Home Schooling in Comparison

Early in history, we find that homeschooling was the official practice of enculturation, and education (the imparting of knowledge and skill) in the ancient civilizations. As we study the first schools of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and specifically Sumer we find enormous amounts of evidence that confirms the existence of home schools as early as 3000B.C. In the following reflection I will be comparing home schooling today with home schooling in the classic ancient civilizations.

Much has not changed in the ideologies which frame the philosophical foundations of practicing home schooling in the ancient world as compared to the modern world. As we look through the lens of time we see that the children of the ancient civilizations began their educational journey at an early age. Parent s, or the schools adopted elders also known as “school fathers”, were entrusted with the task of preparing these early trainees with the ability and skills necessary to meet the economical and vocational demands of the time. This intimate practice (one on one training) allowed for students to receive more attention in the advancement of their lifelong careers. Even though these trainees did not decide on his or her vocation, but rather depended on the acquisition of previous generational successes, they were trained at home.

Being the children of important public officials could have played an important role in the preparation of these “elite” individuals, but make it clear they were highly disciplined in their educational development and teachers did not “spare the rod”. In most cases this form of education assured that there was no room for error and students were ultimately the best prepared for the job.

Today, in this modern civilization, we find that nearly two million children are being educated in this arena (home school). Perhaps there are many reasons why parents choose to educate their children at home, but they are still being held responsible to meet the standard criteria mandated by the educational systems and society. Looking at the issues that urges parents to remove their children from a secular or public educational system into a more private home school setting can extend from religious beliefs to security issues. The lack of attention or the dissimilarity of values being taught in our public schools can be an obstacle in the progress of most students. This dissimilarity can be challenging in the enculturation process because, an acculturation of secular beliefs may be transforming the paradigms which traditional beliefs are based on.

In comparison, many may argue that this acculturation can be positive in the educational development of children because, they would be better prepared for a sociological setting compared to their home schooled colleagues. In the other hand, departing from some traditional values can rattle the mind frame of most students. In either case, parents still have an important role to play in schools. We find that in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia such values and instruction was given regarding ethical principles found in the “Book of Instructions”. These principles became part of the “core curriculum” found in Egypt’s academicals programs. Programs and subjects such as “justice, wisdom, obedience, humanity and restraint” offered trainees the virtues of living a well ordered life.

Unfortunately, since moral instruction is no longer being taught in the core curriculum of public schools we do find that there are moral lessons found in the hidden curriculum (lessons) of most classrooms. We may also contend that educational ethics may be found on most class syllabuses handout by professors early in the term. These standards, rules, and responsibilities can be viewed as the ethical framework which will governs the class setting. Either way, society is still faced with the challenge of viewing our home school colleagues as competitors or educational partner in the development of the next generation of students.