In New Zealand, the majority of children attend mainstream schools but increasingly, others are opting for a lesser known alternative, home schooling.
Home schooling has numerous advantages and benefits that you do not get in regular schools.
Home schooling is a great opportunity to learn the way YOU want to learn. You can set aside extra time to study the subjects you need more help in and you are able to extend yourself in the subjects you excel at and enjoy.
College level home schooling is taught through correspondence, in which there are a variety of subject choices, more so than in mainstream schools. They are taught at different levels according to your personal ability.
Many parents choose to give their child an education through homeschooling because it is a safe and relaxed environment, and learning is not restricted to the classroom. Unlike mainstream schools, home schooled children are often more able to use other resources like museums and art galleries. While mainstream students are still able to attend such events, depending on the teachers, it's not usually a frequent occurrence.
Just because home-taught kids don't have friends directly within their learning environment, it doesn't mean they don't have friends. There are several youth groups for teens who are home schooled. Since these groups only meet once or twice a week, they tend to value the time they do spend together, and they don't clash over trivial things.
In a homeschooling situation, peer groups are not a problem. Labelling, exclusion and popularity are not an issue in home school, which helps to build self-esteem and confidence. .
Within the home school classroom, there is no unhealthy competition and no hostility between people's achievement. Home schoolers concentrate on their own work, not others.
If home schooling seems an easygoing option and you feel you may fall behind, don't worry. There is a curriculum in place that makes sure you cover a certain amount and type of work over the course of the year.