Is socialization a problem for homeschooled children?
Home schooling is a different way of education for many parents, and is gradually but steadily spreading across the world. People disagree on whether home schooling is advantageous academically, it's true, but far more often the question of social isolation comes up among parents who are thinking of homeschooling their children. The bottom line is that homeschooling is good for some kids and that the factors of social isolation can be overcome.
A common concern voiced about home schooled children is they lack the social interaction with peers that a public school environment provides. Public school educators often worry that the children of such people will not learn necessary social skills. Children are born social beings, and as such need social interaction with their peers, so it's understandable that developing proper social skills is an area of deep concern when it comes to home schooling.
However, reputable studies do not indicate social maladjustment due to home schooling. These studies indicate that there are as many anti-social children in public schools as there are in home schooling. In fact, it appears that very few home-schooling children are socially deprived.
True or real socialization means that children are taught to get along with people of all ages and differences, and that is a value that can be taught at home. Yet it may be the children that benefit even more from the increased socialization that home schooling can provide, since home schoolers actually test higher than any other group of students in terms of socialization.
It is a fact that home schooled students have an equal success factor for doing well in college as their public schooled peers. Parents are responsible to make sure that their children interact with their peers in a variety of ways. But, on the other hand, homeschooled children are protected from the detrimental influences of their peers since they have more parental supervision.
If the parents teach social skills and make sure their child is involved in plenty of activities with their peers, then home schooling can be an advantage. The scores do clearly indicate that home schooled students do very well on tests when compared to their conventionally schooled peers.
Home schooling is perhaps the fastest growing trend in education in this country. It is legal in every state, though some regulate it more than others. Home schooling is good if the factors of social isolation can be overcome through proper peer socialization. It is a great option if you want to have a larger role in your kids' learning.
MathTeacher...............
Lambton
