Homeschool versus public school?

Question

As a homeschooled child of fifteen I'll admit that I'm terribly pompus and generally think myself smarter than most highschool students. I know perfectly well that this is a pretty unhealthy outlook on the world --but I honestly haven't seen anything to dissprove my theory that homeshooled students have better vocabularies and are more likely to pick up information.

I was just wondering if anyone older, wiser and generally less pubescent and hormonal had some insight?

Answer 1

It depends a lot on how the student was homeschooled, from my personal experience. I've met a lot of unschooled teens who are great kids, but their personal interests have not been highly academic. Their behaviour tends to be different from what I see among the high schooled kids--while they do enjoy having fun and being kid-like, they're not immature in what they choose to do.

On the other spectrum, I've been around homeschooled teens who definitely have better vocabularies than what I hear from many public school teens, more likely to think on a deeper level about issues than simply plod along through life, get through school, focus on friends and their social lives. Like the unschooled teens, they tend to have a more mature outlook on their lives and what's going on around them, all the while preserving their kid-like enjoyment of fun stuff.

So, I'd say that it's attitude more than anything that makes the difference rather than actual education. Even if a public high school student understood all the vocabulary you use, they aren't likely to use it because social 'normality' is too important. As part of this difference in attitude, you probably take your studies more seriously, or at least more attentively, than most public school students, which is why you would know more, feel smarter.

On that note, I'd say that it's probably more likely that a homeschooled student following an academic program is likely to be more motivated and attentive in their work than the average public school high school student. Not that there aren't high school students who are highly motivated, but in terms of the average, from what I see here, they aren't that focused on their studies.

Answer 2

Think of it this way. Just because you have a larger vocabulary than some kids you might have been around doesn't mean that you are smarter or even more educated. An education doesn't only consist of what you might be able to recite back from memorization. Students who go to public school learn different things than home schoolers do. There are some things that can only be taught by interacting with other peers and other things that can only be taught by teaching self discipline to work at your own pace. People everywhere know different things and I promise that's it's very likely that there are people out there who didn't finish school and will always be more intelligent than any of us will ever be.

Answer 3

I favor homeschooling for both the strong and weak children educationally. I have had both. I did homeschooling for one child who had difficulty learning, only because the public school just went on as though this kid was "getting it" when he/she did not. Homework was a major difficulty in public school. It became a little less of a problem when we could go through things only once and make progress slowly, rather than no progress at all in the public school. This was a very socially adept child. My children who excelled sometimes got into trouble at school because teachers did not keep them busy or challenged in the public school.

Answer 4

You will have a hard time finding any hard statistics backing homeschooling because it's harder to set up a field study. It may be unfortunate, but this is what happens when things are set-up in the home (home life is not open to public) makes the situation much harder to come up with statistical data. Where as public school it's all public information, and non bias so easier to produce a valid case study. When you look on the web for statistical data on what is the best for you children homeschooling is going to be the bottom choice because not only is the information undefined, but if there is any information it is all bias. Who is to say that the curiculam anyone is learning is current, and even to regulate that is tough. I am not at all saying that homeschooling is wrong I have friends that were homeschooled, but they had parents that kept all information current to normal school curiculam with private tutors. Not everyone is that fortunate, and not only that a vast majority of homeschoolers find college life extremley difficult due to the lack of social skills. The world can be rather intimidating to someone that lacks any social skills all of which is learned in a private, and public school setting.

Answer 5

I just wanted to say that's entirely based on who it is and why they are home schooled, I have a friend who is home schooled just because he doesn't like doing all the work for public school and it also depends on the school system some just don't have the funding for good well educated teachers, supplies or new updated books. The economic factors of the students could play a role too.

Answer 6

No one way is better for all. We are all different. We should accept the choices we make and not put one another down. I home school my children. My nephews go to public school, and they are very smart. My oldest nephew, who went to public school, plans to be a bio chemist. My nieces go to private school. My oldest niece is a writer and has made up many stories of a female super hero and she is only 7. It does not matter if you school home, public, or private. I think it all comes down to parental involvement and what is best for each family. But we should not put down each other but look to strengthen each other.
"If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all."

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Answer 7

Woohoo!! I'm thrilled to see an up-and-coming comedy writer posted here!

OK, I'm back from vomiting from your gaggingly POMPOUS (too bad you flunked vocabulary, sweetie!!!) post.

I can DISPROVE (not dissprove, honey) your thoughts by merely knowing how to spell - and with just a mere high school diploma in hand, to boot!

Why not crawl out of your bed, get dressed, have some breakfast and go to school, rather than sleeping til noon and typing on-line til dusk? In other words, get a life AND an education before it's too late!