I want to do something a bit unusual and share with you a comment that has been going around Facebook the last few days regarding homeschool and socialization. The comment is by a woman named Joy, who did not homeschool, but wanted to share words of encouragement. Her words are so special and uplifting, I think every homeschool parent or parents who are deciding on homeschooling, needs to read.
“I have been teaching at the university level for 13 years. During that time, I have worked with many home schooled young people. They have been among my most well-prepared and mature students. If anything, I find them to have better social skills than average. Somewhere along the line, we have acquired the idea that children can only be socialized properly if they are placed in a classroom with lots of other children. Children are socialized by adults; not other children. It is adults who model appropriate behavior, language and manners. The home is the ideal place for this; you are your child’s first teacher. I hope you and other home schooling parents will not be swayed by well-meaning friends or relatives who try to frighten you into giving up on homeschooling due to the dreaded socialization “problem”. I wish you and other homeschooling families all the very best and I hope someday to meet your children in my university classroom.”
I could not agree more that socialization is about adult mentoring and not child guiding children. Is there ever a time we advocate the blind leading the blind mentality?
My daughter started her first year of school at 14 years old as a freshman in high school. At the first parent/teacher conference, I was told by more than one teacher that I did a wonderful job homeschooling her because of her attitude in class and ability to accomplish the work. She currently has a 4.2 grade point average. One teacher thought she was so comfortable in class as far as interacting with her and the students she was shocked to learn she was homeschooled. My daughter did not break the mold, she simply learned how to socialize properly during her homeschool years.
Socialization never need enter the debate on whether to homeschool or not. Be encouraged, your child can fool a public school teacher into thinking her social skills are normal even if she never set foot in a classroom. That same teacher also said that my daughter was the only student that followed directions accurately and showed a desire to learn. Yes, your child will be just fine with you as her teacher, guide, and mentor, as you are her greatest advocate.