Motivations and Advantages

There are many reasons to homeschool!

Based on a study led by Christine Brabant (2004), families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons. In Quebec, the choice is mainly attributed to a different vision of family life, a critique of the school system, a need to meet a child’s specific needs, as well as wanting to take advantage of innovative learning technologies which challenge traditional education models. 

Factors Involved

The decision to homeschool can be a long and carefully considered process, but it can also happen quickly. Some examples of reason people choose to homeschool:

  • To live a different lifestyle
  • As a solution to specific problems experienced by a child
  •  Having a lack of confidence in the current school system
  •  As a response to a crisis (harassment, suicidal thoughts, etc.), providing physical and/or psychological security to the child. 

The Advantages of Homeschooling

Homeschooling Addresses Certain Shortcomings of the School System.

You can: 

  • Provide personalized education, adapted to the needs and the pace of your child
  • Give your child more independence and responsibility for their own education
  • Use alternative approaches which would not be possible in a class setting with multiple students and a single teacher
  • Have the flexibility to adapt and change the approach as your child grows
  • Be able to adapt your teaching to reflect the changing needs of the workplace
  • Offer an education based on collaboration and an equal and democratic relationship between child and adult;
  • Pass on your moral, religious, or spiritual values to your child
  • Offer an alternative education when your area does not have schools with the specific programs you would prefer
  • Have more educational options in remote areas;
  • Offer an education that is even more alternative than that of alternative schools
  • Reduce transportation time when school is far from home.

Homeschooling Promotes Greater Family Involvement. You Get the Opportunity To: 

  • Become more involved in your child’s education
  • Follow your child’s interests and motivations
  • Offer a flexible schedule, allowing your child to combine learning with other important projects or the parents’ schedules (travel, semi-professional sports programs, intensive music/arts programs, parents’ non-standard work schedule, etc.)   

Homeschooling Enriches the Learning Experience:

  • A one-on-one setting helps children learn faster than in a school setting, allowing more time for enrichment or other activities.

 

With Homeschooling, Children Can Progress in Their Learning, Even After a Negative Experience at School.

  • After living through bullying, anxiety, school phobia, or any other similar negative experience, homeschooling can provide physical, emotional and psychological security.

BRABANT, C. (2004). L’éducation à domicile au Québec : les raisons du choix des parents et les principales caractéristiques sociodémographiques des familles. (Mémoire de maîtrise, Université de Sherbrooke)