What makes homeschooling in Canada a success? If you’re considering homeschooling your children, you may want to know what the current trends are. First, take a look at British Columbia, the third largest province in Canada, home to the beautiful city of Vancouver. However, between 2007 and 2014, homeschool enrollment declined by 20.4%, despite an increase of more than 300 percent in Distributed Learning Programs.
Challenges faced by homeschooling parents
The public education system in Canada is an important foundation for understanding the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling. The decentralized nature of the system allows provinces to develop unique education systems that reflect changes in socio-cultural values, demographics, and economies. At least four provinces participate in standardized achievement testing, and some even rank among the top fifteen jurisdictions in education.
The lack of communication between teachers and parents is another major challenge. Parents must communicate their ideas and needs to the school, and the school should communicate these to parents. The homeschooling process can be physically and mentally draining, and the lack of communication between teachers and parents is detrimental to student success. Furthermore, feedback from teachers on assignments is often vague or not helpful.
Homeschooling in Canada is increasingly recognized as an acceptable educational choice for parents. However, it remains an option for only those families with the time and resources to spend daily with their children. Homeschooling also requires a thorough understanding of their child’s learning needs and the ability to provide accommodations. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help parents succeed, including online resources, dedicated support from the government, and community organizations. However, homeschooling still represents a small percentage of public school enrolment. Moreover, it is most prevalent in provinces with high funding and regulation.
Family connections
In most jurisdictions in Canada, homeschooling is recognized as a legitimate alternative learning option. This alternative learning method involves parents delivering courses and programs to their children outside of the formal school setting. The process is legal in all but two provinces. However, homeschooling families must follow provincial regulations that govern homeschooling. These regulations cover issues such as notification, assessment, and funding. These regulations have greatly improved the level of official recognition for homeschooling in Canada.
A study of 1,600 families in Canada found that the primary motivation for homeschooling is a desire for better education for their children. A 2003 study found statistically significant differences between homeschooled and traditionally schooled students on standardized tests. More recent research shows that the style of homeschooling is a better predictor of test performance than traditional measures.
Flexibility
In Alberta, homeschooling has become the only way for many parents to educate their children. Alberta schools closed from March to June 2020, and parents were forced to homeschool their children in a remote learning environment. Most parents, however, are concerned about the impact on their careers. This paper examines the perceptions of elementary school parents in Alberta, Canada. They argue that the requirements placed on them by the school were unreasonable and unrealistic.
Parents report difficulty following the weekly curriculum. One common problem was the lack of a coherent assessment piece. Another problem was the lack of communication between the school and parents. Communication with the school was limited, and feedback on homework assignments was vague and not helpful. Parents were also asked to assume a more active role in their child’s education than they were.