Saturday, April 2, 2011

Home Schooling or Public Schooling: Socialization?


The differences between educating children at home and at school are incredibly different so it no surprise that the social aspects of these two education styles are also incredibly different. But which is the most beneficial path to take—homeschooling or public schooling? While public school students are surrounded by hundreds of people their own age, home school students study with and teach their own siblings—or perhaps, with a small study group. In Public Education, students are taught by teachers employed by the school, whereas homeschoolers are taught primarily by their own parents. Also, education style greatly affects the family as well, and the differences between the family life of public school students and homeschool students are incredible. So which road is the most beneficial for the social lives of students, their families, friends, and teachers?

Surrounded by hundreds of students every day, public schooled children have a vastly different experience than home schooled students. Culturally enriching, public school awakes students to the differences of others—their beliefs, their lifestyles, their learning styles. Students may become friends with those unlike them, helping them to see the world in different, fresh ways. Because students spend most of the day, five days a week with each other, they have the opportunity to form strong friendships with each other. Through Public Education programs, extracurricular activities are usually easily accessible to students, providing other outlets for their strong interests. This is a convenient option. The social settings of homeschool students are very different. Although they do study daily together, their schedules are more flexible, allowing them to meet with their friends at different times. Also, they’re friendships are likely to be with children of all ages, as they are not confined to studying within age groups.

Relationships with adults is an important social aspect of education. Passing down their knowledge, teachers have a great responsibility to students, instructing, encouraging, and meeting their needs. In public school, students enjoy the benefits of having some teachers who possess a bounty of information on particular subjects. They experience many different teaching styles and are familiar with many different adults, which can be healthy. For home schooled students, studying is primarily with their parents. Providing unlimited one-on-one time for students, parents can give the attention truly needed for their children, helping them to become strong in their subjects. Naturally, parents understand the needs of their children well and are equipped to help them in their individual learning styles. As teachers have an enormous effect on students’ lives and education, the strengths of public school teachers and home school teachers are very important.

Obviously, a student’s education affects his family life enormously. Because homeschooled students study at home, they are with their family a great deal of the time. Spending time learning, playing, and talking together, they become extremely close, understanding and truly knowing each other. When a student’s teachers are their parents, they develop respectful caring relationships by learning to understand each other. Although homeschoolers have less chances to meet people, their siblings become their best friends because they are used to being together. Siblings are likely to be life-long friends. It is true that many families feel that homeschooling cannot suit their family life because both parents need to work, and some families feel, probably accurately, that they prefer the ease of the public school system. However, in the view of family closeness and friendship, homeschooling is surely a wise path.

Although home schooled students may not have as many chances to meet people in their studying environments, their friendships are not plagued by peer pressure, cliques, bullying, and the popularity complex of public school, causing their friendships to be strong, long-lasting, and honest. Also, they have chances to make friends in areas of their lives other than school. Learning from their very own parents, homeschool students have the advantage of studying with teachers who understand and care about them and can provide one-on-one help as opposed to public school teaching with only one teacher to twenty some students in a class. Unlike public school students, homeschool students are not gone all day long at school, and consequently, are able to spend much time with their families, creating familiar, trusting relationships. How can families who only see each other for three or four hours a day know each other well? Homeschooling brings families closer together, making friends of siblings. Surely, homeschooling has great advantages socially between a student and their teachers, friends, and family.

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