Why do some people feel it is so strange to homeschool?

Question

It's a good chioce if (as in our case as well as most schools lately) the local schools aren't that great. I won't have to worry about what my kids are learning and yes they will still be socialized. They will still have the options of extra curricular activities /sports /clubs. They will still have their homecoming dances and proms. They will still have their class trips and field trips. So...what is so strange? What will they miss out on?

Answer 1

I think the biggest reason people think homeschooling is strange is because they know nothing about it. They *think* they do, but they really don't. They have certain ideas about what homeschooling is, and no matter how many times you tell them their ideas are inaccurate, they still cling to them.

I hear statements like this over and over again:

"They wont be able to attend different classes with different people."

"It's tough to [foster critical thinking] in a home schooled environment when you have the same "teacher" for 12 years."

"Because learning isn't just about the subjects, and the textbooks. Your children learn from other children constantly, no matter the age. Also, and more importantly, your children will be learning from a variety of different teachers, these teachers will impress upon your children in ways you cannot. You might think you can do everything for them, but it's not true."

People who make statements like this obviously have a gross misunderstanding of what homeschooling is. Or at least the kind of homeschooling I've seen.

First of all, we don't try to do everything ourselves, and I don't believe most other homeschoolers do either. It would be difficult for us to homeschool without a strong, supportive homeschooling community.

We belong to a co-op where there are about 40-50 kids of various ages for my kids to learn from. At our co-op, my 8 yr old takes 5 classes (with 5 different teachers) and my 6 yr old takes 7 classes. Each teacher has her own teaching style, class rules and expectations. So my kids ARE "attending different classes with different people," and "learning from a variety of different teachers."

My 8 yr old has 4 soccer coaches that she looks to as teachers as well. My 6 yr old will be taking gymnastics classes and possibly dance. And we take advantage of other classes (art, music, etc.) as we see fit; all have their own separate teachers. I suspect this is more the norm than the exception with homeschoolers.

Answer 2

First of all an education, and how well we are taught to function in life has nothing to do with the "social activities" that are offered in schools; actually the emphasis that is placed upon these are actually more of a hindrance in providing an education.

Home schooled children are only missing out on being confined to a classroom for 6 to 7 hours a day, nothing else.

People have believed for many decades that conventional schools were they only one who could educate your children.

Today we go as far to tell parents that they need to leave it to the experts.

Home schooling is not main stream, although it is becoming an alternative for many families to conventional schooling, and therefore it threatens the status quo/jobs of those who think they have a monopoly on the education business.

There are indeed fields that require you to take lessons, from experts, but I am referring to experts in the field, not in the classrooms of primary, and secondary schools.

Parents are very well equipped to teach the basics, and then some; after that young people can choose to go to college, or learn a marketable trade, by attending college, securing an internship, or applying for an apprenticeship program.

Most often the real education starts after you leave the class room.

Answer 3

The only defense that public school people can put up for public schools is socialization. I find that funny considering that assaults, rapes, thefts, harassment's, segregation, and racism happen so much in public schools. Apparently, these people in public schools, don't have a problem being treated this way.

Answer 4

People perceive anything that is different from the norm  as a threat to that norm. Some people choose to see homeschooling as strange because they think it implies that their schooling choice is wrong.

Don't worry about what others think. Keep up the good work!

Answer 5

Different= strange in idiots eyes.

Answer 6

Most people associate homeschool with religious nuts. They feel that that the reason they homeshcool their kids is to isolate them from the "evil" world.

I feel sorry for those kids. The propose of schooling is to foster critical thinking. It's tough to do that in a home schooled environment when you have the same "teacher" for 12 years.

Answer 7

Because learning isn't just about the subjects, and the textbooks.  Your children learn from other children constantly, no matter the age.  Also, and more importantly, your children will be learning from a variety of different teachers, these teachers will impress upon your children in ways you cannot.  You might think you can do everything for them, but it's not true.  I'm not trying to be mean, please understand that.  One of the things I value the most from my k-12 years is that I had so many different teachers.  Many of them I looked up to, and other I hated, but either way I learned a lot from them all.  

Also, part of the human condition requires a person to leave home in order to grow individually.

Answer 8

Yes, they will have all  that but they will be going with other students at different schools that they do not attend. So they will fell awkward attending and not knowing anyone. They wont be able to attend different classes with different people. You see the same person everyday for the next couple years of your life depending if you change the teacher. Which most ppl don't. I think it's a good experience to attend a school school!

Answer 9

People are most comfortable with what is familiar and within social norms. It is easier to judge an unfamiliar situtation based upon what others have said against it than it is to do the research required to draw your own conclusions.

Homeschooling is outside of the norm and most people are not really familiar with it or how it works, so they use arguments which they have heard others use against it. Assumptions such as a lack of socialization, poor educational standards, and the isolation of homeschool families are arguments that have been around for years.  These have long since proven to be inaccurate assesments of homeschooling, but that is what is out there so people who wish to argue against homeschooling without having any real knowledge about their topic still use them.

It is actually accurate to say that kids in school learn from each other. The real question is, is what they are learning from each other positive or negative? Having attended public schools, and worked in education, I have come to the conclusion that it is mostly negative.  I am sure that my daughter will grow up just fine without bringing home choice words which are not allowed in my house or being under constant pressure to have s*x, try drugs, and dress in the provocative styles that so many young girls wear to school nowadays.  

While I realize that my daughter will run into all of things even as a homeschooler, I will be in a better position to help her through such situations, because I will be more readily available to her than I would be if she were in school.