It is no secret that I am a big supporter of home schooling. Second only to removing television from your home, it is an effective way to regain control of the way the next generation is raised. In addition, the quality of education received from conscientious home schooling parents will far exceed what most public school students will receive. There are, of course, exceptions, but the facts in favor of home schooling far exceed any reasons not to home school. Our sons were home schooled, and our grandchildren will be home schooled also.
Created by: College At Home
Interesting. I’ve always thought that the education one got from homeschooling would be equivalent if not better then public school. My concern was the social aspect of not interacting with other kids all day. Apparently, my nonsubstantiated position was incorrect.
The “social interaction” issue is probably the one most commonly raised by those who question the effectiveness of home schooling. At first glance, it certainly seems to be a reasonable criticism. The reality of it is quite different though.
I have been acquainted with quite a few home-schooled folks, and my experience has been that they are generally far better equipped to be productive members of society than those who go through the government propaganda mill (which I am a product of, and for which I hold a now-expired “Teaching Certificate” for the State of Florida). There are, of course, exceptions; however, one of the reasons that parents choose to home school their children is that they understand that things like character, morality, and spiritual matters are every bit as important as secular scholarship. Home schooling generally emphasizes not just the academics, but the mental attitude needed to apply that knowledge. Having the basic intellectual skills means nothing if that person has been taught to function as a cog in a machine – an interchangeable part in a social factory. Home schooling usually instills a sense of personal responsibility that is lacking in the public (and many private) schools.
Another factor to be considered is that it is not just the schooling environment, but the home environment that matters. A good home environment often sees home schooling as the best way, so home schooling could be seen as not so much the cause, but as the effect. There are lots of things to consider, but the ability to control a child’s environment is crucial to raising them to be responsible adults. So many of those “other kids” that they would interact with in a public school environment are NOT a good influence at a time when children are easily swayed and tempted.
Thanks for commenting!
Thanks and posted. When I mentioned to my last homeschooled daughter Dixie, that two families with many children at the SDYC were all homeschooled, she replied, Oh I knew that, they were all courteous, quiet and smart.
I have been observing home schooled kids for at least 15 years. I have my own theory why they are actually better socialized.
Kids in public schools have other kids as their role models and peers. Adults, including parents and teachers, are the enemy. Which means they are learning how to be kids. They think of themselves as growing up to be adult kids. They actually succeed very well at growing up to be kids. Blechh!
Home schooled kids have adults as their role models and peers. (Peers may not be the right word.) So, they are growing up learning to be adults, not kids as the public schools do. They also succeed very well at that.
That’s an aspect that I hadn’t considered before. On the other hand, it ties in well with some child-rearing advice I once heard – “You are not just raising children. You are raising children to become adults. There is a big difference.” Far too many parents are more concerned with being liked by their children. The result is that they are treated as children and that is the expectation that those children have.
A good friend of mine when I was in the Boy Scouts was telling me why he really liked my father as Scoutmaster. He said, “He doesn’t talk to us as though we were little boys”. I hadn’t noticed it before because he was my dad and that’s just the way he talked. When he addressed the troop, he would say something like, “When we get to the campsite, I want you men to unload your gear and place it in neat rows. The Patrol Leaders will show you where to set up your tents, then get to work…” He addressed the Scouts as men because that is how he expected us to act – and it worked.
I suggest you read the Demographic Argument by Johnna Burns of Northeastern State University. Those pamphlets, like the one above, don’t hold up when broken down into commonalities.
When in public people often asked us, “You home school, don’t you?” When we replied, “Yes”, they would say, “I thought so, you can tell by how well behaved your children are”. I’m not saying all public school children are not well behaved, I am only telling you what our personal experience was. The number one concern people voiced to us was the social issue. Think about it: in real life how often is it that you only socialize with those of your own age? For 13 plus years children learn and play with those of their own age. They don’t learn how to conduct themselves in real life situations because they are living in a temporary world. Home schooled children learn real life as they see dad go to work. They are often times taught how to work by dad. They see how mom keeps a home. The children accompany their parents shopping and to other daily deeds outside the home so they learn how to deal with others on a regular basis. Their communication skills are better because they see adults interacting, thus learning how to communicate properly themselves. Starting at an early age, our children were able to enjoy a conversation with adults, know how to help with younger children, and loved playing with their peers when the opportunity was there. They were more balanced socially than those of their own age. That made the adjustment into the real world easier – actually, almost non-existent because they grew up in the real world.