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Because I also believe that one of the most important aspects of school is learning about social interaction.

JoeAltmaier 12y ago
Its a myth that home-schooling shorts social interaction. Its part of the curriculum like anything else. You manage it with outings, sports, music groups. Instead of dumping your child into a zoo for 5 hours a day to fend for herself, you can plan her socialization like you plan her dental hygiene for instance.
- ska 12y ago
  It's true that home-schooling does not necessarily short on social interaction, but I've met enough people who were home schooled and did poorly in social setting to wonder how many people do well at this aspect of it for their children. Outings, sports, music etc. are great but not enough on their own. For a lot of people doing home schooling, it must be difficult to arrange for several hours most days in the company a largish group of children with varied backgrounds and personalities. Not having this can make it difficult for children to develop socially.
  - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
    Scouts. Camping clubs. Summer camp. Volunteer at the library/hospital/senior center. Its not hard at all.
    - ska 12y ago
      Hey, it's great if you manage to get your kids into several hours of group activities with a mixture of kids on the majority of days. But in my experience, many parents who home school mostly fail on this "not hard" task. So maybe it is harder than you're making out? Or maybe my sample set isn't very good, it's not like I've done a broad study, I'm just taking this from families and adults (who were home schooled) that I know personally. This may be a bit of unfair stereotype, but in my experience there are plenty of real world examples backing it up.
      - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
        You don't have to be like the average. That's actually the point in the whole home-schooling thing. You can do it right. Its clearly not hard to join social groups; look at all the people already in those groups! They did it. I'd not take the failings of some, as a condemnation of the whole practice. The only one who matters to you is you - can you do it? Start with a small step - join a group with your student, see if the quality of social interaction is different from their public school experience. How do you tell? You ask your student.
        ska 12y ago
        Sure, I get that - but how is that a response to peoples perceptions, which are based on averages in some sense. You said "it's a myth", maybe you really meant "it doesn't have to be that way". The latter is clearly true.
        JoeAltmaier 12y ago
        Pedantic: its a myth that 'home schooling' shorts social interaction. The only thing that shorts social interaction is ... failing to provide social interaction.
        ska 12y ago
        Or pedantic: it's an observation that "home schooling" correlates well with shorting social interaction. Why is left as an exercise to the interested reader.
        JoeAltmaier 12y ago
        Well, taking them out of school 'changes' social interaction, not home-schooling per se. I deny its 'shorting' anything. Ok, its shorting the danger, bad hygiene and bad social interaction part. But done right its adding real social skills (teamwork, leadership, public service), keeping her healthier and demonstrating real social skills. Because school, especially middle school, is not showcasing social skills you want her to learn. Cliques, ostracizing, bullying, humiliation are lessons to be sure. But they can stunt growth, particularly in the very young.

Its a myth that home-schooling shorts social interaction. Its part of the curriculum like anything else. You manage it with outings, sports, music groups. Instead of dumping your child into a zoo for 5 hours a day to fend for herself, you can plan her socialization like you plan her dental hygiene for instance.

ska 12y ago
It's true that home-schooling does not necessarily short on social interaction, but I've met enough people who were home schooled and did poorly in social setting to wonder how many people do well at this aspect of it for their children. Outings, sports, music etc. are great but not enough on their own. For a lot of people doing home schooling, it must be difficult to arrange for several hours most days in the company a largish group of children with varied backgrounds and personalities. Not having this can make it difficult for children to develop socially.
- JoeAltmaier 12y ago
  Scouts. Camping clubs. Summer camp. Volunteer at the library/hospital/senior center. Its not hard at all.
  - ska 12y ago
    Hey, it's great if you manage to get your kids into several hours of group activities with a mixture of kids on the majority of days. But in my experience, many parents who home school mostly fail on this "not hard" task. So maybe it is harder than you're making out? Or maybe my sample set isn't very good, it's not like I've done a broad study, I'm just taking this from families and adults (who were home schooled) that I know personally. This may be a bit of unfair stereotype, but in my experience there are plenty of real world examples backing it up.
    - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
      You don't have to be like the average. That's actually the point in the whole home-schooling thing. You can do it right. Its clearly not hard to join social groups; look at all the people already in those groups! They did it. I'd not take the failings of some, as a condemnation of the whole practice. The only one who matters to you is you - can you do it? Start with a small step - join a group with your student, see if the quality of social interaction is different from their public school experience. How do you tell? You ask your student.
      - ska 12y ago
        Sure, I get that - but how is that a response to peoples perceptions, which are based on averages in some sense. You said "it's a myth", maybe you really meant "it doesn't have to be that way". The latter is clearly true.
        JoeAltmaier 12y ago
        Pedantic: its a myth that 'home schooling' shorts social interaction. The only thing that shorts social interaction is ... failing to provide social interaction.
        ska 12y ago
        Or pedantic: it's an observation that "home schooling" correlates well with shorting social interaction. Why is left as an exercise to the interested reader.
        JoeAltmaier 12y ago
        Well, taking them out of school 'changes' social interaction, not home-schooling per se. I deny its 'shorting' anything. Ok, its shorting the danger, bad hygiene and bad social interaction part. But done right its adding real social skills (teamwork, leadership, public service), keeping her healthier and demonstrating real social skills. Because school, especially middle school, is not showcasing social skills you want her to learn. Cliques, ostracizing, bullying, humiliation are lessons to be sure. But they can stunt growth, particularly in the very young.