After reading the information at the following website....what do you believe about homeschool socialization?

Question

http://www.homeschool.com/articles/Socialization/default.asp

(glurpy... LOL! Yep.... this is rather fun. I'm trying to limit my time here.....)

Yes, Debra M. :-) My very good friends likes to say, "Socialization???? We aren't socialists!"

Oh blahphooey.... sorry for the unchecked typo..... "friends likes" oh great....... should say "friend likes".......

Tommy,
This is not a waste of time. My question is intended as a "food for thought" message to anyone that is thinking that they might want to home-school their family but are being badgered by the public-mindset telling them not to do it.

Sometimes we need to mingle with the natives in order to be able to minister to them.

The education system holds many people hostage --- I'm trying to let them know that they can find FREEDOM.

I'm not fighting the public system. I'm trying to inform the masses that homeschooling is a viable and practical solution to a monster of a problem.

Barb

Mandy II:
You might try checking into your local homeschool groups for someone that can help you out. I once tutored a 7 yb for homeschool while his mother worked full-time getting her business started. Go to www.hslda.org for your State's laws about homeschooling. Some workplaces allow children to be there. Mine used to come to the shop where I worked. They had a room (visable) where they could study and play. The public library was across the road and they loved to go back and forth for "new books". Grandparents can be a big help too --- especially if they accept the idea of homeschooling and are willing to work with the children.

Hey Kevin:
I would think that any and all home-school help sites would be a good addition to your list.
Here are more:
www.nheri.org
www.home-school.org

Answer 1

We have homeschooled my son since kindergarten. At the co-op classes he plays with kids of all ages. He's 8. His current playmates range from ages 4 to 12. He's involved in a youth bowling league, cub scouts, church and last year, several co-op classes.

One thing I have noticed is how confident the homeschooled teenage girls are. I compare this to how the girls I taught behaved and I am so sad. The HSed girls have not yet "learned" to hide their intelligence and curiousity. They also are able to avoid the "queen bee" behavior.

And the article does point out that our most common problem is "how will you ever socialize him" Ugh! I am so sick of this question. He just asked me last week why the kids in the neighborhood are allowed to swear and he's not. I'm not sure that a lot of the socialization I see happening is good for our children.

Answer 2

I have no real objection with what is said on the page given. I do think that you are playing games and wasting time for the following reasons:


(1) For at least 20 years, if not more, the seminal supporters of home schooling have argued this question with the PS establishment. They have known, said and written that the public system is not working and is not going to work. (This is why we have home schooling and even many charter schools and private schools.)

(2) Since the system is flawed, beyond repair in most places, talk about comparison of the two systems gives false validation to the public school system.

(3) There is no solid research on the issue and what there is tends to support the home. So I repeat, a moot question when used to debate the socialist agenda of "socialization." ( You are also making unnecessary points for teachers unions which sleep in the same bed.

(4) The energy spent in debate over a moot question would better be spent on parents whose heads are filled with bureaucratic retoric.
Socialization is touted to parents by the entire educational establishment as a sacred issue of the highest national priority.

I know a great dad and mom with three fine kids who have been sold on this ideology. I think it took me a year of deprogramming before dad stopped getting down by his bed at night and praying, "g-d bless socialization".

(5) The disfunctional condition of the American PS system has expanded over the past five decades. Socialization does not even weigh in the balance.

(6) A strong hand is needed against any sacred cow such as education. These cows, like insurance, are almost impossible to move. At least don't give them your fire to play with.

Answer 3

I am so into researching I actually researched this topic several weeks ago and found that home schoolers get more socialization than children in public schools. We as home schoolers get to get out in the world daily and meet many different people from many different cultures and different age groups. Where as children in public schools usually only deal with kids their on age and rarely get out in the world. They are stuck behind a desk for 6 to 8 hours a day and rarely socialize except between classes and at lunch. Hope this helps some on the topic of socialization.

Answer 4

(You couldn't stay away long, could you? ;)

What I believe about homeschool socialization now is what I've always believed: that there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and it can actually be (note: can, not is) better than in schools.

My dd has always been homeschooled. She's 9 and going in grade 4. She's been participating in a summer program this week with kids who all go to school. When I went to pick her up the first day, one of the supervisors said to me, "We're very lucky to have her with us. She's a very nice girl." On the way to the car, I asked dd what she thought the supervisor meant by that.

"Oh, well, they didn't have to tell me to stop hitting or pushing or tell me to pay attention or be quiet or anything like that."

"They had to with the other kids?"

"Pretty much."

The biggest difference likely between the kids who were acting up in some way and my dd is, other than never having been the type to hit or push, that we discussed ahead of time what sort of behaviours would be acceptable and what wouldn't be acceptable--pay attention to what is said, don't play off to the side if you're not supposed to be, don't get all giggly and chatty with other girls when the supervisors are speaking, etc. I see this sort of thing among other homeschoolers. Not necessarily all of them, but a lot of them.

But you know what? Homeschooling parents have a far greater chance of SEEING what their children are doing, because they are usually present in their children's social settings, and will therefore be more likely to coach their kids appropriately. If you've never seen how your child plays on the playground, you won't know if there's anything specific they need to learn about playing on the playground. If you never see them sitting in a group setting whispering to the girl next to them while somebody's in front talking, you might never think to talk to them about it. And let me tell you, I say this as a former teacher, children do not react the same way to a teacher's coaching (if the teacher managed to actually see something) as they do to their parents'. If the parent-child relationship is better than the teacher-child relationship (which it isn't always), psychology tells us that the child will be much more likely to respond to the parent's questions and advice than the teacher's.

People keep going on and on about how homeschooled kids suffer socially because they're not with 30 other kids the same age every day, but the biggest appropriate learning in social skills comes from guidance or modelling from someone older than the child. I've seen grade 4 kids lightly chastise grade 2 kids for behaviours and the grade 2 kids stepped up to the plate and changed their behaviour. Had it been kids from the same class, there's no way.

Enough of my book. Had to get that out.

Answer 5

My daughter starts Kindergarten this year. As a mother I am sick with fear as to what the school system is going to do to her. This article only helps to validate my fears. I have always wanted to home school. I never bought the myth that parents aren't smart enough to teach their kids. I taught my daughter to talk, colors, to count, to add and subtract, the entire upper and lower case alphabet, and to write and read many words. But one thing I cannot escape is my need for a full time job. She already has socialization issues brought on from too much daycare. I never once worried about socialization problems from home schooling but now I have reason to worry about it from the public system. Thank you for the article.

Answer 6

Hehe, no public school advocates will touch this one.

I've noticed that they don't like sound research methods...it's much easier to go w/ "gut feelings" or anecdotal evidence, than real research.

What is worse is that teachers push this way of thinking. So much for public schools bringing "education" to the masses!

It's a shame b/c if the US loses its edge in S&T, it will certainly lose its place of prominence in economics. Yet critical, logical thinking is undermined by the public education system that claims to hold S&T so dear.

Answer 7

From having my son in public school K-2, the phrase heard the most is "no talking." Even in the lunchroom their talking was monitored and they were given no-talk times. He enjoyed Art because "we get to talk to each other."

So in my humble opinion, I question those who think our home schooled children suffer in the area of socialization. It seems because of the class size, demands on the teacher, etc. there may indeed be less socialization going on in the public school than many folks are inclined to think.

As long as HS children are involved in activities that expose them to other children and adults; have involvement in organized play and activities, exposure to teamwork and taking turns, etc; I feel very confident about their ability to socialize successfully.

Answer 8

I do homeschool and my sons have friends, church, and Boy Scouts but all in all the socialization in schools is not a positive thing. I am raising 2 thinking and educated young men to be compassionate and tolerant Catholics I am not trying to raise Socialists.

Answer 9

I have been home schooled for 7 years and I have many friends of all ages. Form camp, church, sports, and home schooling groups. So I think that home schoolers have plenty of good, healthy socialization.