Homeschooling Places Students Ahead Of The Class In L.A.
Motivated by mounting concerns about the environment of traditional classroom structures and a desire to provide moral instruction, a growing number of devoted parents are choosing to educate their formative children at home. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 1.7 million students are homeschooled, representing 3.4 percent of the nation's school-age population.
"We started our children in a formal setting, however, they were becoming excessively bored. And the teasing they encountered for being so smart made them extremely unhappy," said Ursula Lucia, a Los Angeles-based software engineer, who has dedicated eight years to home education. "Homeschooling allowed my husband and me to nurture our children's scholastic and sentimental strengths and weaknesses, help them reach their full academic potential and assure a safe haven emotionally."
How did your children prosper from homeschooling?
"Our daughter and son were able to learn at their own pace. If they were struggling with certain concepts, they were allowed to spend extra time to master the subject area. They were able to learn, instead of going to school and doing rote work."
What defines a successful home educator?
"The primary attributes parents must have are time, energy and patience, especially in the upper grades. Parents must keep one step ahead of their children, by being able to answer correctly the multitude of questions children ask."
What has been your greatest achievement?
"While most other kids their ages are just thinking about starting to apply to colleges, our teens will have already earned their bachelor's degrees and attained higher education opportunities."
What is the best way to prepare for home education?
"One must have the financial resources to devote to this alternative. Reading and researching about the benefits and drawbacks to homeschooling is paramount."
What is your message to aspiring home educators?
"I encourage them to have an open mind and see what works best for the child. I feel traditional schools try to fit square pegs into round holes, which is not the optimal setting for all kids to reach their potential. Homeschooling is a challenge, but a very satisfying one, nonetheless.
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.
