The Disadvantages of a One Size Fits All Education

The public schools that most kids attend have several disadvantages compared to homeschools. The main idea of one curriculum for all the students and one teacher for an entire class brings the possibility of individual attention to each student to near zero. Some children who require special attention in these classes may end up failing due to the 'one size fits all' education system. Here are some of the main disadvantages of this schooling system.

·         Bigger class sizes: Most public school systems have large class sizes. In these classes many students do not receive the attention they need. Most studies show that homeschooled children often outscore public school students. Another study shows that classes with less students score better than classes with more students. This clearly shows that more personalized attention leads to better results, and homeschooling provides students with much more one-on-one attention than is possible in public schools.

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·         State determined rules: In public school systems, the state usually determines the rules for the school. This does not consider the fact that some children are different from others. Some children suffer in this system causing them to perform more poorly than they are capable.

·         Same curriculum for all: Public schools have the same curriculum for all the students. Usually some students are stronger in math while others are good at literature. The same curriculum sometimes causes problems to a student whose only choice is to go into a field of literature while he has to take up math which he finds useless for his cause.

·         Common grading system: The public schools grading system is very much separated from the students. Each student should be scored individually, keeping in mind their abilities and weaknesses. Some grading systems can be very tough on the morale of some students.

·         Common pace of teaching: In a class of 30 students, all are taught the same thing at the same time and are given the same time to assimilate and understand the new concept. Each student has a unique curve of learning which takes different lengths of time to capture a new concept. If the required amount of time is not given to a student, then he or she will not be able to learn the subject well.

·         Common method of teaching: Among all the students, some learn better from books, some learn better by listening to lectures while others learn better by doing activities on the subject. When a teacher teaches at the same pace, some students may find it hard to learn as the teacher's method of teaching varies from the students way of learning.

·         Competition towards success: Public school systems, with their common curriculums and grading system, usually end up creating a sense of competition among students. Though this may sometimes be good, this is generally detrimental to the students. When the competition gets tough, some students resort to malpractices during tests. Excess competition among students can not only occur in studies but also in sports, events and other interpersonal arenas.  

The Disadvantages of a One Size Fits All Education

Melissa Murdoch has a passion for life span development and education, and believes wholeheartedly that a healthy society begins at home.
For further information on how to get started in homeschooling, please visit http://www.YourHomeschoolCommunity.com

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