Homeschooling is the oldest type of education, and it was the norm until modern compulsory government schooling became the standard mode of education in the 1800s. A few individuals homeschooled their children after that time, necessitated by living in remote areas or overseas where there were no schools. The modern homeschooling movement began in the 1970s as many people began to question the norms of society. The right to homeschool was hard-won, however, with many parents suffering prosecution, the threat of losing their children to social services, social ostracism and difficulty obtaining teaching materials. These pioneers of the early homeschool movement persisted and homeschooling has spread like wildfire, gaining widespread social acceptance, with every state granting legal rights to homeschool, and publishers marketing teaching materials specifically to homeschoolers.
There are many styles of homeschooling, chiefly differentiated by the curriculum taught. Classical homeschoolers study Latin, logic, rhetoric and great books. Unschoolers take the more informal approach of introducing children to a wide variety of intellectual experiences and knowledge and then letting the child's interest lead the way. Other homeschool parents prefer unit studies where all or most of the subjects relate to one central theme; unit studies usually include a lot of hands-on learning such as crafts, drama and artistic expression. There are many who homeschool because of religious convictions and purchase teaching materials that incorporate religious doctrine into the curriculum.
Homeschooling is very much a lifestyle as well as an educational choice. In most cases, mothers are primarily responsible for the teaching, although fathers quite often have an active supplementary role. Some homeschool families choose to band together and form co-ops or support groups that offer classes, field trips, sports and social opportunities. In most states, there are annual homeschool conventions with curriculum fairs, speakers and classes for parents.
Homeschool offers several advantages over public and private schools. Homeschoolers spend a lot of time together as families, and these relationships are strengthened as a result. Parents can tailor the curriculum to best suit their child's learning style, aptitudes, interests and future career plans. Schoolwork can be completed quickly, leaving more time for children to spend on special interests such as playing a musical instrument, volunteer work, sports or creative writing. Bullying, peer pressure and social labeling are not prevalent in homeschools as they are in many public and private schools.
There is a certain amount of controversy in the homeschool community as to what, exactly, defines a homeschool. Some say that homeschoolers must remain completely independent from any government support, and that those children who are educated at home using a government-funded and government-approved curriculum are not truly homeschoolers, as they are often classified as public school students by the state. Participants in these programs, however, may defend their position as homeschoolers since the teaching does take place in the home and the parents must supervise their children's educational activities.