Home school kids?

Question

After High School do they go to a regular college? If yes then how are they prepared for the culture shock of being around different people with different social, economic, religious backgrounds and beliefs. Just curious. Or do they do a online college, but if that is the case then how do they handle the question above when entering the "real world".

Answer 1

My eldest siblings were both at Uni for more than two years before anyone found out that neither of them had ever been to school. M. even managed to be elected 'Student President' by his fellow students (home-educated, privately schooled, govt schools, correspondence schools, online schools) before anyone knew he was home-educated.

In both their experience, there is NO culture shock for home-ed kids at college or uni; if anything the culture shock was worse for the kids coming from schools who suddenly had to adjust to no longer having any teachers to support them or to tell them what to do or how or when they should do it; not having anyone who cared whether they turned up for lectures or not; or did their assignments or not; or handed their work in on time or not (or handed it in at all). They're the ones who struggle as suddenly they're cut loose and have to start thinking for themselves, making their own decisions and taking responsibility for themselves and their own learning.

Answer 2

Wow, it seems when I pulled my kids out of public school they went through a culture shock period.  I mean they had been locked up all day long, with little time to 'socialize', treated like a group of farm animals with little to no rights and they were suddenly thrust into this big beautiful world where their time was their own.  Kinda like someone graduating from high school that takes a year or 2 off to 'find theirself'.

My kids learned in public school that to be a Christian was wrong, that to be poor meant u were a target for constant abuse, that it was NOT ok to be different.

My kids have friendships with so many families now with different types of religions (or nonreligions) and backgrounds.  They are experiencing the real world now as it should be!

We ran into an old PS teacher (now principal) some time ago and she asked my son why he was being homeschooled, didnt he want to go to college??  lol  He was like Uh, yeah, that's why Im being homeschooled!  We had to laugh at her ignorance when we got in the car, you would think that an educator would know more about all aspects of education in the world than just the government run option.

Answer 3

Yes they do, in fact, many universities actively recruit homeschooled students for their outstanding academic abilities. Homeschooled students have already lived in the real world, versus a classroom of 30 plus students their own age (nobody I know hangs around people their own age constantly in the real world and it cannot be done, especially in the public sector.). I'd say homeschooled students being around others from different backgrounds is irrelevant in this case.

Answer 4

>>>After High School do they go to a regular college?<<<<

Many do, in fact a greater percentage of homeschoolers finish Four Year colleges than Public School students.

>>>If yes then how are they prepared for culture shock of being around different people with different social, economic, religious backgrounds and beliefs<<<<<<

What culture shock?  Most homeschoolers DO spend a lot of time around people with different soical, economic, and religious backgrounds.  The attend groups like Scouts and 4H, where kids of all faiths attend; they often belong to boys and girls clubs, again all faiths and many economic backgrounds; they belong to community theater; they volunteer; they hold part time jobs.  

The more likely cause of culture shock would be encountering kids who don't really care if they learn or not, and are just there to party; but most homeschoolers manage to just ignore that and get on with their studies.

>>>Or do they do an online college, but if thats the case then how do they handle the question above when entering the "real world".<<<<

Some choose to do online college in order to save money, or for other reasons.  

Again, they handle the "real world" because they've been living in it.

The classroom in the local Public School is *not* a reflection of the real world.  Once you are finished with school you never encounter that environment again, unless you decide to become a teacher.

In a real life work situation:

If someone bullies their co-workers and gets in fist fights with them they get fired, the other workers are not told that they have to learn to put up with it.

Not everyone is expected to do the same job.  The one who has been trained as a secretary does secratarial work, the security guard does the security work, the janitor cleans the office building, the advertising executive works at getting new clients, and the techy fixes the computers. (As opposed to school where everyone is expected to be learning and doing the same thing just because they happen to be the same age).

In real life, people don't steal your lunch or throw theirs at you (at least not on a daily basis), people don't stick out their foot to trip you when you walk down the isle, and you don't have to raise your hand to pee.

So how do the public schooled students adjust to the culture shock of suddenly being thrust into the real world when they finish their education?

Answer 5

I will add to the above that many homeschooled high schoolers graduate with considerable college experience and credits already under their belt.

At least with our coop, the courses are run just like a college course - class twice a week for 1.5 - 2 hours and lots of independent work in between - that is how college courses work.

Diversity?  Well... personally we have lived in big crowded city (Silicon Valley), tourist-ville (Orlando) and now an economically depressed rural area.  At each place we have gotten out and interacted with people.

Before high school is over we are going to find a way to visit a foreign country (either spanish speaking or Japan).

At least for us, our rising 10th grader will be taking a summer session course on campus at a college near D. C., next year he is in a year-long science program on the campus of a nearby college.  This program is taught by professors and covers chemistry, ecotoxicology, microscopy and some other hands-on science stuff.   Attendees are a mix of homeschool and public school kids.  It was a competitive process to get in.  Curiously, half the slots were reserved for homeschoolers.

Many homeschooled high schoolers attend community college and earn dual credit.  It is not uncommon for homeschoolers to earn a 2 year degree concurrent with a high school diploma.

I would like to ask you: What aspects of a Brick and Mortar school reflect life in the real world?  It is nothing like college. As others have pointed out it is nothing like the work place.

Answer 6

They live in the real world, they just receive a much better education, with higher standards and end of course tests that they must pass in order to move to the next grade, unlike public schools.

Answer 7

Homeschool students are prepared for the real world by living in it, rather than being placed in an artificial "class" with 29 or so other students from a community that happened to be born the same year they were.  How is THAT representative fo the real world?

While public school students are in their classroom learning about the real world, my children are visiting the post office, bank, farmer's market, doctor's office, etc. where they meet a wide variety of people.  They have time to be involved in more activities than they would in public school, where they meet a wide variety of people.  

Yes, homeschooled children attend "regular" college-I personally know several that are in college right now.  Some might choose to attend an online college, just as some public school students do.  Colleges actively recruit homeschoolers, because they have learned that they are excellent students that are well prepared.  That they would not be is just a typical stereotype, which is common for public school products to do because they are never taught to think outside the box.

Answer 8

If I go to school in rural Oklahoma, I will have spent my entire life growing up with blue-collar, white Christians. If I'm homeschooled in New York City, I will have spent my entire life growing up around more cultures than most people can name.

A few people are freaks who live in bunkers and make their kids memorize the King James Bible. Most homeschoolers are normal people. Because we're normal, we don't stand out in a crowd.

Nobody but a few whackos has kept their kids from seeing what there is to see in the places they live. If you had kids and had to homeschool them -let's say that if they entered a school building, their lungs would explode- would you keep them inside all day? Would you let them be limited? Or would you sign your kids up for classes, boot them out the door, and do your best to prepare them for life? I'll say it again: most homeschoolers are normal people. We're normal, so we're not going to make it on the news.

I'm a middle-class, white, atheist homeschooler. In my immediate social pool, I've got some Christians, some Mormons, some Jews, a pagan or two, and some other underground atheists. I know people who have expensive tutors for every subject, and a family where three boys and one girl -ages about 10-17- share one bedroom and the parents sleep on a couch. I know people who won't drink soda because of the preservatives and people who are getting hammered. A friend of mine just came back from Israel; his family's pretty well set, they all speak Hebrew as well as English, and while they were here in the States I helped take care of his youngest brother, who has Down Syndrome. I'm friends with a computer geek whose family can afford $80 a week math tutoring and a $5,000 summer camp, and I'm friends with kids who have only worn hand-me-downs.

Am I too sheltered? What would I be getting in school that I don't get every day in the world?

Answer 9

Well, after seeing the responses to your question (brought to my attention by a home schooling parent who seems to be stalking you) my opinion of parents who home school there children has certainly been changed. I used to think that home schooling was very admirable, although I do agree that the children do miss out on some of the social aspects of traditional schooling, I admired parents who would make that kind of a commitment to their child's education. I f only every parent could be that committed to their child, our entire educational system in this country would be vastly improved.

However, after perusiong a few questions about home schooling, and most particularly, it's effects on a child's social skills, it would seem, at least if the people in this forum are any indicator, that many of the parents who do home school their children have incredibly closed minds. They simply can't accept the fact that perhaps there are people who disagree with them who are still intelligent people. They seem to think that unless you yourself were home schooled, are you are the parent of a home schooled parent, you must know absolutely nothing about it. Well, if experience is the only way to gain knowledge to these people, they are sorely mistaken. I have never been to the moon, but I know it isn't made of green cheese. I've never held up a liquor store at gunpoint, but I know that it is wrong. I would hope that these people who do home school their children are treated better if they should ask a question about public education then you have. I would be willing to bet they will be, and I would hope that the civility they would likely to receive would be what they would teach their children, rather then the "I'm right - you're wrong, you're an idiot" approach to disagreements that some of them seem to practice.

Bring on the thumbs down. I will wear them with pride.

Answer 10

Many go to a regular college after high school. More homeschooled students attend college than do public schooled students.

How are they prepared? Your question sounds like you think homeschoolers just stay at home. Do you think that's likely? If you homeschooled your own kids, would you stay in the house all the time? Homeschoolers typically are involved in more extra-curricular activities than their schooled peers (yes, this has been researched!) and are in contact with a wide variety of people. Just in the park days my children have attended, they've been around people who are atheists, pagans, Muslims, a variety of Christians, various races, some who are from families who scrape by each month and others who have the money to go on several trips each year to amazing places around the world.

Really, though, you don't need to be exposed to all this to not have culture shock as an adult. When I was in school, we knew nothing about everybody's economic and religious background. NOTHING. We all shared in the same culture at school, even if what was done at home was different. We have no problem accepting each other's religions as adults.

What you are suggesting is that a person has to be specifically exposed to something as a child in order to not be shocked or whatever as an adult. Do you need to have contact with a Hawaiian as a child in order to not be culture shocked if you visit Hawaii? How about a Russian? Or somebody from France? No. Adaptability doesn't mean you've been exposed to everything as a kid.

You are also suggesting that homeschoolers don't live in the real world. Hm--being in an institution for 7 hours a day, having to ask permission to eat, drink and pee, working on identical work to everybody else in the room, not being allowed to talk to them unless the "manager" has decided it's group time... These reflect the real world? Whereas other elementary kids are having their lives micromanaged, my kids are getting their work done faster, are out and about in the city during the day, having 3+-hour long recesses instead of the 15-minute allotment twice a day... As jr. high students, they will be able to participate in more things, be out of the house more, live in the community--the real world--while their schooled peers are still in an institution.

You need to check some of your preconceived notions about homeschooling and psychology.

ADDED: I just checked out your response referred to by another response. Let me say that

1) your experience with homeschoolers is very limited and you may be expecting homeschoolers to behave and interact the way public schooled students do, which is often not the case; most homeschooling parents are happy about this because they don't want their kids behaving, thinking and what have you like many of the public schooled kids they see.

2) You are making the assumption that no matter what these kids participate in, everything is going to be hunky dory. I'm sorry, but there is just as much a variety of kids in homeschooling as in public school. There are kids who don't get along and just tolerate being around each other at homeschooling activities. There are kids who get jobs and have people at work to complain about, just like adults. There are kids who volunteer and have difficult people to deal with. Maybe your extended family's experience has been much more sheltered and the kids haven't been properly guided, but there are plenty of homeschooling families out there doing great jobs.

Homeschooling is an extension of parenting--you can't say that kids shouldn't be raised by parents just because you know some (or even lots) of bad parents. In homeschooling, for your situation where you are really fearful of sending your son to school, you might consider asking yourself: what kind of parents are we? Are we able to guide our son well? Are we willing to go the extra mile? Or is leaving this all in the hands of a different adult each year going to be better for him? An adult who may not be a parent, who is watching 20-30 other kids at the same time and may even miss wonderful opportunities to guide the child appropriately?

One more thing, about your comment in your other response: "Now force a kid in a room with a Jock/prep/nerd/cheerleader/burnout ETC they are forced to make educated decisions"  No, in fact, they aren't. Why do I say this? Because people, from little kids to seniors make decisions each day that aren't educated. Kids make uneducated decisions even more. And I don't know what your school experience was like, but I didn't have to make many decisions about the jocks or whatever. They sat on one side of the classroom, I sat near the front (refused to wear my glasses) and that was that.

I would like to also add that my kids are currently 7 and 10. If you saw them with other kids, you wouldn't be able to pick out that they're homeschooled. For example, my daughter fits in very well with the girls on her soccer team (whereas the one who doesn't fit in well is from public school and actually in the same class as one of the other teammates). Only a couple know she's homeschooled because they asked her which school she went to. They're more fascinated by the fact that she speaks French with me than they are by her being homeschooled. It means nothing to them because she fits in very well. My son, the boy who had such horrible stranger anxiety as a baby and toddler, will ask other kids he's never met before to play, plays well with just about everybody, doesn't care about their race or anything. Why should he? We've never taught him that people of different colour are any different. We've never made a fuss about colour at all. He lives on a street with multiple races.

I believe our kids are the way they are in part due to their own personalities, but also due to how we've parented them. They are not going to be culture shocked when out in the real world because they are already living it. They won't be shocked when they have to deal with difficult people because they deal with each other all the time and do encounter others at various things (two boys at Sunday school in particular, of all places). We're not limiting their lives and growth.