As parents we want what is best for our children; the best health, the best neighborhoods, happiness, high self-esteem, and the best education. A good education starts with the type of schooling the child is exposed to and how high the quality is of this schooling. Also taken into account is the preference of the child’s parents. After all, different parents look for different things in their child’s education. Some want socialization or special services while others are looking for small class size and high quality educational materials. Still other parents are most concerned with creative thinking and child-directed learning. Following is a comparison between four main types of schooling; public, private, home and lastly unschooling.

Public Schools There is much criticism about the public school system – its poor quality, low teacher standards, lack of art and music education, etc. But it should be noted that without public education many children would have no exposure to education at all. Public schools were started to ensure equal educational opportunity. Unfortunately between poor financial management and disorganized educational goals, that equal education is pretty pathetic.

With all the cons of public schooling it doesn’t seem to make sense to send your (or any) child there. However, there are some good points to public education and it serves important functions in society. Since the beginning of public schooling, literacy has increased to nearly 95% in the last 150 years. Basic math skills is a proficiency that most people have in America now as well as the ability to write well enough to fill out an employment application and express an opinion to an elected official. Additionally, the work force benefits from public education, not only as a pool of future employees but also as a place to keep kids watched while parents work.

As a parent you can do a lot to increase the effectiveness of your child’s public education. Insist on conferences with teachers. Many teachers now provide students and their parents with an email address. Stay in contact with them this way. Join the PTA and attend as many meetings as possible. Attend school board and city meetings. If you have any concern, talk to your child’s guidance counselor and the principal. Public school takes work, effort and commitment but quality education can be found there.

Private Schools Private schools have long been associated with wealth, privilege and better quality education. Children of high status people go to private school. But is it really better than public school? In many ways, probably. Class size is usually smaller which provides for a lower teacher-student ratio. The educational materials are usually better quality. Students in private schools are often held to higher standards than the pupils in public schools. Of course, when parents are paying big bucks for their kids to go to a school they expect that school to perform. It is important to note that socially speaking private schools don’t seem to be that much different. Kids are just as judgmental and cliquey in private schools.

Homeschooling At one time homeschooling was associated with strictly religious parents who did not want their children corrupted by conventional education or families who lived so far away from any school that homeschooling just makes more sense. More recently, however, homeschoolers are just looking to have more input into their children’s education. Thanks to the Internet, schooling your children at home has never been easier. There are dozens of sites offering material (both for free and for sale) to help homeschool your child.

There is some concern and criticism that kids who are homeschooled don’t get the socialization that other children get from school. This may have been more of an issue in the past but modern homeschoolers make it a priority to ensure that their children take part in sports and other group activities so that socialization can take place.

While homeschooling can be the best type of schooling for some children, it takes a huge commitment from the parents in time, energy, and money. One parent has to stay home and spend a good portion of the day schooling. Although you can find some inexpensive or free homeschooling sources for education supplies, the loss of an income can be daunting for many families.

Unschooling Unschooling is similar to homeschooling in that the child stays home to learn. The difference with unschooling is that there is no set curriculum. Instead the child directs the curriculum according to their personal interests. By allowing the child to direct the path of education, the child is more interested and motivated. The theory is that a child’s natural curiosity will drive them to learn everything they need to know anyway. It is important to note that unschooling is not legal in all states.Choosing the type of schooling that your child receives is an important decision that is based on many different factors including income, personal beliefs, location, and child’s best interest. Hopefully the information in this article will help you make an informed decision.

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