Homeschoo History - The History of Home School

By Candace Wrighting in Education on March 28th, 2008

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by Kayley Kenzie

Home education, or homeschooling, is the teaching method instituted in the family home instead of a public, private or charter school. Initially, before there was any kind of public education, all schooling was done in the home.

Occasionally there were also small community centers for learning. Homeschool history is varied and rich, since it was the first tool of instruction.

It was usually the advantaged children who received any sort of education or had private tutors. Most of them came from rich families.

Way back when, being taught at home in an informal setting was the only way to get an education. Parents were usually the educators, but sometimes local teachers would help.

It is widely known that before we had public education, the United States experienced its peak literacy rate. It’s important to remember this point in homeschool history.

During the 1800s, there were many important changes to the way education and schooling was carried out. One of the main changes was the introduction of mandatory school attendance laws. According to the government, it is a human right that children receive a public education.

Throughout the years, there has been a lot of debate over the success of public education. Some people have even been known to say that the current school system is harming younger children, especially males because they mature slower.

There have even been studies conducted to observe the effects the education system has on children between eight and twelve years of age.

The findings of this research showed that formal schooling was both mentally and physically damaging to children. At times, the negative environment produced behavior problems.

According to the tests conducted in the 1970s for these studies, illiterate tribal mothers did a better job raising their children to be more socially and emotionally advanced than people educating children in the West.

Some think that the difference was due to the bond between parents and children. Obviously, the bond isn’t strengthened by formal education.

Homeschool history shows a positive trend, and parents follow it by choosing a variety of curricula and teaching methods for their children. Although schooling can be done in a secure home environment, it’s usually mandatory for children to complete required tests.

Most parents who decide to homeschool their children do it because they want their children to have the best education possible.

About the Author:

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