A History Lesson – The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria

There are lessons to be learned through studying the past – our own history is simply one of the greatest teaching tools for success in the future. On August 23, 1542, a fleet of three ships set out from the shores of Spain and toward the banks of the Americas, carrying Christopher Columbus, a man instrumental in the discovery of our own great country.

These three ships had varying characteristics – as well as certain strengths and weaknesses. The Nina and the Pinta were both smaller, sleeker ships, called caravels. The Santa Maria was a larger, round-hulled ship, called a “nao”. All three ships were well-armed, but the Santa Maria was much heavier, and eventually ran aground and was destroyed completely on December 25, 1492. The Pinta was light and fast, but broke a rudder early on, and even became totally lost in a strong headwind (although it did end up making its way back to the Nina). The Nina held true, and eventually came to deliver Columbus back to Spain and into the history books after his ultimate successful discovery of “India”.

So what is the correlation between these three boats and the choice of a public, private, or homeschooling system? We all want our children delivered safely and successfully back to our homeland in the end. Hmmm.

Public System

Pros:

• Convenience. Generally close to home, bus picks up and drops off on a set schedule.
• No additional cost. Although you pay school taxes, there is no extra fee for public school.
• Integration with peers. Kids are exposed to all different personality types – as in real life – and must learn to integrate with others and problem solve. Jungle survival.
• Exposure to sports/activities. A wide variety of extra-curricular activities and sports opportunities abound, although competition can be tough.

Cons:

• Class size. Large class size usually means that the brighter kids lose out, and those with learning issues can be lost in the mix.
• Rigid instruction. Public school teachers don’t have the resources or ability to customize a lesson plan based on a student’s learning style. It’s learn or lose – and many kids end up losing.
• Peer pressure. If it’s a negative behavior, your kids are sure to be exposed to it in some manner in public school. Bullying is also an issue for many.

Private System

Pros:

• Higher quality education. Private school classes are generally geared towards college-bound students.
• Future opportunity. Graduation from a private school looks good on resumes and on college admission applications .
• Birds of a Feather. Private school communities generally stick together, and even look out for one another. Although some may perceive it as snobbery, being part of a close-knit group can certainly have its advantages.

Cons:

• Expense. Private schools cost A LOT, this we know. And it’s on top of school taxes.
• Limited diversity. The types and backgrounds of the people your children will have class with may be much more limited than public school, making the adjustment to the business world a bit more difficult.
• Time-intensive. Parents of private school students are typically expected to be involved in quite a few volunteer efforts with the school which can take time.

Home Schooling

Pros:

• Custom education. Your child’s curriculum is made-to-order, taking into consideration their learning style and varying educational needs.
• Flexibility. You have an appointment? No problem. Your child is sick? No worries. Test scheduling? It’s easy to maneuver. Very, very nice.
• Close-knit families. Lack of quality family time is one of the biggest downfalls of today’s society – and homeschooling keeps families together and bonded in a way that rivals anything else.
• Faith aspect. You are free as a parent to keep faith strong and alive during the school day – this is becoming impossible in a traditional school setting.

Cons:

• Can be very time-intensive. With some homeschool programs, you’ll need to be your child’s full-time teacher in addition to being a parent – and that’s a scary prospect for most.
• Social isolation. Some say it’s just plain hard for kids to interact with others their age in the same way that traditional school kids do, no matter how you look at it (although there is some evidence to support the opposite) . Public school kids tend to label each other.
• College admission difficulties. Although homeschoolers are being taken very seriously by most colleges of today, there can still be issues with diplomas and the transfer of credits. It’s not as easy as having standard transcripts. That’s why it is critical to ensure that your student graduates with an accredited high school diploma.
• Wearing two hats is difficult. Being both a parent and a teacher– on and off, over and over – is truly hard to do. Lines can become blurred.

So now that you’ve taken a step back to rationally review the facts in a logical fashion – take the next step. Close your eyes and go with your gut feeling.

Which school system is right for your family and right for your child? I’ll bet you have an answer right there in your heart.

Between the bullying, the teasing, the constant competition, and those classmates who seem to switch from friend to hater overnight, the pressure can be overwhelming. And it can hurt — a lot.

You aren’t alone. In fact, many middle- and high school students report feeling depressed and anxious because of school. The stress of learning is bad enough…who deserves to be picked on too?

Have you ever considered homeschooling? Forget whatever it is you think homeschooling is all about. Homeschoolers aren’t the weird kids that everyone picks on…they’re just like you and me (but maybe a lot more confident and happy).

Homeschoolers tend to excel in school because they learn using the methods that work best for them, instead of how students are forced to learn in public school. Some people prefer to learn by reading while others do better with a hands-on approach. With homeschooling, you don’t have to deal with the stress of struggling to keep up or doubting yourself in front of everyone else in the classroom.

Here are a few of the self-esteem building advantages of homeschooling you may have never thought of!

1. Dress the way you want – there’s no peer pressure to wear the latest (and let’s be honest, sometimes ridiculous) fashion!
2. No bullying or teasing during school (unless your horrible brother is acting mean again).
3. You’ve still got your friends…and you can still take part in after-school activities and sports, without the stress. You’ll also meet new friends doing activities that you are interested in. There’s nothing better than having friends who share your interests!

When you do well in school and don’t have to deal with the bullying, peer pressure and stress, your self-esteem soars! Homeschooling happens in the real world, where you can forget about fitting in or being the butt of jokes. You can concentrate on living your life and becoming the person you want to be.

What do you think hurts your self-esteem most at school?

A fun and quick article on why homeschooling should be outlawed.

Click here and enjoy

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The beauty of homeschooling is that you don’t have to fit into that public school mold. You can choose to find ways to teach your child that work! You can opt out of using slanted textbooks to teach history and science and instead explore the world in an engaging and upbeat way.

Stop comparing your homeschool program to what they are doing in the public school. Instead, prepare your child for his or her future by focusing your efforts on effective teaching that works and that inspires a love for learning!

If you haven’t visited Bridgeway Academy’s website yet, I encourage you to do so. No other academy looks at kids as thoroughly and no other academy offers the variety that allows you to teach your child in a way that meets his or her specific needs. That variety and expertise gives you the much needed tools to teach your childen in a way that works for them!