What's this "socialization" that supposedly happens in high school?

Question

I go to a big high school in NYC but I want to be home schooled for the social life. Some of you might say that you don't have a social life in home school, but you do I know this because my girlfriend is home schooled but she's never at home. In school you don't socialize. You get to school early and you're tired so you don't talk. You can't talk in class. You have five minutes in between classes but that's just getting your books from your locker. Then at lunch you have half an hour to eat so I guess there's half an hour there. Then you go home and you have five hours of homework. I have swim team and robotics team and Boy Scouts but except for Scouts all I really do is swim or work on my one part of a robot. If I were in home school I could just do my work in the morning and then hang out with my friends. My grade average is an A so that's not a problem.

How do I tell my parents I want to do home school? If I did an online school I would just do it, I'm good about that stuff.

What I meant up there is that at Swim Team nothing social really happens.

And also school is really boring. For example in history class I want to learn about the American Revolution but the teachers won't let me. They make me put all my time and effort in to the Korean War. I think that's stupid because I'll learn about the Korean War after I've learned what I want to about the Revolutionary War.

Or in math class I'm good at math but not geometry. But we're doing geometry so the teachers act like I'm stupid in everything just because I don't understand geometry. If I were home schooled I could do the math that I'm good at doing now and then when I was done with that I could get a geometry tutor.

But I could still do social stuff. Like I play drums and I could be in a band with some home school kids I know. And there's a home school swim team and robotics team I could also be on.

But I don't know if my parents will let me home school myself.

Answer 1

Read "the Teenage Liberation Handbook" by Grace Llewellen

My 12 year old now educates herself because of that book, and our personal family preferences towards education. As for socialization, you are correct. The only social anything that generally happens in a public education enviornment is mental ans social programming to cause you to conform to governmental standards of sheeplike behavior such as mindless obedience and never questioning your reality.

You sound like you are quite capable, ready, and mature enough to educate yourself through high school and beyond, even to the extent of giving yourself a college degree.

As with all things, there are many ways to homeschool too. *smile* Mom of two unschoolers ages 5 and 12.

Answer 2

Socialization in public schools is much over rated as many students like yourself know. However, "...missing social activities and sports..." has become the pat answer for the negative side of home schooling. Much of what students are exposed to in public school is adverse and it would certainly be a good thing if they 'missed' it. Not too many people argue that the home school curriculum is much better, since it can be individually customized to each student's ability . A very good blend, if your public schools allow it, is to enroll in a couple classes in the local schools, ie., PE classes - like swimming - where you can use the pool or gym for sports or science classes that require labs. Then do the rest at home or on line at your own pace. Teachers agree that a student's interest is the best motivator. So, it is good to study what interests you. Although, you can't leave out things you don't like in a well rounded education. Just allow yourself to study, in depth, those things you want more information on. Homeschooling is not an avenue to get out of studying, but it allows you flexibility and individuality ,as well as, acceleration and quality in your education.
Hope this helps. Show it to your parents.

Answer 3

I'm home schooled and it's true, I spend almost as much time at home as off doing something, mostly school related. Home schooling really helps me to go after things that interest me. As an example, in history I really fell in love learning about the rise of our different famous leaders. aka George Washington ect., and I was able to spent more time studying that then other things. You can also take things more slowly, if you're having problems, just take it slow. It also freed me up when I was looking for a job. I just switched around my schedule so I could work in the late morning early afternoons and did my school in the evening. So with all my experiences I really don't think you need this 'great socialization' in public school. But as far as braking it to your parents, try starting telling them the problems you've been having. Maybe research homeschooling. Present them a plan for homeschooling that you'd like to follow, and see what they think.

Answer 4

I think you are old enough to participate in an online homeschool program. Tell your parents that they have websites that will keep track of your progess/report card, attendance... its wonderful! :)

I love homeschooling my kids, because they can learn so many things that the kids at school do not have an option to learn about.

:) If you are an A student, I think your parents really may listen.

Just tell them that you will buckle down and do your work...

My only question to you is this:
If you want to hang out w/ your friends - do you have to wait until they are out of school anyway?

My kids never have "homework" after school hours. As a matter of fact, you should be done w/ your work by lunch time - maybe you can get a part time job if you are old enough?

Answer 5

I agree with you about public school not being "social" in the regards that public schools are supposed to teach social skills. The only thing that I have figured out that my 14 year old had learned on a social level in public school is how to stop concentrating on academics and focusing on how to be more popular. This created a huge problem that is why I home school her now :) She is very social but in ways that it matters, like learning how to contribute to a conversation, to speak in a manner in which she sounds educated (unlike many publicly schooled children), and how to be social around all people of all ages, not just teenagers and teachers.

Answer 6

Tell your parents the truth about your situation. You sound like a very motivated young man, so the parentals won't be worrying about making you do anything. Point out all your opportunities and draw up a plan.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook is the most supremely awesome book ever written; even if you don't decide to unschool -like I do- it will point out and reaffirm that you are an individual human, not some 'human resource' to be programmed by schooling.

If this sounds like conspiracy theorist, ultra-leftist garbage, read Darwin and some of the founders of compulsory schooling. They're saying what we are.

Answer 7

Sounds like you are a prime candidate for home schooling. Gather all the info you can on it (hslda.org is a great place to go for info) and present it to your parents along with your reasons for wanting to home school. BTW, if you want to learn about the American revolution, what's stopping you? Start by reading the Declaration and Constitution, then go on to the Federalist Papers. There are numerous other things written by the Founding Father's, themselves. I would try to stay away from books written by "historians" as they tend to warp things to their own point of view. The one exception to this I have found is John Adams by David McCullough (sp?). Good luck!

Answer 8

You should present to your parents the reasons as to why you feel homeschooling is better for you and why you feel going to public school is not.

I went to public school all my life until the end of 9th grade. I had changed a lot during my 9th grade year, beliefs and so on and I didn't like the idea of having people around me who drank all the time, seeing girls always getting bullied by other girls. I just wanted to be stress free and do what I wanted to do. I looked up a charter school at the time and found that they had a program to do at home.

Note: A charter school isn't a home school program, it is a public school you pretty much can you at home, with state curriculum you must follow.

Anyways, I found this school and I told my parents a few weeks before my Sophomore year was to start and they hated the idea. I presented to them realistic goals and wonderful reasons. Some included,

1. Statistics show that study time in school isn't more then 3 hrs (in fact statistics show usualyl between 1.5 and 2 hrs).

2. Home-schooled kids do socialize more because they live in a more realistic life. Their life is not about school only, it is about studying around their daily life.

I would visit www.hslda.org and www.home-school.com for many other tips.

Home-schooling is a wonderful idea.

Here is a nice poll for some of the most popular answers parents give to the socialization issue. And remember that there is good socialization and bad socialization. Unfortunately, many parents forget that by putting us in public school we fall victims to all types of attitudes.
----------------

What About Socialization?
Q. What is your favorite answer to the question all homeschool parents are asked, "What about socialization"?


I want my children to get along with people of ALL ages, not just their age group.18.00% (227)
Public school socialization produces cliques and bullies. At home, we teach our kids to act kindly to others.10.94% (138)
I don't want my children to be squashed into a mold. They should be free to express themselves without peer pressure.5.00% (63)
Homeschooled kids learn how to get along in the real world, not just how to survive in the artificial world of school.14.51% (183)
Did you know homeschooled kids actually participate in more activities outside the home than schooled kids?20.62% (260)
Socialization is the best reason for homeschooling!22.52% (284)
I laugh helplessly.7.38% (93)
That's why I bought my kids a computer!1.03% (13)


Total Votes: 1261 (Last vote on January 11, 2006)
Taken from: http://home-school.com - The Official Web Site of Practical Homeschooling Magazine