Why Homeschooling WorksOne point of homeschooling that surprises many is the fact that it doesn’t take as long for homeschoolers to complete their daily lessons as it does for students in traditional schools. While most students spend 7-8 hours per day at school as well as time spent doing homework, homeschoolers can often finish their schoolwork in 3-4 hours. Why? The small student to teacher ratio is an obvious reason. The simple acts of handing out papers or giving a verbal quiz takes only seconds or minutes in the homeschool, whereas those same endeavors take much longer in a large group.

But just because the formal lesson finishes, the learning in the homeschool does not. Parents are so involved in their children’s education that they are able to reinforce the learning long after the school books are put away.

Take learning fractions. Parents can reintroduce the topic of fractions while cooking, playing or even doing household chores.  This kind of reinforcement solidifies the learning. In fact, it encourages it by showing how the information useful and why it’s important to the student’s life.

A close friend, and veteran homeschooler, once shared that she spent only 30 minutes of instruction each day with her kindergartener. Then she quickly vocalized this point by saying, “Of course, learning takes place all day long.” Having witnessed her five children over the years, I know this is true. They are bright, inquisitive children who many times pull me aside to show me something they are studying. Even after the school day has finished, they are still learning.

And they are not alone. Many homeschooling families enjoy this kind of enthusiasm for learning. The parent-child relationship (as covered in Part 2 of this series) and the fact that the school and the home are in the same place keep the two intertwined. Reinforcing the learning naturally flows in this setting. It isn’t a forced element; parents are simply involved in the process and look for ways to illustrate the lessons they’ve covered.

This allows children to excel. It stimulates them academically and teaches them the importance and enjoyment of learning. One of the goals of homeschooling is to create lifelong learners. Allowing children to learn throughout their day, and not creating a separation between their school and home, instills in them the value of education. For them, the two are one—they learn at home, they are nurtured at school. Both occur in the same place.

I hope you have enjoyed this series, Why Homeschooling Works, and have learned a bit more about the possibilities of homeschooling your children. If you already homeschool and have more points that I’ve overlooked, please send me a comment. I’m sure there are many more reasons that I have missed, and I’d love to hear from you.

Photo: working on states notebook by jimmiehomeschoolmom