See also Negative aspects of homeschooling

Thinking out loud here ...

I think, possibly, I have come up with a decent criticism of homeschooling. I realize that most of the arguments against homeschooling (socialization and whatnot) are suspect at best. However, I am starting to wonder if a lack of competition is healthy?

Let me explain (and this is not to brag about me)

In elementary school I was always near the top in the class. My parents decided to try and get me into the magnet program, which is where they take the best students at all of the schools and bus them to two schools collecting the so called academic elite. I got in. When I got to middle school I was an average to slightly above average student. I was actually intimidated by the number of kids who were more intelligent than I was. In high school, the competition got worse. I don't think I graduated in the top half of my class. Bottom line is, I had to deal with the stark reality that I wasn't really as smart as I thought I was. By high school, I realized that if I was going to amount to much, I was going to have to work my tail off. That was a necessary realization for me. There were clearly others who could skirt by on their brains far more than I could. Even for them at some point they have to work hard to reach their potential. This competition was good for me and it drove me to actually work harder. There were people there who performed at a high level and I could see that.

How am I going to approximate this at home? Is it even necessary? I read somewhere recently about a homeschooled boy who started studying special relativity at the age of 13. Stanford took him in a heartbeat because he had demonstrated a drive to tackle hard subject matter on his own. Did he need the competition or did the love of learning drive him to excellence? If he had the competition, where did he get it? I don't know. I might be looking at the competition aspect all wrong. Maybe athletics is a better place to drive home that point rather than in academia. Then again, I know with bowling, competition is ultimately with yourself, however, you are not going to get really good at that without help (actual or competitive) from people who are better than you are.

If any of you homeschoolers are reading this I would like your input. The more the merrier.

this is a work in progress ... I will likely update it in the next few days

This question is raised by every well meaning person who finds out that we are planning on homeschooling.

The idea that there is something wrong with the socialization aspect of homeschooling typically presumes a few things:
1. That socialization of children in age-homogenous classrooms is necessary for normal social development
2. That homeschooled children avoid contact with their peers
3. That adults who were homeschooled are generally unable to function in society

MYTH: Socialization of children in age-homogenous classrooms is required for normal social development

Historically speaking, age-homogenous classrooms are a novelty. Plenty of the most brilliant minds, not to mention socially relevant and historical persons, of the past were privately tutored, raised in one room school houses with children of diverse ages or educated themselves. In fact there is even some criticism from within the school environment related to age-homogenous classrooms. -- See multi-age classrooms -- For this to be a valid criticism of homeschooling, it would require showing that there is something inherently wrong with raising children primarily in a family environment with REGULAR social interaction with other children who happen to be located OUTSIDE of a classroom environment. What is so necessary about a classroom that makes it more suitable for proper social development than social environments outside of the classroom? In fact, it would be easy to argue that students should NOT be socializing in class in the first place. After all, they are there to learn. I spent my entire education in public schools and I can assure you that I did not have a significant amount of time to get to know my fellow students at school. Recess and lunch were the exceptions but that time was still limited. My best friendships, even with those I met at school, were developed OUTSIDE of school time.

MYTH: Homeschooled children avoid contact with their peers

Lets start with some study statistics: "The typical homeschooler takes part in at least five social activities outside the home every week" (Source) "Another study points out that 98% of homeschool students are involved in more than one activity outside the home." (Source)

Part of the seed of this myth stems from the idea that homeschool parents WANT to isolate their children. Let us consider this in light of the most common reasons cited for homeschooling.

The following three reasons are cited as the most common reasons that parents homeschool (Source).

31.2% Concern about environment of other schools
29.8% To provide religious or moral instruction
16.5% Dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools

Initially "concern about environment of other schools" may seem like a bunch of parents hauling their kids into a cave to avoid all contact with the human species. This, however, is not typically the case. The summary of this report (Source) noted that "safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure" were the most often cited within the subset of this concern about the schooling environment. The idea is to isolate your children from negative influences more than from children as a whole. It is a logical fallacy to think that parents would not want their children in contact with other children just because they don't want their kids in contact with bad influences. Bad influences are not "normal society" however they are part of normal society. Not only that, bad influences are unavoidable. Homeschool parents with any sense realize that socialization of their children is necessary. Mine beg for it and it is this oft cited criticism that has resulted in homeschool parents making contact with other children a priority in their lives.

MYTH: Adults who were homeschooled are generally unable to function in society

A study was done by the National Home Education Research Institute specifically to counter this claim. The results of the survey are as follows:

Homeschool adults:

Attend religious services at a higher rate than typical US adults (93% to 41%)
Are more involved in the political process. They

- Contribute money to political parties / candidates at a higher rate
- Work for political causes at a higher rate
- Attend public meetings at a higher rate
- Write editorials / sign petitions at a higher rate
- Participate in protests and boycotts at a higher rate
- VOTE at a SIGNIFICANTLY higher rate (nearly DOUBLE in age ranges surveyed)

Volunteer for service organizations at a significantly higher rate than typical US adults (71% to 37%)

They are also generally more satisfied with life, with their careers and with their financial situations than the average US adult in their age range. (Source)