"How are you going to help your kids learn to live in the real world if you keep them sheltered at home?"
Most of us who homeschool hear that question in one form or another at some point in our homeschooling adventure. For many of us, it was a major issue in our decision to homeschool - Either it was a concern or it was a reason that propelled us into embracing homeschooling.
We all have heard stories of the odd kids who appear in the store, church, the playground, high school, or college - seemingly socially awkward, unable to fit in - they were homeschooled. So, we naturally assume that homeschooling caused these strange behaviors. In fact, what we do not know is what these kids would have been like if they had attended a public or private school. Would they be any different? For those of us who did go through a more "traditional" education, we all remember a few "weird" kids at school. I know I do - they never seemed to know what to wear, how to blend in, how to have friends. Children with "odd" or "unusual" behavior are going to occur no matter where schooling takes place. Perhaps they have a social or emotional disability. Maybe they have a sad story in their family life.
Thepoint is - there will always be people, children or adults, who exhibit socially odd behavior no matter where they attended school.
True - some parents do isolate their children in homeschool. However, they are the exception, and not the rule. There are some pretty odd parents in the public and private school system, as well.
The issue must truly begin with the question - what is socialization? What is its purpose and meaning? What is successful socialization?
Socialization can be defined in many different ways:
- Answers.com defines it as : " The process whereby a child learns to get along with and to behave similarly to other people in the group, largely through imitation as well as group pressure."
- Wikipedia defines it as" "the process by which human beings or animals learn to adopt the behavior patterns of the community in which they live."
- Dictionary.com says: a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.
So, just in three diferent sources, there are three slighty different answers.
Stay with us this week as we explore the meaning of socialization and the role school can play in this.
