Mary Hale
ENG 1203
Professor Bowers
January 29, 2013
Socialization in Homeschooling
Some say that homeschoolers fall behind easily in their schoolwork and are not as well motivated as children who are public schooled. But Dr. Michael Donahue, Director of Admissions for Indiana University, has spent several years researching home-schooled students. He says: “The home school group has about a 3.0 GPA their freshman year, in the entire freshman class, the GPA is between 2.3 and 2.4. They are well prepared. They’re self-starters. Faculty, in general, enjoy having them in class because they know how to do things independently.” (homeschool-living.com) So they are well prepared for the educated world, but what about the social world? Because they are taught at home and do not spend time with other students in a public school some say that they are ‘secluded’ in the home and they do not have the social skill necessary to be ready for the world at the appropriate time, and that public school is the place to get the necessary experience. Richard G. Medlin Ph.D. in the NHERI (National Home Education Research Institute) says, Children who are homeschooled “. . . may be more socially mature, and have better leadership skills than other children. . .” (homeschool-living.com) The reason being? Parents can better monitor their children’s friends and activities, they have better family relationships, and there is less bullying and more positive influences. When considering these aspects of homeschooling we must ask ourselves: Is homeschooling a better choice for our children’s socialization? How will homeschooling enhance and develop our
children’s social life
First of all, in a public school system the parents have little to no say in the friends their children make and the activities they participate in, and both things attribute to the child’s personality. But through the homeschooling system parents have more control over the people their child interacts with and...