Should you homeschool your dyslexic child? by Catherine Attia

Should you homeschool your dyslexic child?

For many, homeschooling is basically a day at home. You could be doing homework during the day and watching TV during lunch. Whether it is doing school work during the week or weekend, homeschooling gives you opportunities that you don’t have in public school. It is time to spend with your family, get your school year done earlier, and take some more educational trips. It is integral that homeschooling continues to be a part of our country and society. Many others may argue that home schoolers are cut off from kids their age, but these are some of the things that can be easily solved. Homeschooling should be a the ideal way to educate children because it offers various types of freedom to the students, such as religious freedom, because students do better on standardized tests and in academics, and because it makes students have more self-confidence, and they feel better about themselves.

One reason that students should be home schooled is because of it creates more freedom, such as educational, religious, and emotional freedom. As stated in the article, “The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling” for educational freedom, “Most home schooled students have the choice to study and learn what they want, when they want, for as long as they want,”(1). Educational freedom means that you get to learn what you want, when you want, and for as long as you want. This is good because if the student excels in adding and subtracting fractions, then they could move on and finish their school day earlier than other kids. Also, “Homeschooling provides the opportunity for parents to incorporate their beliefs into their daily lives” (The Pro and Con of Homeschooling; 1). This evidence demonstrates my reason because being able to teach your children about your faith and beliefs. Many parents do home school for religious purposes. For example, children and students that I watch on You Tube are home schooled due to religious purposes. Finally related to the topic of emotional freedom, The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling for Educational Freedom stated “According to studies, self-esteem, plummets in middle school girls. However similar studies of home schooled girls have shown that self-esteem remains intact and that these girls to continue to thrive.” To summarize what the quote said the self-esteem kids or girls have in middle school drop for reasons but, if they are home schooled then self-esteem increases, and they continue to thrive. This evidence supports my claim because students who get bullied often feel so depressed, they don’t want to continue to try to succeed and they feel worthless. The opposite is true for home schooled children. Since they are not bullied and they continue to want to succeed. Which leads me to my next point.

Another reasons student should be home schooled is because of better test scores and in academics. As stated in Seattle Times, “Among the positives are better test scores, fewer dropouts, and higher graduation rates,” (1). This proves my reason because students are have better in test scores and standardized tests such as NJASK. They are succeeding in academics further than students in public or private school. In the East Brunswick school district, I have learned that in order for you to make into and honor class, for example Verbal Gate, you must do well on the NJASK. Home schooled children may have a greater chance to be a part of honors class. This proves my argument because the better students do in academics the more parents would want to home school their child. Also, “According to one study children who were home schooled achieved an average 1100 out of a possible 1600 on the SAT, a popular college entrance exam.” (Facts on File Issues/controversies Homeschooling pg. 2) Just to recap home schooled children get an 1100 out of a possible 1600 on the SAT. The SAT is an exam that most students take in the 11th grade. This test is what colleges look at in order to see if you are good enough for their school. This is good because students that are home schooled have a greater shot to attend schools such ivy leagues. One example of an Ivy League school is Harvard. Many people have said that if you attend a good college then you will get a good career in which will lead to a good life.

The final reason I think students should be educated at home is because they are able to receive more sleep. As stated in the Washington Post “A new study of a few thousand students found that home-schoolers get more sleep than students at traditional public and private schools.” (1) This is very good because of appearance and health matters. In appearance, many students including myself have dark circles under my eyes due to lack of sleep. Not as many home schooled children have this because they are able to gain more sleep. This is bad on health related matters because if students do not get enough sleep then they won’t function properly and they won’t do as good in school. Also “55 percent of teens who were home schooled got the optimal amount of sleep per week. 24.5 percent of students at traditional public and private schools got the optimal amount of sleep per week.” (Washington Post pg. 2) This is very good because if more than half of the home schooled teenagers get the recommended 45 hours of sleep per week then I may ask my parents to switch me to homeschooling.

The less researched side may say that homeschooling is bad because it can cut children off from kids their age, but I argue that this statement is wrong. According to Homeschooling companion.com “One of the more serious negative effects of homeschooling is that children can miss out on the opportunity to interact with other children. This can stunt their development socially as they do not learn how to communicate or behave in group settings. This is obviously a vital skill in living and working as an adult,” (1) This statement can be true but there are other solutions of interaction such as, team sports. Another con of homeschooling is the child can miss experiences, like for example field trips. This situation can also easily be solved if the parent is committed to homeschooling their child. They can also then take them to the museum.

Clearly, these are debatable reasons. But when you look at the facts it is obvious that one view makes much more sense than the other. It is essential that parents consider to home school their child because they offer various types of freedom to the students, because students do better in standardized test and in academics, and because they make students have more self-confidence. Sure many others may argue that it is a waste of money or that it takes too much time, but they are wrong because from what I’be explained to be. Sure homeschooling may not right for every child but it might be right for you. You could be the one to home school your future or current children.

I am very excited for you to read and learn from this article. I would like you to get to know me. First I am only in middle school, 7th grade to be exact. Also the reason I was offered an opportunity to present my essay on the blog of the American Dyslexia Association was because of my Language Arts teacher. She wanted us to send our essays out to people so they can learn about our topics. My topic included “Should dyslexic students be homeschooled.” My classmates and I all thought nobody would listen to us because we are just 7th graders. But when I received a reply from the Executive Director of ADA, I was astonished. So thank you so much to my Language Arts teacher for helping me write the essay and ADA for giving me the opportunity to write this blog article and to inform you about the pros of homeschooling a dyslexic child.

By Catherine Attia, 7th grade, middle school

Category: Dyslexia, News