Homeschool or Traditional?

By Maya Moore | News, Copy Editor

Many families are choosing to homeschool their children from a young age. Other students, having attended traditional schools their entire lives, choose to switch to homeschool or online school.
One student, Scarlett Do, has been homeschooled her whole life. She described a typical day of homeschool.
“I’m the oldest of four girls, so we start with a group-learning project that we all can participate in,” Do said. “Later, I’ll work on my math book, watch a recorded online class, work on essays, listen to school-related audiobooks, and do chemistry with my mom and little sister, which generally involves fun experiments.”
Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior Max Redcorn, along with each of his siblings, was homeschooled until around middle school, when he began attending St. Thomas Aquinas. He explained how he was able to develop specific skills through being taught by his mother.
“She wanted us to be able to read really well,” Max Redcorn said. “Like, we all have reading levels that are above our age … I was reading the books we read in middle school when I was, like, 6. And then, now, I can read whatever I want.”
Max Redcorn’s mom, Leslie Redcorn, homeschools her kids and later sends them to traditional school due to the benefits she believes each has.
“The best thing about homeschooling is the ability to teach my children not only in their academics but also their character,” Leslie Redcorn said. “The best part of traditional schooling is the socialization that children are able to gain.”
KMC senior Carlos Samour was homeschooled until his sophomore year of high school, when he switched to KMC. He described the habit of self-discipline he developed during his years of homeschool.
“You have to have more self-discipline,” Samour said. “You have to get yourself to do these things. You can’t procrastinate as much because there’s not a bunch of people telling you to do these things. So, it really helps yourself. It’s very good to start at a young age just to be able to do that yourself.”
Redcorn liked the individualized learning and flexibility that homeschool provides for students, as opposed to having to follow a certain pace in the group setting of a traditional classroom.
“You take whatever time you need,” Redcorn said. “So if something really does take you a week to learn, you really are on that for a week. But then other things that are quicker, you can just go through.”
Do also appreciates the individualization of homeschool, and her mom supports her in choosing courses based on how she learns best.
“Nowadays, if there is a particular class or curriculum I have a hard time with, she always makes sure to find alternatives or courses that better suit my style of learning, even if it’s in the middle of the school year,” Do said.
Not only does the education itself differ between homeschool and traditional schooling, but there are certain benefits in the social aspects of homeschool.
“I’m also heavily introverted, and homeschooling makes it easier to stay out of gossip and drama,” Do said. “I have more choice over which of my peers I spend time with, so it’s easier to make good friends and stay away from bad influences. Peer pressure is reduced, and I’ve encountered less bullying than most of my peers who go to traditional school.”
Some may question whether a homeschooled student receives proper socialization, not necessarily interacting with peers each day, which homeschooled student Sarah Shidler has faced challenges with.
“… it takes more work,” Shidler said. “When you’re homeschooled, socialization doesn’t just happen. You have to look, find events and groups to be a part of.”
Although a student must take the time to seek them out, Wichita does provide many opportunities for homeschooled students to connect.
“The homeschooling community in Wichita is massive, and there are plenty of opportunities,” Do said. “Because homeschooling activities are not generally divided by grade, I have friends of all ages, not just my peers.”
Even with the presence and size of this community, Samour made the decision to attend KMC, mainly for social and extracurricular aspects.
“The reason I decided to switch was I just thought I just needed to change,” Samour said. “I had been at home for quite a while, and I was ready to do more competitive sports and I was ready to be with people my age … Right now, I would say definitely, I’m glad I’m here at Kapaun.”
The choice between homeschool and traditional school is not necessarily an easy one and depends largely on each student, as everyone has different needs. While many students are deciding homeschool suits them, there are still many students who find that schools such as KMC suit their needs.
“I still respect the families that choose traditional school, and in my opinion, neither traditional school or homeschool is better than the other,” Do said. “It all revolves around what works best for each individual family.”