By Sarah Lane
In view of increasing violence and disintegration of family values in today''s public schools, it may come as no surprise that parents are choosing to educate their children at home.
According to estimates by the National Home Education Research Institute, there are between 1.3 and 1.7 million children being home-schooled in the United States - and the numbers are growing steadily.
In Utah alone, home school is growing by 35 percent, according to a pamphlet put out by the Utah Home Education Association.
'It''s good for the soul and the brain,' said Reed Benson, BYU professor of ancient scripture.
Twenty years ago, Benson did his doctoral dissertation on the development of home school. As part of the experiment, Benson decided to home school his children for a year.
'We felt there was no better way we could spend our time than on a child''s learning,' he said in his dissertation.
Following in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, the Wright Brothers and Agatha Christie, there are many today who praise the benefits of an education in the home.
Tina Crowder, mother of nine, is one example.
Home school helps form character, something that public school cannot teach, she said.
In addition to strengthening character, home school allows children to pursue their own interests at their own pace, she said.
'Children are naturally curious,' said Ben Crowder, eldest of the nine children.
'One of the things that puts the flame of learning out is forcing kids into things they aren''t ready for,' he said.
He said forcing children into a set curriculum and way of learning was one of the biggest problems that public schools face.
'The nature of force naturally makes a person revolt,' Ben said.
'Christ didn''t force people to do things,' he said.
BYU student Christina Nielsen, 18, a freshman from Livermore, Calif., majoring in chemical engineering, feels strongly that her home-school background for sixth, seventh and eighth grades gave her an extra boost for high school and college.
Nielsen is a Hinckley Scholar, and entered BYU with approximately 32 AP credits.
'During my home study course, I was able to go much deeper and get a firmer base than my compatriots,' Nielsen said.
'I got a lot of culture because my mom took the time to do things like take me to museums,' she said.
Despite all the benefits of an education within the walls of home, some feel there are drawbacks, such as a lack of appropriate methods and resources and lack of socialization with peers.
'There is a social aspect, where you need to know how to get along in the world,' said Nielsen.
Nielsen made the transition from home-school when she entered public school in the ninth grade.
But most who are involved in home-schooling feel the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks.
'Learning together as a family creates a powerful bond,' according to the Utah Home Education Association.
Ben Crowder couldn''t agree more.
'Teachers can not mimic the love between a mother and child,' he said.
Because of this, a home school education is more complete, he said.
Along with others, the Crowders believe that home school is more than a new way to disseminate knowledge.
'Home school is a way of life,' Tina Crowder said. 'It''s really like ''life-school.'''