What About Socialization?
What About Socialization?
by Kathleen Sprafka director of Schools and Services
Lee County Independent Private School System Inc.
This is probably the most common question we, as home educators, are asked. This is because it is one of the most misunderstood aspects of child development. It is assumed that in order for young people to develop socially, that is to learn to get along with others, they should be confined with 25-30 other children the same age, five days a week.
Many would probably be surprised to learn that homeschooled students are usually more mature than their peers. A study conducted at Andrews University in Michigan found that the average homeschooled student tested in the top third of the PIERS-HARRIS SELF CONCEPT SCALE, a standard test of social adjustment, and over half tested in the top 10 percent. Also, John W. Taylor’s NATIONAL-SAMPLE-BASED STUDY OF SELF CONCEPT found that 77.7% of all homeschoolers tested scored in the top quarter. Now we have the ‘test results’ to satisfy the greatest skeptics!
A well known family psychologist, Urie Bronfenbrennen, states that young people are better socialized by parents than by peers. Many in his field agree and add that social growth is best developed by regular contact with people of various ages.
With all this concern for socialization and the homeschooled student, psychologists, parents, and educators alike are recognizing that not all socialization is positive. They are now discussing the effects of ‘negative socialization’ and ‘peer dependence’. These include a ‘me first attitude’, indifference to family values, loss of trust in parents, and questionable role models.
New homeschoolers may find that in addition to nurturing our youngsters’ academic growth is the need to help them rebuild their damaged self-image. Additionally you may find other problems requiring much time and patience on your part. Homeschooling provides parents just the opportunity to meet those needs.
Some problems disappear simply by removing a youngster from the classroom environment. Other problems usually lessen as time goes on. However, problems buried deep down will surface only when the child feels secure enough to open up to you. This child must feel free to open up without fear of retaliation.
We begin focusing on the home front by creating a positive social environment within the family unit. Social experiences outside the home, while valuable, are often overemphasized as they often cause the very problems we are trying to solve.
As parents and educators we need to remind ourselves that learning is a rewarding experience by nature and that resistance is a response to feeling forced and frustrated. To deal with this resistance, or indifference, many educators employ prodding and punishment in their efforts to teach class. Thus we can see that a primary reason for the academic failure we see in the classroom is the inclination to force education.
Recognizing this widespread problem some apply positive methods to reap academic success. One way this is done is to correct errors as they happen finishing each day with all work corrected and understood. This method builds a pattern of success. By grading only tests, which follows after the student has studied, practiced, and demonstrated complete understanding, the student will naturally score very high. This says to the student, “well done!”
The great “socializing” myth is no longer being perpetuated by those keeping current in the field of education. We now know that to provide balanced social experiences we do not need to be running to a myriad of after-school programs. However, many programs can be valuable assets. Today’s programs range from activity-free round-ups of latch-key kids, to classes covering an unending array of topics. Consideration must include its academic value, its social value, financial commitment, time involved, transportation, and the needs of the whole family.
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