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HOME-SCHOOLING: Socialization not a problem


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By The Washington Times

Sunday, December 13, 2009

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One of the most persistent criticisms of home-schooling is the accusation that home-schoolers will not be able to fully participate in society because they lack socialization. Its a challenge that reaches right to the heart of home-schooling, because if a child isnt properly socialized, how will that child be able to contribute to society? Since the re-emergence of the home-school movement in the late 1970s, critics of home-schooling have perpetuated two myths. The first concerns the ability of parents to adequately teach their own children at home; the second is whether home-schooled children will be welladjusted socially. Proving academic success is relatively straightforward. Today, it is accepted that home-schoolers, on average, outperform their public school peers. The most recent study, Homeschool Progress Report 2009, conducted by Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute, surveyed more than 11,000 home-schooled students. It showed that the average home-schooler scored 37 percentile points higher on standardized achievement tests than the public school average. The second myth, however, is more difficult to address because children

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who were home-schooled in appreciable numbers in the late 1980s and early 1990s are only now coming of age and in a position to demonstrate they can succeed as adults. Home-school families across the nation knew criticisms about adequate socialization were ill-founded they had the evidence right in their own homes. In part to address this question from a research perspective, the Home School Legal Defense Association commissioned a study in 2003 titled Homeschooling Grows Up, conducted by Mr. Ray, to discover how home-schoolers were faring as adults. The news was good for home-schooling. In all areas of life, from gaining employment, to being satisfied with their home-schooling, to participating in community activities, to voting, home-schoolers were more active and involved than their public school counterparts. Until recently, Homeschooling Grows Up was the only study that addressed the socialization of home-schooled adults. Now we have a new longitudinal study titled Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults from the Canadian Centre for Home Education. This study surveyed home-schooled students whose parents participated in a comprehensive study on home education in 1994. The study compared home-schoolers who are now adults with their peers. The results are astounding. When measured against the average Canadians ages 15 to 34 years old, home-educated Canadian adults ages 15 to 34 were more socially engaged (69 percent participated in organized activities at least once per week, compared with 48 percent of the comparable population). Average income for home-schoolers also was higher, but perhaps more significantly, while 11 percent of Canadians ages 15 to 34 rely on welfare, there were no cases of government support as the primary source of income for home-schoolers. Home-schoolers also were happier; 67.3 percent described themselves as very happy, compared with 43.8 percent of the comparable population. Almost all of the homeschoolers 96 percent thought home-schooling had prepared them well for life. This new study should cause many critics to rethink their position on the issue of socialization. Not only are home-schoolers actively engaged in

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civic life, they also are succeeding in all walks of life. Many critics believed, and some parents feared, that home-schoolers would not be able to compete in the job market. But the new study shows home-schoolers are found in a wide variety of professions. Being home-schooled has not closed doors on career choices.

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The results are a great encouragement to all home-schooling families and to parents thinking about home-schooling. Home-schoolers, typically identified as being high academic achievers, also can make the grade in society. Both Homeschooling Grows Up and Fifteen Years Later amply demonstrate home-school graduates are active, involved, productive citizens. Home-school families are leading the way in Canadian and American education, and this new study clearly demonstrates home-school parents are on the right path. To read the full study or a synopsis, visit www.hslda.ca/cche.

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Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at 540/338-5600 or send e-mail to media@hslda.org.
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Cobra

3 years ago

How does public school assist in "socializing" people, help them prepare for social interaction within society? The majority of people in public school are kids, not adults. So, any "socialization" would produce adults with the ability to interact in a socially acceptable manner with kids, not fellow adults. This is why so many people acts just like kids when in a public setting. This is why they fight, this is why the are rude, this is why they don't' respect anyone

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in authority. They have been "socialized" to interact in a childlike society.


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Handmaid4peace

3 years ago

I'm one of those home-school success stories. I was home-schooled for most of my k-12 academic career, as were most of my siblings. I have 8-years experience as a private and public school teacher. I've worked in PR and radio. I have two lovely children, a husband in ministry and music and 6 siblings whose jobs make a difference in their community. I can testify that homeschooling was not deleterious to my future or my socialization.
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LeonardH

3 years ago

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For years, I have pointed out the Dictionary definition of "socialize"verb (used with object) 1. to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others. 2. to make socialistic; establish or regulate according to the theories of socialism. Leonard Henderson, co-founder American Family Rights Association http://familyrights.us "Until Every Child Comes Home" "The Voice of America's Families"
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someonelol

3 years ago

Great, lets bust these myths. Seriously, being homeschooled is awesome. I can testify. I'm in "school" right now.. lol
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Cobra

3 years ago

Don't get me wrong, Hank, I'm not against public schools. I just think it's beyond

foolish to claim that public school is how we "socialize" our children and to actually commence a 'study" to quantify how much "socialization" one type of education setting has over another type is an exercise in futility. Children learn social skills by daily observation of the interactions of fellow family members in social settings. They don't learn them by observing other children reading books and performing assignments, which is what occurs in schools.
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HankBondJr

3 years ago

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Cobra, what you have described exists far too often. I have known high school teachers who have told their students "your high school years are the best years of your life." What this invariably means is that those teachers thought their high school years were their best years, so they have returned to high school as teachers so that they will never have to leave and grow up. The result is a teacher whose behavior is child-like, so the adult role model for the kids is another kid just like you said. I can see how if a parent were home schooling their own kid this would be very unlikely. Such a responsible adult would probably not put up with their own kid's behavior if it were bad. I never had a problem with a kid whose parents backed me up when I was doing my best to teach their kids all that I could. I doubt if few parents would ever have the knowledge that all the teacherss teaching their kids would possess. They would not have had a chance to develop the skills and the experience. But in the favor of the parent would be the simple fact that that was their kid, and the parent should know that kid's interests and abilities pretty well. I am still in favor of maintaining the best public school system possible. But I am sure that some students who are home schooled have received a good education. Socialization to me means for kids to develop the ability to speak in public with confidence, work and play with other people, take turns, develop manners, and other such. A teacher with experience in child development can spot certain problems and often provide solutions and when doing so keep the parents informed. A teacher should be a role model of good behavior, and they can do this best by being an adult who has proper behavior rather than an adult acting like a child with good behavior. Teachers certainly learn from their students, but let us hope that students do not have to teach their teachers how to be adults. Thank goodness this does not happen frequently, but it does happen. Ol Hank
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olshinski

3 years ago

While I am not generally opposed to homeschooling, and know that an excellent education can be obtained thereby, this article has some serious biases. "Homeschool Progress Report 2009" compares homeschool students who self-selected to

both take state level achievement tests and to participate in the survey. While the study group was large, "The 11,739 participants came from all 50 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico," it is compared to public school scores, which are not self-selected. Furthermore, the results are used in this article, while the authors have not yet published or provided the full study or methodology. "Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults" is a very small, but also self-selected study. "A total of 285 of the original 620 families were found, and 281 accepted the telephone invitation to receive and pass on questionnaires to their children...By June 22, 2009, a total of 226 questionnaires were received and passed along for analysis." The Times article, at the bottom, notes that the author, "Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at 540/338-5600 or send email to media@hslda.org." The article fails to note that the Home School Legal Defense Association is directly affiliated with the Canadian Centre for Home Education, the other source for the article. In full disclosure, I am a substitute teacher, and appreciate the public school system. I don't wish to imply that homeschoolers are socially stunted, or even address the issue, I'm just pointing out that this is really more of an advertisement than an "article." Sources: http://www.hslda.ca/cche_resea... http://www.hslda.org/docs/stud...
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Anonymous

3 years ago

There are so many problems with the reasoning in this article, I don't know where to begin. In the first place, a "study" done by a proponent of home schooling is not a valid evaluation. The analysis in the "study" proves the premise that parents in general are not qualified to home school. Some basic issues: 1. What "standardized tests" were used as measurements? Since each state has individualized education evaluations, just how were the scores configured to come up with a

national standard quoted in this article? 2. The only thing "astounding" about the Canadian study is that anyone thinks that Canada and the U.S. can be equated. The 96 percent figure of home-schooled students who felt prepared for life is another wonderment. Is the study questioning the life they live or the life they might have lived with a better education? 3. The statement that home schoolers "make the grade in society" is another fallacy. The only grade I see in the article is that home schoolers in Canada do not rely on welfare "as the primary source of income." How many home schoolers receive any sort of welfare? Perhaps 40 percent receive some sort of welfare, while only 11 percent of the public schoolers rely on welfare as income? Maybe home schoolers still live at home and rely on their parent's income? There is absolutely nothing in these statistics that supports "making the grade." 4. The higher income statement? What careers did the home schoolers select? Did the careers involve higher math and science? Did the careers focus on writing skills? Were the students hired in at a lower or higher pay rate compared to others in the same job? How many home schoolers were accepted at quality colleges? How many stayed longer than a year at the college with passing grades? This is the meat of any educational analysis. 5. "Socialization" is a polite term for how well a student fits in with peers. The term does not mean you get out in society. Even if the article definition is accepted, there are serious problems. The organized activities once a week, as reported in the article, I suspect include going to church. That means no other activities were done during the week except church. This is the problem when results are manipulated. Home schooled children have difficulty, even those who go out for a home school activity once a week or month with other home school groups. It's not the same thing of dealing with others on a day-to-day basis. Neither document uses acceptable study methodology. Period. These folks should not teach logic, nor should they teach math. This article proves the case against home schooling. The authors do not know the basics of sampling. Any parent who feels that they alone can teach all subjects to their children at all grade levels is truly an ignoramus. By denying your child the opportunity to be taught by a trained specialist, you are selfishly limiting their life opportunities.
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Stephen DiNisio

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Anonymous a year ago

point #5 of your argument is quite flawed and based purely on your own speculation. I was home schooled for most of my k-12 career and can speak from experience. The home school community is very well organized allowing for large groups to get together and "socialize." The town I grew up in had about 1,000 active home school families. There was at least

1 activity to join in every day of the week. We had organized gym classes, sports team activities, art classes, public speaking groups and many others. The local bowling alley even rented out half the lanes to home schoolers for 2 days out of every month. Along with that community also comes trained educators who are qualified to teach some of the more difficult subjects. There were organized math classes along with science and history classes taught by professionally trained teachers for parents to enroll their kids in. Not all children can learn a subject using the same methods used in the large classroom setting. That is where the public school system is in error. being home schooled allows for the child to have his education tailored to his/her needs. Some fellow students self taught themselves every single subject. I now know that about myself too. After graduating I realized that I can teach myself anything if I want to learn it. As for me, I'll be home schooling my kids. I thank my parents for teaching me at home and I'm sure my kids will someday thank me. You can have your failed, government run public education system.
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Eric Hackenberger

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Anonymous a year ago

I like your systematic deconstruction of the studies, I appreciate that. However, when I was a Senior in high school I felt confident enough to teach every class I ever took and with the exception of cooking class and small mechanical repair and sports and World History I would be ready to teach every other class as well too. When I have a kid I know I can give him/her just as good as an education I received in high school. And I went to an excellent high school. Sounds conceited, maybe it is, but let's face it, subjects at the high school level are not difficult to master.
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Michelle

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Anonymous a year ago

I spent 10 years in the military and there is barely a subject I don't have a qualification in. I certainly have more than any teacher I know. Many teachers, and I have been taught by some, teach outside of their specialty. This is an ability any enthusiastic adult can manage. I know people that home school that barely finished their own education so they learn along with their children. The only qualification that they wouldn't hold is one to teach a class of children, rather than to individuals.

The percentage drop out rate for college from children entering from local schools is huge. Most home educated children already know what their life passion is and are accepted into courses even only on interview and life experience. We are a happy lot..living our lives peacefully and wholly with little disturbance or needs from others. This includes not utilising the schools that have been paid for with our taxes. Your response to this writer was an insult to their trade. Their job is not to do the analysis but to gather and report on the research of others in a way that could be understood by the general public..or perhaps your education doesn't extend that far?? Michelle
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Stephen DiNisio

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Michelle a year ago

good call. being a fellow home schooler I would say we are a happy bunch. I'd say that I am a well educated and responsible citizen and so are all of my fellow home school graduates.
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Stephen DiNisio 4 months ago

Really ALL? There is a young man in my town who was homeschooled. He is an alcoholic who has been arrested for drug dealing. His mother was recently arrested for spousal battery. Say those you know are happy well educated citizens but don't generalize to say all, because honestly it hurts the reasoning skills. Homeschooled families and kids are people who will be taken more seriously when they take themselves off their self-built pedestals.
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Adri

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Anonymous 11 months ago

I'm seriously laughing out loud at this comment. WOW!!! Homeschoolers don't all live in the boon docks making leather shoes calling it school. They live in highly populated areas & "interact" with people EVERYDAY. Let's see, there are art classes, ballet, baseball, soccer, girl scouts, boy scouts, swim team, etc. These activities commence several times a week. You obviously just have it out for homeschoolers or are just decidedly close-minded to think that any of the points you made are valid enough to hold water. By the way, state tests are state tests. Homeschooled kids take

tests at the end of the year just like their public-educated peers. It's not like they're tests made up by their moms. You need to be better informed before you build a platform on assumptions. Yikes!
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HankBondJr

3 years ago

And the type of socialization I hope we are talking about is just learning how to get along with other folks at work and play, and with folks that might be different from the family you came from which is what life in America can be like. This is automatic in public schools, but may be a little harder when home schooling is used. I have heard of home school basketball teams which is one idea that could help. If we wake up one day and find that hundreds of public schools have been forced to close and those properties have been sold off to perhaps Walmart or some other business, I think it highly probable that we will live to regret that having taken place. It will be too expensive to get those assets back. Though a retired educator myself, I cannot say that there were not bad teachers in our schools. On average, however, I saw dedicated teachers doing wonders with students from all walks of life. I taught in a Southern state that is not considered one of the great states when it comes to education, but I had a student that went to Harvard and graduated there at the head of her class. She was an exceptional student who could have taught herself very well. Actually, when a school performs extremely well, you will find a large percentage of students enrolled in that school system who are of that caliber. Some of my fondest memories are of students who overcame all sorts of difficulties and ended up pretty solid students. In such cases, the teacher is a little more justified in taking a little bit of the credit. I think most kids would be better off going to public schools, especially if when they went home they got help from parents, the type of which would be willing to do all the work that home schooling requires. OK, I will admit that private schools can be good as well, but just stop recruiting all the good athletes that are in my school district. (Yes, I was a basketball coach as well.) Sincerely, HankBondJr
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Jennifer

14 days ago

I agree that the socialization myth may be irrelevant, but I do not find it a fair comparison to compare homeschooled children to the entire population of public school. A better comparison may be public school children of the parents that were more involved with their children.
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Anonymous

3 years ago

Basic elements are missing in all of the home school test comparisons: 1. Public schools require ALL students to take standardized tests. This includes special needs students mainstreamed in classes and any student in a regular class, regardless of native language or language capability at the time of the test. The comparisons made in home school articles compare apples and oranges. 2. Scores mean a competency, a BASIC competency. I'd hope that with the intense home program that students would score 100 percent. Less than that is disappointing, not something to be celebrated. 3. Public schools also focus on teaching material other than a set test prescription. A state-approved general curriculum is covered in public schools. I rarely see home programs cover even half the required curriculum. Note: The general curriculum. other than math, reading and writing, is not part of standardized test content for areas. Testing for other content and grade levels was anticipated, but never put in place. Who knows what home schoolers lack in areas omitted from state testing?
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eramos

3 years ago

I meant that they ARE NOT scared to talk to older people. ABOVE .
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eramos

3 years ago

I love to read this kind of article because they encourge me to keep going on. I am glad that my kids already know what the want to be and are secure about their decision . They are confident of themselves and are scared to talk to older people .
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HankBondJr

3 years ago

Parents who send there kids to private schools sometimes do that so their kids do not have to attend classes with people considered beneath their own kids. Oftentimes these parents favor the voucher system because they do have to pay for their kids education twice: first by taxes and second by paying tuition. That is a good point, admittedly, but vouchers will hurt public education. Some will say vouchers will allow anyone to go to any school they choose. That is not true. I can guarantee you that the cost of the tuition to the best private schools will be raised to prohibit those with only voucher money from attending. Wealthy people will pay less for their kids education. That will be the main benefit. On the other hand,

we will just add more bureacracy to administer the voucher program. Yes, there will be competition which should increase quality, but there will never be the resources needed in the public schools that would allow them to really shine. But a kid with a good family that taught their kids the value of work and manners can thrive in even a poor school. So I would still have to say that the public schools must be saved. Home schooling makes sense if the public school is just hopelessly bad. If parents have the time, patience, intelligence, knowledge, etc, they can do a great job. This is not always the case. I have seen parents keep their kids out

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