Researchers Say Socialization No Longer an ''Issue''

Christian Post ^ | 5-26-05 | Marion Kim

[RKBA Democrat]

Socialization is no longer an “issue” for homeschoolers, according to some researchers on the long-running debate over public and independent schooling.

Susan McDowell, author of "But What About Socialization? Answering the Perpetual Home Schooling Question: A Review of the Literature,” has researched 24 studies on the socialization of homeschoolers, according to Bristol Herald Courier.

"It’s a non-issue today," said McDowell, who earned Ph.D. in educational leadership from Vanderbilt University. "All the research shows children are doing well."

On one occasion, she was challenged by one of her publishers to find evidence that homeschoolers were socially deficient compared to their publically educated counterparts.

However, she claims finding no one in the academic field with such view supported by research.

Other researchers, such as Larry Shyers, who holds Ph.D. in counseling, support McDowell’s findings. Shyers’ dissertation, "Comparison of Social Adjustment Between Home and Traditionally Schooled Children," won a national award in excellence in research from the Educational Research Information Clearinghouse in 1992.

His studies found that homeschooled children are not disadvantaged when it comes to socialization. He said that those taught at home were more likely to invite others to play with them, they were not as competitive but more cooperative, and they kept their noise levels lower. Homeschooled children also played with peers of both genders rather than with those of the same gender, he added.

Fourteen-year-old Kayla Freeman from Bristol, Tenn. says she knows more people than she did while in traditional school, and she has discovered better friends in the homeschool community.

“Most homeschooled kids I know are outgoing and friendly," Kayla said. "They are the truest friends I have."

Whether it is for religious, social, or educational reason, American parents are, albeit small in number, increasingly withdrawing their children out of public schools and instructing them at home, despite the criticisms laid out by homeschool critics.

The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) estimated that 1.1 Million students were homeschooled in the United States in 2003, an increase from 850,000 from the 1999 NHES data.

[maine-iac7]

Human children spent the majority of history in small mixed age groups, not large same age groups like now.

Exactly - home schooled kids have a more natural environment - and more time to spend outdoors, more time for fresh air, sunshine, exercise and more time to learn and experience things public school kids don't have time for, = most have to catch a bus early in the morning, lucky if they get home by 4 - in the dark during winter months --- trapped inside all day - and then hours of homework.

Home school kids can get all their academics in with 2-3 hours - maybe some extra homework. But still have a life! Right now, my neighbors have two girls 11 and 14, home-schooled. Schooling is over well before noon. They have chores in the afternoon - taking care of their horses, weeding/watering the garden, walking the dog - with plenty of time for play in between. And no long hours of homework at night. They are delightful to be around, well mannered, happy, - and ahead of their public school counterparts...

I had to work and couldn't home school my daughter, but I had her in a small church school. Always, it was "but what about her socializing?"

Well what about it. She was only surrounded by about 40 other school kids instead of several hundred. (Her class was 4 kids, they interacted with all age groups.) She was never intimidated or bullied or lost in the crowd. So, I say, What KIND of socialization is a kid exposed to in public schools? - being intimidated or bullied or exposed to drugs and drinking and even teachers that leave a lot to be desired nowadays? Being taught the new social norms that say perverse lifestyles are really normal...

She is now in her 30's, She has a close circle a good friends, is a leader in organizing activities, is a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful daughters - her hubby a U.S. Pilot. The girls do dance, hockey and horseback riding. They're taught phonics and can read far ahead of their grade level. People marvel at their little family.

And she didn't have the "benefit" of public schools...

[wintertime]

I was joking...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I am not joking ( although I know you were).

The socialists/Marxists/Liberals would like nothing better than taking complete control of the raising and indoctrinating of children. If they could get away with it, they WOULD take newborns from the arms of their mothers in the hospital.

[Tired of Taxes]

Homeschool Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Are you a homeschooler looking for advice from other homeschoolers? Visit our Free Republic Homeschoolers' Forum 2006-2007.

[pax_et_bonum]

Socialization never was an issue for homeschoolers.

[Paperdoll]

>Just because a child is homeschooled, that does not mean they will grow up to be a stellar adult.<

LOL! Few of us do no matter where we were schooled. But most homeschoolers stand a much better chance to do that these days than those attending public schools.

[durasell]

That's the way things are where you live? I'd suggest voting in local school board elections...

[Tired of Taxes]

Thanks for the ping!

[Paperdoll]

Also, see my post #51.

[maine-iac7]

LOL

'heard ya the first time. Did you have to say it twice to believe it yourself?

One can succeed without the need to compete. Indeed, that 'need' can get in the way of achievement...unless you're playing competitive sports or the like -

I'm a writer and a Portrait artist. I have never felt the need to be a 'better' writer or artist that someone else, only to be the best writer/artist I, myself, can be.

To feel you need always to be better than others is sad on so many levels.

[hinckley buzzard]

There are idiot parents and idiot teachers. But for the most part, idiot parents don't attempt to teach.

[metmom]

Socialization never was an issue. I noticed they never went after something like the quality of education, as if socialization was the primary reason for attending school in the first place.

Makes you kind of wonder how all those pioneers who lived alone out on the prairie some 100+ years ago ever made it. /sarc

[durasell]

But for the most part, idiot parents don't attempt to teach.



Wow, good to know. I can sleep better at night.

[maine-iac7]

What about idiot parents? Most of the parents I meet today I wouldn't trust with an ant farm.

probably products of public schooling

[durasell]

probably products of public schooling


Products of too much.

[metmom]

The author of the book, Eregon, was a homeschooled high school student, so I've heard. He finished it about the time he graduated from high school.

[politicket]

And relatives are naturally going to be reluctant to point such things out.

Our relatives let us know exactly how they felt regarding us homeschooling. And the words weren't always nice...

Now, eight years later, they sing the praises of homeschooling and see just how great it has been. We'll be homeschooling clear through high school.

[Ironclad]

I love hyperbole and I've done some idiotic things in my half-century plus on this planet, so I've got you covered both ways. Perhaps my brothers' home schooling plans were not executed properly.

[Ironclad]

They all live at least a thousand miles away, alas. I try my best through birthday and Christmas presents.

[politicket]

These are schools in which testing is mandatory for entrance and they only take the top 2 or 3 percent. Basically X-Treme Cherry Picking out of a study population of over a million. These kids are filling the specialized high schools.

I'm very familiar with these "specialized" schools. Basically, they're a means to take the brightest kids and put them into an environment where teachers can practice "super indoctrination" on them. These kids come out parroting some of the most inane liberal garbage you have ever heard, and they think that they are "wise" beyond their years doing it. No thanks.....

Our state requires that we test our homeschooled kids every two years. Our seventh grader is taking his test this summer - his GED. This will free him up to study more medicine and science, which are his interests. We are also in the process of CLEP'ing him out of a lot of the entry-level college courses ---- And BEST OF ALL, he doesn't get social indoctrination doing it (In fact, he refers to high schools around town as "indoctrination centers").

P.S.: It's not that our son is so incredibly smart, it's that the school system is so incredibly dumbed down. That is why you see the foreign students coming in and taking over the top spots in the pecking order. Most of them come from countries that actually TEACH their students skills rather than propagandizing them with Michael Moore's latest escapades...

[wintertime]

My own homeschooled kids entered college at the ages of 13, 12, and 13. All three finished all of their general college courses and all three levels of Calculus ( calc III) by the ages of 15.

The two younger graduated from our leading state university at the ages of 18 with B.S. degrees in mathematics. The older of these 2 recently finished a masters degree in mathematics.

The oldest is an internationally and nationally ranked athlete. Because of his heavy training and travel schedule he chose to major in accounting. By the age of 19 he was a mere 13 courses shy of a degree when he left for a 2 year church assignment Eastern Europe. He returned completely fluent in Russian, is competing again in his sport, and is close to finishing his degree.

Also, like you, politicket, my children are not any smarter than the children of the other posters on this board. It is just that homeschooling is so efficient. The children never spent more than 2 hours in formal homeschooling, although my day was about a total of 5 hours.