How bad is home schooling?

Answer 1

Homeschooling is as good or as bad as the parent makes it.

I homeschool my kids. They are advanced in all of their subjects, go on tons of field trips, and are in great physical condition. They have no problems with self confidence. They are also in groups outside of the home, so they still have friends and opportunities to socialize. I have looked into it, and their chances of getting into a college or university is every bit as high as kids with equivalent grades in a regular school.

In some rare cases, I have seen parents that I did not feel should be homeschooling. They were not patient with their kids, they were not organized, they did not require their kids to work, and they did not get them out of the house. These situations are doomed to failure. These children are usually eventually returned to a formal education system, or drop out.

Overall however, the majority of home school programs I have witnessed have been administered by parents that have taken great care in making sure their child succeeds. When properly handled, home schooling can greatly enrich a child's education.