Tori Bates

Stacie Weatbrook
English 2010
07/12/2015
Homeschool V.S. Public School
Ray, Brian D. Research Facts on Homeschooling. National Home Education
Research Institute, July, 2006. Web. 12 July, 2015.
In this scholarly journal Brian talks about some reasons for home
educating, like being able to customize the curriculum and learning
environment for the child, and to provide a safer environment than in public
schools. He also talks about the academic performance of homeschooled
students and how they typically have higher test scores and GPAs than
students in public schools. Another thing he touches on is the social,
emotional and psychological development of homeschooled students, where
he says, Homeschool students are regularly engaged in social and
educational activities outside their homes and with people other than their
nuclear-family members. They are commonly involved in activities such as
field trips, scouting, 4-H, political drives, church ministry, sports teams, and
community volunteer work. I think Brian Ray is a credible source because he
has a Ph.D. and the facts in his journal were a lot of the same facts I found on
other sources. His writing fits into my research well because he talks about
all aspects of homeschooling instead of just the statistics side of it.
Jones, Ben. Personal Interview. 6 July, 2015.

Ben Jones is a high school graduate that is going to college to be a

teacher. He has gone to public schools his whole life, but also knows quite a
bit about homeschooling as well. He believes children should be
homeschooled rather than go to a public school. In Bens words, We dont
need the experience of going to a public school in order to be smart, social
individuals. I used Ben as my source, and think he is a credible source,
because he really looks at it from both perspectives. He is also going to
school to be a teacher so he is able to look at homeschooling from a
teachers point of view as well, instead of just a students. He believes that
you dont need public school in order to interact socially with other children,
and homeschooled students actually have a better chance at success. There
are many external factors in a public schooling that can distract the students
from reaching their full potential. Bens points go along with my research
because he told me a lot of the same things that I found out while
researching myself, and I liked getting a perspective from a teacher and
student.
Bentley, Vicki. What Does it Cost to Homeschool? Homeschool Legal
Defense Association, fall 2013. Web. July 12, 2015.
In this article Vicki talks about the cost per year for homeschooling.
She gives some tips on how to save money over the years, and also lists a
couple different curriculums a parent could use depending on how much they
want to spend. She lists any other costs that may be included as well, for

example field trips, testing fees, conventions, home libraries, school supplies,
and any other miscellaneous activities. I think Vicki is a credible source
because she homeschools her own children so she knows firsthand all the
cost that are included. Her article fits into my research because the cost of
homeschooling may be a primary reason why someone cant homeschool
their child so its important to know what they will be getting themselves
into, and like Vicki says, If you are considering home education, you are
very likely a single-income family, and if youre like most of us, your budget
is pretty tight.
Miser, Brad. Why Do People Homeschool? FamilyEducation, 2005. Web. 12
July, 2015.
Brad makes some really good points in this article on some advantages
of homeschooling. These advantages include better teaching materials,
dedicated teachers with a great student-to-teacher ratio, a more consistent
education, and an education that can be tailored for any childs capabilities
and personality. Brad says, The overriding goal of homeschooling is to
educate children. In this, homeschool excels. Brad is a credible source and
his article goes well with my topic because he made some really good points
that I hadnt thought about before, and he helps people understand some
great benefits that homeschooling may have. He really makes it a point that
the child is the main focus and talks about different things parents can do to

make sure the children as individuals learn in a way that works best for
them.
Intellectual Takeout. Education Level of Homeschooling Parents. Home
School Legal Defense Association, 2009. Web. 12 July, 2015.
This article talks about the education level of the parents of
homeschooled children and how their education level affects the students
learning outcome. It says in the article that, The homeschooling parents
formal education level was above average, with most homeschooling
parents having a bachelors degree or higher. It also says students with one
or both parents who have a college degree performed better than students
with parents who had no college degree. With that being said, homeschooled
students whose parents did not have a college degree still performed at the
83rd percentile. I found this to be a credible source because it was based off
of academic achievements and demographics. This information ties in with
my topic well because a lot of people may have concerns with uneducated
parents homeschooling their children and this article can answer some of
those questions for people.