homeschool compared with public school?

Question

Hi, I am a recent homeschool graduate, am in college right now, and i am writing a paper on why homeschoolers are just as prepared for college both academically and socially as compared to public school students. I have plenty of personal experience to back up my thesis, but I need more than just personal experience, so I could use some input. If you are a parent reading this, why did you decide to homeschool your child in the first place, and are you involved in any homeschool groups in your area? If you are a homeschooler, do you think that you are just as capable academically and socially as public school students, and if you are a teacher readig this, if you have any experience with homeschoolers, what have been your observations concerning their academic and social skills. Do you see any difference in level of competency or ability to learn? Any answers would be appreciated, or any suggested websites to visit would also be appriciated. Thank you!!

Answer 1

I am a HS mom to a just turned 5 year old Daughter. I consider that I have been HSing since birth.
At 4 she really wanted to go to preschool with her friends and refused to work with me anymore telling me that I wasn't her teacher. I enrolled her in a private Montessori preschool 2 days a week and after 2 days of being there moved her into the kindergarten/1st grade class because she was so advanced. She started exhibiting behavioral issues and I decided to take her out and she has gone back to her sweet confident self.

We are back to our routine again and she is thriving. We have an informal co-op where we either take turns teaching classes or hire a teacher (like for Spanish Class). We go on field trips together, park days etc.

People are often amazed at how social she is. She doesn't know a stranger.

People make comments to me all the time and often say things like "Wow she's so articulate" or "What a fantastic vocabulary"
"she's very outgoing"

She has friends of many ages and back rounds and has a wide interest in subjects.

I could go on and on why this is the best choice for my daughter...feel free to email me if you want more info.

Answer 2

I stopped homeschooling in fifth grade and entered the public system. My behavior at ten was different from the behavior of a regular ten year old, and many people noticed it. Throughout sixth, seventh, and eighth grade I was able to deal with the discipline of my teachers, while others could not. Being homeschooled not only taught me a sense of morals but it also taught me individuality, creativity, and a mind to think through scenarios. I could take on any feat because, while I was at home with non of the distratcions or influences of my peers, my mind could expand on all levels of thinking without being jugded by ANYONE. I could be creative all I want for my own sake. I learned for my own sake because my room wasnt a classroom; my whole world was my classroom. My mind developed so much before public school that I always had this infant like behavior. I had emense curiousity of all things. How the Rome fell, or the origin of a word or how and why my friends acted as they did. How something worked, or how a virus infects your body or how facial expressions can mean more than a million words. I was curious about the most boring things and learning just that was never enough. My mind was used to expanding beyond my room and into the vast world. The classroom at school was too small. I learned through the text books and lessons my teachers gave us; I learned more through discussions with everyone around me and consuming many ideas and individual theories, and I kept on learning and building upon my individual self and my social interactions. It is commonly thought that you couldnt have an extremely active social life and achieve good grade; I proved it wrong.
The difference between a public student and a homeschool student is very simple. When a public student enters this room, this classroom, the lesson has started. And when (s)he leaves, the lesson has ended.
When a homeschool student opens his/her eyes, class has started, and when they close their class has taken a break...even if they are unaware of it.
I've started homeschooling again. Sophmore year.

Answer 3

Oh, that's going to be a challenging paper to write. Because, so much depends on the specific situation of the child, the family and the local culture they live in!

I would say that generally, you can't make general statements about homeschoolers or public schoolers. Homeschooling is so individual, that the results are all over the board. Same with public school experiences.

However, if you want some stats, I've included a web page that has links to lots of different stats.

Although homeschooling is awesome, public school can be too. So be fair in your paper, K? You'll get a better grade :)

Good luck!

Answer 4

I graduated from high school two years ago. I had been home-schooled for 7 years, and spent 3 years in small private schools. I went to public school for the eleventh and twelfth grade. While I feel that I was better prepared academically for college because of my homeschooling, without the experience in public school especially, I would have had a much harder time when I started college. Homeschooling put me ahead of my year mates academically, but I greatly lacked 'social know-how'.
I hope this helps you. Good luck!

Answer 5

Hi. I'm 17, and began home schooling when I entered High School. People's opinion on how home school kids tend to become "socially retarded" is blatant ignorance. I'm sure some kids don't interact with kids while Home schooled, but whose fault is that? Home schooled children have morals, and behave better overall than MOSTLY ALL public schooled children. We also have a better chance making it into a private and/or Ivy league college. I would rather be to myself than be a loud mouthed, ignorant child, with "social skills". For people whom are public schooled that come to this board out of jealousy that they didn't get the best education. There are programs for home schooled children to interact, and learn together. There has been much improvement to the homeschooling lifestyle. Which takes away their arguments about us being "socially retarded". In the groups we meet, talk, hang-out, study, and work together. Most even have field trips! If that's not better than a public education I don't know what is!

Answer 6

Well, I was homeschooled my entire life, and I feel that I was really prepared academically and socially before I went off to college (which was August of 2004). Yes, there are some, for lack of a better word, unusual parents out there that completely ruin their children's lives by sheltering them from everything, but my parents put me in co-ops to give me a little social interaction.

As for academically, my parents were always around, so they made sure that I did my school work, and made sure that I did it to the best of my ability.

I am going to a small community college right now, and had some home schooling friends who went there as well. I've talked to a few professors, and they said homeschooled kids are at the top of their list of best students, because they actually apply themselves, and ask questions.

So to answer your question, I believe that homeschooled kids, for the majority of the time, are better off academically than public schooled kids.

Answer 7

Hey im 13 and proud to be homeschooled and I feel that i am more capable academically and socially. Being homeschooled im ahead of most people my age cause i can skip what i know and study longer what i need to learn. Also im in alot of clubs so i have many friends. I think that being homeschooled is better then public school. But that is my view.

Answer 8

We homeschool because I can gear my child's day/education to the WAY HE LEARNS BEST. If he isn't 'getting' something, we switch gears and learn it in a different way. For example, when he had trouble with multiplication tables, we devised a way for him to learn them really easily. Or like with english, he watches Schoolhouse Rock dvds! They are a great way to learn grammar rules!

Also, I think of the time wasted in ps. In an entire day, the amount of time they 'waste' going down halls to classes, locker time, study halls, topics they know and still have to sit through while everyone else gets it...etc etc. My son got on the bus at 830 am and got home at 415. That is a LONG DAY. We learn a lot more in 3 or 4 hours than he ever did in ps.

Answer 9

I'm am a home schooling mom. I home school the youngest of our 5 kids - she is 9 and in 4th grade. The next up in age is 22 and in college. We did not home school the first 4. We home school the last one because she was a surprise baby and we had lived by the school calendar for many, many years. We wanted to travel and since the public school system seriously penalizes those children who are frequently absent, homeschooling was the likely alternative. He education has been very 'hands-on'. She has been to 17 states and 3 foreign countries, including Israel. She takes dance, is a member of a D.I. team, plays basketball and tennis. She takes the Stanford Achievement test every other year and scores well above her grade level. Thanks for the question!

Answer 10

Greetings College freshi! I am a mother of three homeschooled graduates, and let me tell you it was quite a rocky journey. I homeschooled them all their school years and can safely tell you they were not socially ready to go to college. They all dropped out because they got assaulted and harassed almost every day of their first week. I have concluded that homeschooled children don't have friends and can't meet new people at all compared to other kids who are surrounded by other kids every weekday of the schoolyear. Homeschooled kids don't know how to approach people in general and talk because they are only surrounded by their teacher for all their life! I mean its ridiculous what's the point of keeping your kid cooped up in your house all day pretending to teach them and protecting them from the school environment and experience out there? Anyone who homeschooles their kids is probably paranoid of the outside world, there could be no good reason whatsoever to do this horrible crime to your children. Homeschooling will always be out of the question for me, seeing what happened to my 3 "socially retarded" children.