Home Schooling And The Socialization Issue
If you have thought about or already are home schooling your children then the issue of socialization might be something that you struggle with. For many contemplating home schooling this can be a big hurdle in actually making the move to home school. The argument and fear is since home schooled children are not with their peers on a daily basis in a large classroom then they might not be as social adept.
The issue essentially comes from the belief that your child ability to interact with others his/her age will be greatly hampered by home schooling. This could potentially lead to anti social behavior that will affect your childs success in life and the community at large.
However, this is not entirely true. Many people use the term socialization in a very lose way and often the true definition of the word socialization is not looked at. This lead many people to draw incorrect conclusions, these are often false or at least not based on fact.
Socialization in its truest form is the process of teaching a uninitiated member of a community to the norms and cultural or shared understanding that the person is a member of. For example, people living in a foreign country would have to go through a similar process if they wanted to fit in at all. Learning the cultural norms of a society helps the person to fit in socially and feel comfortable functioning in the culture.
In the case of a home school situation then the child is a young member that is beginning to learn the norms and shared understandings of a society you already effectively function within. Therefore one of your responsibilities as a home school teacher is to help your child learn acceptable and unacceptable behavior and norms of society.
So how is this socialization taught in our public education system? Typically students are grouped with others their same age. They spend 7 hours a day with these same students. However the classroom is a very competitive environment and does not allow for much outside interaction. Students rarely get a chance to work with anyone that is older or younger then themselves. Talking with the teacher would be about the only interaction with someone that is older then themselves.
On the flipside however, children that are home schooled often get to interact with a wide variety of adults and children younger then themselves. Since the time is not a rigid and more open children have many more opportunities to work with a wide range of other people.
In fact there are numerous studies that have been completed that would support this claim. They have repeatedly found that home schooled children perform as well or even better at relating to adults and younger children.
This should help allay any fears about socialization alone. However there are many other reasons why home schooled children will be far better socialized then their peers.
For example home school is often on a very small teacher or adult to student ratio and their give more flexibility in their time. Which allows for active home schooling parents to sit down and work with the children on specific communication skills?
Also since there is more time available to home schooled children they often start taking lessons in art, music, and even sports. In the end this is one of the best ways to socialize a child.
It is important to remember that home school is not a fix all solution for everything. Since the children will miss out on some of the more social aspects of school like field trips, recess and lunch times it is beneficial to involve your child in some outside activities. There are many home school groups that will do field trips and other social event together and if you do choose to home school your child it might be a good thing to look into.
Check out this site for great
Home school
Information, Resources, Tips and Info - Including the best home school
textbooks, curriculum, teaching methods, ideas and activities.
Learn more about
Home Schooling Issues: Socialization
Providing Socialization in Home Schooled Kids
One issue that many pro-Public School parents indicate is there main reason for sending their children to school rather than home schooling is their socialization needs. That is to say ensuring that they learn to get along with other kids their own a...
Advantages to Home Schooling
There are a number of advantages to home schooling programs, and by considering these, along with the disadvantages; parents can decide if home schooling is a good choice for their family. Advantages to home schooling include better socialization, ed...
Why HomeSchooling is not Really Home Schooling Anymore
Homeschooling may not actually really be "home" schooling anymore, this is because many very smart people have set up home-schooling networks in the United States and there are nearly 1,000 of them now. In these networks the parents and groups get to...
Violence in Schools; Number One Reason for Home Schooling
Not long ago in preparation for a book I am writing I participated in an online forum about Home Schooling. The number one reason that parents said they choose Home Schooling over public schools was the violence issue in our schools.Interesting they ...
The Disadvantages of Home Schooling
Home Schooling Look Before You LeapAre you considering home schooling your children? While you may have focused on the advantages of this form of education, take a moment to think about possible disadvantages of home schooling. Consider the demand...
Senior High Home Schooling: Help is on the Way!
Many cities have parent co-ops to help share resources. Check with your local library to see where and when your local home schooling group meets. Sharing books and resources with other parents is an excellent, low cost option.What if your child is s...
Home Schooling Curriculums
So, youve decided to home school your children. Youve weight all the pros and cons and know you are making the right decision. Now, you need to decide on various home schooling curriculums that will help you and your children get the most out of the ...
Home Schooling - Right or Wrong?
Is home schooling such a great ideas as when you first thought about it? There are many things to consider before taking this decision especially because it is about your child and his future. There are advantages and disadvantages of studying at hom...
Home Schooling
More and more children are studying at home instead of going through the conventional school system. Sometimes circumstances make home schooling necessary. If you travel or move a lot as a family, it can be too much to transfer a child in and out of ...
Christian Home Schooling
There are many different reasons you could choose to home school your children. Some choose it because of lifestyle. Others because of medical problems. Christian home schooling presents yet another option. Christian home schooling has increased in p...
