than when classrooms were packed.

To conclude, a shift toward homeschooling should not be viewed negatively. It simply means that more and more children will be receiving the focus and attention of their parents, something that families and society really need.