Homeschooling and Socialization
Does Homeschooling Harm a Child's Ability to Socialize?
An explanation of the true meaning of socialization for homeschoolers and those who constantly ask if homeschooling impairs a child's social abilities later in life.
For many people who homeschool their children there is one question they must get used to answering. In homeschool circles this is referred to as simply, “the question”. And that question is, “...but what about socialization? Aren’t the children missing out?” That question has become somewhat of a running joke amid homeschooling networks.
Homeschooling Myths
There are many homeschooling myths that circulate among communities and networks that support public education. According to the National Home Education Network, one such myth is the idea that all homeschoolers either belong to religious sects or are abusing their children and want to keep the child segregated. The truth is a vast majority of homeschool families homeschool to provide their children the best academic opportunities available.
Another popular myth is that the family is actually harming their children by segregating them from what society deems to be an acceptable social situation for youth, i.e. public school classrooms. It is thought that homeschooled children will grow up socially inept because they were denied the right to attend a public school filled with their peers.
Putting an End to the Myth of Un-Socialization
In order to put this myth to rest a look at the true definition of socialization is required. Socialization is defined as “a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behaviors and social skills appropriate to his or her social position” according to Dictionary.com.
There are a few key words contained in this definition that give insight into why homeschool does not, as many people assume, hinder a child’s ability to socialize. These words are: individual, continuing and personal identity. All of these characteristics of socialization are considered to carry great value within the homeschool world. In fact many parents choose to school their children at home because of the opportunities the home learning environment offers a child.
What a homeschooling parent is usually being asked when asked “the question” is, “Well if the children aren’t in public school how can they possibly relate to their peers? And furthermore if they are always at home how can they learn to behave and act in public?”
A homeschooling parent will usually take a step back at this point and offer a lesson on what socialization actually means and the differences between this and the act of being social. That homeschooled children are unable to socially interact with acceptable peer groups is a large assumption and unfounded.
So Why Is Socialization Such a Big Concern?
Most homeschoolers readily admit socialization is a vital part of a child’s education. Parents, in most cases, decide to homeschool based on a strong desire to raise and educate happy, well-adjusted children who are capable of functioning and getting along with their peers in the “real world”. Based on this, the concern about socialization or social skills really is unnecessary, since the average homeschooled child will have many opportunities provided to him simply based on the form of education he receives.
The problem rests in the inability of those who choose public education to actually see how a child is being educated and allowed to socialize in a homeschool environment. One is able to see the public school system at work through the many checks and balances imposed upon it. The inability to watch a family homeschool can lead to a stereotypical image of homeschooling for the public.
The truth is, homeschooling is not widely publicized and there is no television show running on public cable offering people a look at the lives of homeschoolers. Their lives remain a mystery to curious onlookers and that sparks fears about homeschooling, the main fear being a lack of socialization.
Read more about Homeschooling History
