What do people mean by the phrase "preparing students for the real world"?

Question

What makes people think that home schoolers who have the whole world as their classroom aren't living in the "real world"?

Homeschoolers actually have more opportunities to meet new people and from a variety of backgrounds and more time to spend on social interactions.

Here are some of the activities home schoolers participate in:

Scouting, 4-H, Pioneer clubs, youth groups, volunteer activities, home schooling groups, community service groups, community sports, music lessons, dance lessons, gymnastics, cheerleading, community theatre, art classes, apprenticeships, part-time jobs, internships, mission trips, summer camps, community college classes, dances, debate teams, community and home school group based clubs...

I could go on, but why bother.

Answer 1

It just hit me how funny that phrase is: it actually admits to school not being the real world!!! We must have spent so many years in school being told that we were being prepared for the real world that we've come to just accept that school is not the real world and you need those 12/13 years of preparation to be able to deal with the real world (aka, adult life).

It also means that people just assume that ages 6-18 are not spent in the real world and that school must be the place to prepare for this future real world experience because that's what they've been told all their lives (they're in school to prepare themselves for the real/adult world). It's a shame they don't realize how much the real world isn't some future time to live, but here and now and all around us.

As I've said more than once, there's too much life to live for a child to be stuck in a desk most of the day!

Answer 2

I think that when people use that phrase they are referring to hs'ed kids not experiencing as much of the negative aspects of socialization.

Yes, they aren't. That's a small part of why I hs.

But there are plenty of schools who have 'zero tolerance' policies for bullying/gang activity/drugs/etc, which would seem to indicate to me that constant exposure to this type of thing is NOT in a child's best interest.

Children learn what they live. If they spend most of their waking hours in a social environment that has so much negative about it, then YES they will live to exist that way and will consider it normal. But why would I want this for my kids??

My kids are FAR MORE COMPETENT than others their ages that go to school. [Let's not even talk about how far ahead they are educationally.] My daughter can't drive; she's not old enough for 3 more years; but she can competently run a household in every other way. My son is 11 and isn't a very good cook yet, but can do most other things. They both manage their money wisely. They are respectful and are hard workers. Do you think their future employers would consider them prepared for the real world? I think they will.

I know so many ps students who are completely unprepared. A few days ago I was in a fast-food place with a HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, and she told me she had two dollars and some change, and wanted to know if she had enough money for a soda that was $1.39 + tax. Is this child prepared for the real world? Not at all. She is smart, too, so it is a shame that her education has been wasted. There are so many ps teens I know that I look at them and even though I like these kids as people, I wonder what in the world they will be capable of doing once they graduate. They are not college material because they can't write/spell/do basic math [unless colleges have been dumbed down too, or unless they start with the bonehead courses]. They will have a hard time working at a fast food restaurant. What will be out there for them? I am saying this with great concern, and I don't have any answers here.

Answer 3

Thank you for asking this question! I have wondered the same thing myself very often. My children have participated in many of the activities you listed, and yet I can tell someone all of the experiences they have had out in the community, international travel, etc. Only to have the person say its not "real world".
I wonder when the real world became small enough to stuff into a classroom?
The last time I checked, I live on planet Earth and so do my children, I have yet to find any alternate realities or mystic lands like Narnia. I live in the real world with my children and we experience it every day.
Homeschoolers end up holding jobs and functioning in society all the time, I've never really understood this question.
Well, I guess I sort of know what people mean when they ask it. They picture our kids sitting at home and never relating to anyone besides their parents or a very small group of people with the same beliefs. This isn't my family's way of homeschooling though, so I think the question really stems from a misconception of how most homeschoolers live.

Answer 4

I am not sure bu I think that Homeschoolers are more prepared for the "real world" I mean sticking 25 kids in a classroom together for like 7 hours a day How is that supposed to prepare them for ANYTHING!!! I mean Homeschooler actually get out and do stuff!

Answer 5

Well it is kind of cool being on the outside looking in......kinds, sorta, not really. I do Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, and am applying for a part time job. But, I don't have a social life. I interact great with little kids, adults, pretty much everyone except peers. I have social skills, I just don't have many chances to use them.

Answer 6

Your question drew me in, but I'm unclear as to your connection of the "phrase" with regard to "home schooling". I assume someone didn't agree with your choice of educational alternatives. (by the way I am an advocate of home schooling)

But...
I was wondering if it was actually possible to be "prepared for the real world"?

What do you tell an 18 year old kid when he asks, "Now what?"

I find that the "traditional education" (in the states anyway) is inadequate, over emphasized, over priced, manipulative, misguiding, and for the majority of it's students, completely useless with respect to your above mentioned "phrase".

Do you feel you are ready?

Answer 7

Good question, as I see it they may mean preparing them for the work force, and becoming independent adults.

As home schoolers our children receive academics combined with living daily life without being in an artificial environment (schools) that tries to mimic real life.
Since our children have the opportunity to participate in every part of life from shopping to learning how a household runs daily, go to work with, or shadow a parent at work, and help with a home based or small business.
They can participate in volunteer activities that are done during the day rather than only those open to after school hours.

Most finish a high school program in about 24 months, they may use the traditional 4 years if they work, or have many outside activities.

We can go on for a while, but you get the idea,
They are much more self directed, independent, and prepared since they have the opportunity to practice what they learn.

Edit, for sarah may.
For one I do have experience with public, and private schools before going to home schooling full time.
Trust me we disagree; my husband has a Masters in Education as well, home schooling is the better choice for many.

Just in recent weeks several employers have contacted us, and asked if we would place job announcements on our site, because they preferred home schooled teens/young adult because they have found them to be more reliable, and competent independent workers.
So much for the argument of being not being properly prepared, or living in a "bubble".

Answer 8

I am sorry, but I have to say something because it is really bothering me!

If you were sheltered while you were homeschooled it was probably your parent's fault. Don't blame homeschooling. I was home-schooled for 8 years and I know many people who are home-schooled. (I now go to Public School for my own reasons) They are not sheltered at all, and I wasn't either. My mom took me to many extra-curricular activities and field trips that I enjoyed very much.

Could people realize that home-schooled people are normal people too. Normally they are pretty intelligent!

Answer 9

Apparently our world is suppose to be full disciplined people and maturity and so on and so forth so I guess our world is pretty real because all teachers do is their job by telling us to do good things and not to curse. If a teacher tells you to be quite because you said the most common word (**** aka poop) then they're just in a different word. I don't know how to explain it :(

Answer 10

What they mean is this: the real world is full of money and power hungry people. It is about materialism and every man for himself. It is about haves and have-nots, about givers and takers, bullies and the bullied. If a child is not immersed in it early enough, he/she will not survive.

Homeschooled kids fortunately do not often get immersed in that version of the world, whereas school kids do, and very early on.

Homeschooled kids are indeed in the real world, everyday, and they see, as we do, that it does not need to be like we are trained to think it is. How can we ever make the world a better place if we simply follow along with the crowd? :)