Hey guys!

I am writing a paper for my English class about the social implications of homeschooling in comparision to public schooling.  Do you have any input or opinion?  Do you know of any great resources that I could use for information?  Thanks!  This is my final project for the class, so getting all sorts of information is really important.

AmyC:

I am writing a paper for my English class about the social implications of homeschooling in comparision to public schooling.  Do you have any input or opinion?

By social implications, are you asking about the impact on society that both public school or homeschool can have or how each effects a child's social abilities?

These can be very different answers.  :)

 

My son has a good friend who was pulled out of public school and finished up in home school. He's hard working and living on his own. The parents pulled him out because he was teased and the school didn't really take the complaints seriously. He's a nice kid (23) but even now my son says he has trouble with "social interactions". He likes attention and wants to be well liked and "overcompensates for his shortcomings by boasting". My son thinks pulling him out of school instead of making him learn to deal with different kinds of kids has hurt him in the long run. As far as I know, he has not shown an interest in college.

 People seem to believe a myth that homeschooled students are locked in isolation and void of any form of interaction.  That is so far from the truth it is funny.  Homeschooled students interact with all ages all day.  We are on the go so much that we joke about needing laptops and internet access for the van.  Public school is the situation that is really socially isolating.  Where else in life are you locked up all day with persons of similar ages and skill levels?  No where but school!  

The homeschool legal site should have the studies (HSLDA) .  Their recent newsletter had all the recent stats and study info.

2ndGenGranola:

People seem to believe a myth that homeschooled students are locked in isolation and void of any form of interaction.  That is so far from the truth it is funny.  Homeschooled students interact with all ages all day.

One of my favorites has always been, "how will your children handle the real world when they grow up?" Err, by living in it now?

 

I've done both homeschool and public school. When I took my son out everyone asked "What about scocial interaction?" Why is it people think homeschool children sit and stare at a wall every day? 

My eldest son is in 12th grade and has been in public school since kindergarden, ( We did pre-k at home.) He gets along with all types of people. He dresses in a comfortable t-shirt and jeans. No name brands, nothing pricey. He has been to many parties where there was drinking and/or drugs. He either left as soon as he saw what was going on or stayed if a close friend was in his words "Being stupid, and would need a ride home."

My youngest son was homeschooled for most of his elementary years. He's in 6th grade now and back in public school. Homeschool is his choice or not. He dresses in a comfortable t-shirt and shorts (even when it cold, grrr) No name brands, except for his shoes, which are for high arch support. Something not found in cheap shoes it seems. When homeschooled he played with other kids after school let out. Some were other homeschoolers and some were public schoolers. He got along with both. He has not yet been around anyone that drinks or does drugs. And yes I trust him to tell me.

Both boys can clean an entire house from top to bottom if needs be. Cook a balanced meal. Shop for said meal, thriftly. 

It's my opinion that it doesn't matter where you send you kids to learn, private, public or home school. As long as you take the time to get to know your children you'll know that your raising them right. (Right is defind as the way you choose to raise them not someone else's idea of right.)

cyn

2ndGenGranola:

People seem to believe a myth that homeschooled students are locked in isolation and void of any form of interaction.  That is so far from the truth it is funny.  Homeschooled students interact with all ages all day.

I'm not sure if he was involved with a regular group or not. I'd have to find out. He finished school back in 2004. I do know he was active in church for awhile and played in a band. I think the parents had more issues with the schools response to the bullying complaints. Whatever personality "issues" he has would have been the same whether he was home schooled or in regular school. Its my son who made those observations and comments. I think my son was kind of jealous that his friend got to be homes schooled. I made the comment about college but had forgotten he attended massage therapy school.

Homeschools are wonderful Im foor it also public schools can be great also for social stuff which homeschoolers get depends on the parents and where they live so homeschooling and public schools I thought run neck and neck at first I thought oh uck home school well no they are spending certain amount of time on work just like public so there should not be no compare they are both good.

homeschool works different for some people I know of a little gril that was home schooled and she couldn't even write.  Then I had a little neighbor boy a teen who was also homeschooled and he is very well rounded does his work and the way I understood him sent it in over the computer for a grade.  He is also one of the nicest young men you would ever want to meet he just turned 16 in September if all young people we just half as good a kid as this on the world would be a better place.  He moved about 4 miles from me in July and I told his mom usually I couldn't care less who moves from here but that is one I hated to see go.  So to me I think homeschool has it's good and bad just like public school does.

I think both have positives and negatives associated with them.  DH had me watch this horror movie the other day called "Middle School Confessions".  It was documentary made by HBO about 7-10 years ago and focused on kids 11-14 and the various pressures they face.  Very eye-opening.  Most of the kids went to public school or an alternative school.  I was *shocked* watching kids experiment with intimacy, alcohol, truancy and a whole slew of issues.  But you know the kid I felt worst for was the one who was teased b/c his clothes came from Walmart instead of Abercrombie or Aeropostale or American Eagle; one kid even bragged that his shoes cost $130 but that you had to have them not to be made fun of and if this kid couldn't or wouldn't wear them then he would pay the price.  That type of pressure exists in so many schools (public, private, alternative -- doesn't matter) and it disgusts me.  One of my DD's closest friends just turned 7 (they are 18 months apart in age) and the girl has about 10 pairs of shoes.  It's pretty ridiculous, IMHO.

Homeschooling is not an option for us.  I don't have the patience that would be needed in order for DD to succeed.  I think it has very little to do with where the education takes place, but in the parents' involvement (too much or too little) in the child's life.  I think in a school setting parents need to be almost hyper-aware of their children.  Because they are not around them for 7-8 hours of the day there is a LOT that can (and does) happen that parents are often unaware of.  Generally speaking I've gotten the impression from most homeschooling families that a homeschooled child can be more closely monitored b/c they are home more or in a setting carefully chosen by the parents.