How many homeschoolers...?

Question

For all you people out there who always answer questions in the "home schooling" section, and say that you don't like homeschoolers, because they don't learn as well, or they have social problems, I would like to ask all of you a question. How many of you actually know/have known a homeschooler? And for this question they had to have been homeschooled for like 2 or more years to count. I'm just wondering because I've never noticed that I've had, and nobody has ever said I've had social problems because I was homeschooled Kindergarten-7th grade, and I've heard of many others who don't either.

Answer 1

Homeschooling is entirely in the hands of the parents, so the end result is as good or as bad as they make it. If the parents are concerned with their kid's education, and are dedicated to teaching their child, the end result should be great. If they aren't 100% dedicated to their child learning and developing, the result will not likely be good.

Answer 2

I know I'm not one of the naysayers, but I'd venture to say that none of the people who are putting down homeschoolers know as many homeschoolers as most of the homeschoolers do. Most who know homeschoolers will have only known one or two families. Some may have made it to as many as 10 homeschoolers. (Oh my!) I've been at parties with 20-30 homeschooled kids present and at park days or other activities with just as many, if not more, present. And with all the different activities and different people showing up each time, I'd say I've met or been around at least over 200 different kids. I'm guessing my sample size is far more representative of the whole than the maybe 10 that the naysayers know.

Answer 3

I am homeschooled. I do not understand the socialization issue that many people try to use here. I am on a soccer team and a swim team. I act in musicals. I am in the choir. I have many friends that I keep in touch with, from public schooled to private schooled to homeschooled. I volunteer all the time. I love homeschooling. I am going to go to a private high school for high school because of sports. However, I will be ahead of my peers because of homeschooling.

Answer 4

You've gotten some great answers from homeschool moms. I'd like to add.... HSKs do have social issues. The know how to truely socialize. People think that they don't because the don't socialize like regular school kids; which usually includes avoiding adults and different aged children because they don't know how to communicate with anyone other than kids their own age (not all school kids, but many). Adults tell me all the time how much they enjoy my children; even the adults who have ps children. The people who are anti-homeschool don't know homeschoolers. If they do, they think the HSKs are weird but think that kids who hate their parents or are on drugs (etc) are normal. I am so thankful that my kids are weird and unsocialized by those people's standards.

Answer 5

it is only ignorant, uninformed people that say homeschoolers have social problems. I don't understand this. My daughter is homeschooled and she is one of the most outgoing girls you could imagine. Even if we are home a whole week and then she gets together with her friends she acts just the same. Like she has been around them everyday. She also socializes well with every age which I think is important. She isn't stuck only socializing with children her own age all day at school. I think homeschooled children get a chance to be more socially-rounded. This social thing is a myth. I wish people would stop saying it. Studies has diproved any of the rumors of it.

Answer 6

Wow, homeschooling is getting a lot of attention these days. I homeschool my three kids, and believe me they do not have a problem socializing. Most homeschooled kids (HSK) interact with a wide variety of ages. Most are very comfortable with adults, small children, and peers. Socialization was the last ditch effort of "professional educators" to make a negative charge against HSK. First they said that there was no way parents could teach their kids as well as the public schools. After many studies showed that HSK scored well above public schools on standardized tests, they shifted their "concern" to the socialization issue. Anyway...HSK are doing just fine, by and large. By the way, most of whay their peers can teach them, I don't want my kids to know!

Answer 7

I'm a homeschooler, and I do not have social problems. I attend a co-op once a week where we have classes, and I see all my friends. We even have a person who is in charge of organizing parties and special events, and all the other moms say we have too many parties! Trust me, I have lots of friends.
I wouldn't say that homeschoolers don't learn as well. My sister was a national merit finalist. And I'm taking two concurrent classes at the local community college, and I'm doing just fine!

Answer 8

I use homeschool as means to finish my high school since we move alot plus I had missed more than 2 years of schooling due to constant travels. Although I'm lazy and bored to finish 2 more years of homeschool. I still try. Sacrificing friends for a few years is worth it for the sake of finishing high school. College maybe the best next thing for me. I only wish I was more motivated.

Answer 9

I, too, am a homeschool mom and not one of the naysayers.
Between two homeschool groups, I am around, in the company of, fellowshipping with, hanging out with and learning with, now over 150 families (and we will be adding a few new ones in January.)
that means each week I get to see between 300-350 homeschool children from pre-k-12.
That's the ones I get to see every week, and that does not include acquaintences, people that have left those groups to join others, those that have graduated their children out of homeschooling, or those that for one reason or another have had to return to publicschooling.
I would love to hear from someone with that much experience with homeschool families come on here and say the things we have had to listen to from those that consider homeschool bashing a sport.
Good for you for sticking up for yourself and you did it with out calling anyone names or bashing publicschooled kids or ridiculing, or demeaning anyone or criticizing those that have made different choices than you.
Kudos to your parents as well.

Answer 10

I have been homeschooling for 2 years and we love it(my children are in 8th and 10th grade).We move along at our own pace sometimes faster sometimes slower.My children are very social.Dance class,piano class ,4-h and church youth groups.Have you ever walked down the hallway of a middle school or high school?? Do you see any behaviors there that you'd like your child to emulate??I think not!My children are tested every year and have consistantly outpreformed their public school peers on standardized tests.Makes me wonder if the opponants of home schooling are not teachers/coaches in fear of losing jobs.(My town and the next town over merged the middle school due to lack of enrollment)here's a link I found helpful http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/3381341.html