Does anyone actually believe that homeschooling is in anyway beneficial?

Question

I mean isn't a big part of education and schooling a matter of developing social skills as well as knowledge?

Answer 1

Well, yes and no. I am thirteen and I do independent study through Laurel Springs School in Ojai, CA and I play a lot of classical music. I play in a youth orchestra and several chamber music groups, so I get a lot of social interaction and I have made a ton of friends. So it really depends on what you are doing outside of your school life. For me, switching from regular school to independent study is probably the best thing I've ever done. I have been doing it for four years and have more friends now than when I started. Plus, in homeschooling, the student gets a better education because less time is spend with the teacher talking on and on about something while the student could easily be doing his or her homework.

Answer 2

You don't go to school to learn social skills. Some homeschool students get out into the real world more than public schooled students. As for knowledge, do the research. Homeschooled students top the SAT's, Geography Bee's, Spelling Bee's, Science Fairs, Science Olympiads...
I have a homeschool field trip website. I plan educational trips for the homeschooled in my area. We also have co-ops where students can get enrichment in courses that either their parents are not prepared to teach or they want extra studies.
Not all homeschooled students have dedicated parents. But I can tell you that my children learn more in a day than the average public school student learns in a week. I am certain.

Answer 3

I went to public school from kindergarten until I was in 5th grade. I was not popular so the only social "skills" I learned from that experience was how to avoid talking to people and become much of an introvert.

After 5th grade I was home-schooled. I was required to repeat 5th grade again due to the abysmal job the public schools had done regarding my math and English skills. I was home-schooled until I went to college although technically I only have an 8th grade education. When I began college I made the National Dean's list, the college's dean's list, the honor's program, the honor society and the English tutor program at the college. In addition to the fact that I had a superior education to many of my fellow classmates from homeschooling, I was clearly no longer an introvert or hampered in my social skills.

In short, I firmly believe that homeschooling is a much better way to go when teaching your children. I hope to never send my kids to a public school. I will love them too much to do that to them.

Answer 4

Well, I wouldn't say a big part of education is developing social skills, but definitely a big part of learning and living is developing social skills. BUT, my question back to you is why are you assuming that the homeschool environment excludes developing social skills? Have you simply based your assumptions on heresay, or have you actually looked in to homeschooling before passing out your judgment???

Answer 5

Learning social skills is not important at a young age. When you go for your first job interview the employer will always ask about your level of education (test scores for example), but never about your social skills (rare ocassions they will)... Social skills can be learnt at any time in life. Homeschoolers can also get out in public, its not like their doors are barred off from society, they can still go to malls, and make new friends. School is about education, not social skills.

Answer 6

Well, the only part of your question that I'm going to address is the "social skills" part.

Homeschooled children have BETTER social skills, because the actually have TIME to socialize. They don't have to sit in a stuffy old classroom for 8 hours a day, then come home and do another 3 hours of homework.

They can go to any number of groups and social clubs at ANY time of the day and can meet up with any age group and ethnicities. They aren't just cooped up with only kids their own age and 1 adult that is there to order them around.

Answer 7

That all depends on which social skills you might think are are needed.

Someone educated at home is just the same as anyone educated in a group setting.

Home school students have groups. They communicate very well with people of all ages.

My 23 yr son is a homeschool grad. He has many friends and a great job. He is well liked by all of his customers and co-workers.
Homeschooling is very beneficial.

My 20 yr daughter is a homeschool grad. She is in college and gets really good grades. She has many friends. Her teachers like her as does everyone that knows her. Homeschooling is very beneficial.

My 17 yr daughter and 15 yr son are still in homeschool. They are good students and they have many friends and many activities with others. They are well liked by everyone that knows them. Homeschooling is very beneficial.

All of our homeschool friends are doing very well in society -- both with friends and in college and in the workplace. Homeschooling is very beneficial!!!!

Oh.... have I been repeating myself????? Yes, I have! Why? Because homeschooling IS indeed very beneficial.

Answer 8

I am curious to know why you think that the state is better than the family to teach social skills? Homeschooling doesn't mean being locked in a house away from all people. Homeschoolers are generally better socially equipped because they are around and socialize with people of all ages rather than just their peer group. I know plenty of kids and adults that are/were in public school and the social skills are atrocious.

Answer 9

Homeschooling is excellent!! My son had a problem with maths which meant that he had stay down a year in his first year of high school, I decided to try home schooling (study group with a similar aged group) and I dont feel that his social interaction suffered in way because he was in a study group, he also belonged to several clubs as well and did sport with the study group as well. He did the SofT home school (School of Tomorrow or ACE) which was a christian based education system. Absolutely brilliant, I wish I could have done something when I was his age (due to the bullying at my school).

Answer 10

Well, I was homeschooled, and was able to start college at 15, so yeah, it is effective. I still had friends. And, a group of homeschoolers that I was involved in met every week, so I got plenty of social interactions. And considering that most of the public schoolers I know have no social skills...