Home Education. Why?
For previous posts in this series see here.
Socialization
Yes. You read that right. Socialization. A reason *to* homeschool. Huh? You might say.... isn't that one of the "downsides" to homeschooling? Isn't socialization a good reason to send your kids to public school? I mean, that's more "social", right? Wrong. While it is true that some of the pioneers of the homeschooling movement were rather reclusive and anti-social, statistics show that a balanced (and much more common) approach to homeschooling results in BETTER socialization skills in homeschooled versus public schooled students.
Some people that don’t understand home schooling believe that it is confining rather than socializing. But those individuals that believe that are stuck in thinking about the stereotypical socialization of an age-based classroom. Children that are home schooled are exposed to social situations in a mixed age range.
Many home schoolers feel that their children need to be exposed to the appropriate ways to behave not inappropriate. They feel that their child should be exposed to the model behavior of people who have learned to make decisions and handle themselves in various social settings. By being exposed to appropriate modeling of social behavior, home-schooled children will learn how to act appropriately.
Parents of home schooled children can also see when their child “gets-it” when they model for a younger child appropriate behavior.
Home-schooled children get a reality based social lesson. On a daily basis they see adults they know, love and trust manage and balance life day to day. Modeled for them is academics balanced with real life chores; caring for a sick friend or neighbor, shoveling the driveway and walkway, doing the grocery shopping and dropping of the dry cleaning, cooking dinner while folding laundry, putting laundry away and talking on the phone with Aunt Sara. These are real life situations that home schoolers are exposed to and public school children are often sheltered from or are privy to a controlled school environment.
Quote taken from statsheet.com (not a homeschooling promotion site either!)
I have found this to be so true with my own children. They interact with people of *all* ages, and are just as interested in and comfortable with a newborn or someone years their minor or 80 years their senior as they are with children their own age. They also are strong independent thinkers since they have never been subject to the pressure to conform in order to be "acceptable" in a group of age segregated peers. They just are who they are and gravitate towards people of all types and are very innocent and sincere in their approach to people. They have no fears of being rejected, and would never dream of rejecting someone.
I have to smile inwardly when I hear people pull the "socialization" card out in favor of public education or other age segregated activities. In reality all of the segregation that happens in all segments of our society is more of a prohibitor than a contributor to healthy and well rounded socialization skills.
More on this topic here.
To Be Continued.... Home Education: Why?
-time efficiency (time spent versus amount learned)
-quality of education
"I have chosen him. He must direct his children. He must see that the members of his family after him live the way I want them to. So he must direct them to do what is right and fair. " Genesis 18:19 NIRV
3 comments:
Great post! I have the same questions about "socialization" when ppl ask me about why I homeschool. My sister is a public school teacher and has been for about 13 years. Her and I had a disagreement just the other day about this same thing. She believes that all homeschooling parents should have a four year college degree to even be allowed to homeschool their children. SHe is really big on the "social" thing also. Even though we will never see eye to eye on this we just agreed to disagree. I find that most ppl who have issues with us who homeschool just don't know the facts about homeschool. I really do appreciate your post about homeschool and why you chose to. It really does help me and you point things out in a different way that I may not have even noticed if not for your blog! Thanks so much! I really do believe my homeschooled child exceeds when it comes to socialization. I am proud that I am the one to teach her how to act and react in different situations, not someone who doesn't share our same faith in God. Sorry for the lengthy comment! I needed it today! It is never nice when ppl seem to attack you on why you homeschool and why it is so bad, especially when it is your sister. Thanks for opening my eyes more on socialization!
Hope you all are doing well.
Joy
A topic that it seems is allot like religion and politics everyone has an opion and not one is the only answer...
Here's my thought:
I'm the host of our Home School Association End of the Year Picnic in the morning.(fun in the sun!)
This year is my 4Th year as an "anti-homebody lovin teachen her kids all day every where went momma" LOL...you see there are more postives than negatives about home education EVERYONE knows this so that they feel they have to pull out the "socialization" concern is a cop-out!
I ask them in question to trade kids with me for one day...and at the end of that day,the likely hood of a broader perspective will change their minds it's proof in the pudding!
You know noone has ever taken up that challenge? uhmm...Homeschooling is not for whimps! Those who generally question US are really questioning themselves.
God Bless!
>>I am the one to teach her how to act and react in different situations,<<
Yes, Joy, I think this is key.
>>A topic that it seems is allot like religion and politics everyone has an opion and not one is the only answer...<<
I agree. There is not only one way to ensure good socialization skills in our children and there are certainly kids on both ends of the spectrum in every type of upbringing. I just find it interesting that many people have a very one sided understanding socialization and miss the actual depth and breadth of what it means to be "socialized". It's so much more than just "being with" other kids... it's shaping our children's views on the level of community, relationships and every day understanding and interaction with our culture and life.
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