Home School with the High School Student in Mind
Tuesday, July 18th, 2006By Mimi Rothschild
Many times public high school students and their parents believe that home school high school students will be less socially skilled than they are. Public school teachers often feel this way as well. Unfortunately, these inaccurate attitudes may also exist at the college level. In fact, high school students being educated in a home school may be more prepared to enter college than their public school counterparts.
It is the duty of parents to ensure that their home schooled high school students have developed the social skills necessary to take the next step in their educations. In order to do so, parents should strive for balance in the home school setting. A home school curriculum should include individual study but it is also important for the students to interact with other students of their own ages. Experienced home school parents know that there are many resources available for their children to share learning and social experiences with other home school children. Parents who are new to home schooling may have to acquaint themselves with the myriad opportunities for social interaction which are provided by the home school community.
Parents who educate their children at home should also be careful not to doubt their own abilities and the abilities of their children. One of the many advantages of a home school education is the close one on one relationship which the students may have with their teachers. Thus, the parent/teacher will know his/her child and if that child is prepared both academically and socially to enter college. Parents may want to discuss the child’s preparedness with each other and, perhaps, professionals in the home school field; however, they should not allow the prejudices and ignorance of those outside of the home school arena make them question their principles and dedication to home schooling.
In addition, most home school students are not coddled. They are expected to study on their own and to adhere to disciplinary standards that are often times much stricter than those of the public school system. It would be wrong for anyone to assume that home school students are automatically at a disadvantage when they enter a college atmosphere. Home school students may very well be more mature and ready to tackle college study than their public school peers.
In sum, parents who home school their children are responsible for making sure that those children are developing all of the skills required to move into college life; adequate socialization is one of the mandatory college perquisites. It is particularly important that high school age home school students be working on these abilities. Still, home school parents should realize that they know their children and the unique characteristics of those children better than anyone. They should not allow themselves to be intimidated by those not fully aware of the many advantages of a home school education.