Posted on 08/06/2006 3:22:26 PM PDT by 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.
I've seen that type of behavior also in some kids. Not just homeschooled kids, but also kids in the very gifted track.
My family was at a large birthday party yesterday and there was a girl about 12 or so (I have NO idea how she was schooled). There was something very disconcerting about how she would insert herself into adult conversations with an arrogant tone of how she could solve any given problem. At 12 or so, one does not have the life experiences to even offer an opinion on many subjects, yet she thought her opinion was wanted, needed and gave it many times. She actually shouted at my husband at one point who had been into a conversation with another adult and mentioned how the founder of Greenpeace recently endorsed the use of nuclear power in a WaPo article. She told my husband - a 48 year old man - that he was an idiot for stating this and then stomped off telling someone else how stupid people are. Supreme arrogance.
This is not the first time I've seen this type of behavior among young and middle teens and the only connection I have found is that they are either homeschooled or in the gifted program at school. So these kids may be smart beyond their years, but they are dumb as dirt in terms of respect and the ability to admit they might just be wrong.
Here's a hint:
Fame
I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly
High
My experience has been that generally kids are arrogant when they aren't taught humility, no matter how they're schooled. But I have yet to come across a homeschooled kid as arrogant and rude as the girl you described. (Based on the description you gave, I wouldn't assume that she's either homeschooled or gifted).
My oldest child really is very bright in terms of his amount of knowledge on certain topics. He really does know much more than the average adult (including his mother here) on a number of topics. But I always hammered humility into him - in fact, I went overboard. Most other kids are far more arrogant without knowing as much.
However, I have no trouble at all with him having more knowledge than I do. I'm happy about it. In fact, if I'm not sure about something, I ask him about it, and he's only 10.
You hit a chord with me. I don't know if you are familiar with Dennis Prager or not. He is a radio talkshow host and I happen to love him. He speaks frequently about this phenomenon. Not that the kids are necessarily bright, just that they seem to think they can just go up to adults and criticize them or talk to them as if they are "peers." He always makes such excellent points. The real problem is parents who allow their children to comment to adults as if they were also adults. Some think it's cute. I've seen it. They have not earned the right or status yet, but they are often not scolded or disciplined for this behavior.
We locked ours in their closet.....Attic was too small.
I don't know Ironclad, but I can tell you that I certainly know the difference between naivete, innocence, shyness, reticence and so on and oddness, weirdness, eccentricity. As the old saying about pornography goes, "I may not be able to define it precisely, but I know it when I see it."
Nobody is implying that homeschooling is bad or wrong or that homeschooled children are turned into weirdos. We are simply pointing out personal observations. His from his family and mine from numerous friends, church-friends and even some close friends, and acquaintances.
That's been my experience. The homeschool environment is just plain natural. It's unnatural to place young children into an environment with 25 other children of the same age for six hours a day.
You are mixing in too many subjects. We happen to be talking about some of the observations we've made of homeschooled children.
As for not needing all those classes if one wants to be an auto mechanic. That is very shortsighted. An auto mechanic may one day want to be the boss and run his own business; if he doesn't have some very good math and english skills, I pity him. I also believe in differences, but I try to look a bit further down the pike.
The important things in life, like faith, marriage and family, have nothing to do with competition.
Please don't confuse the institution of school with that of an orphanage. How ridiculous. It is no more natural than any other way. School isn't natural at all, period. Children learn in different ways. Homeschooling has wonderful advantages and good points. My son would have been a prime candidate for homeschooling, but it was in its infancy then and we didn't have nearly the information and resources we have now. The point is that nobody should crucify someone for NOT homeschooling their children. There are pros and cons to both. I'm glad for homeschoolers and think it's a great thing, but you are wrong. It is not the end-all, be all. If it were, then you'd have medical students being homeschooled.
You will get no argument from me on this one, but I happen to think homeschooling could exacerbate certain traits, just as public school might exacerbate other traits or problems.
That's one of them.
The city has also expanded the specialty high school system to include a variety of things, such as fashion/graphic design, etc.
Mother Angelica! < /shameless plug>
This is also the answer to the question, what three things won't you find in a public school?
It's a bit strange that an institution that claims to have "critical thinking" as its central purpose doesn't offer a course in logic to its inmates.
The exceptions test the rule. Your experience is in marked contrast to mine.
?
The Sister Angelica Coffee Mug might be ill-advised.
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