As parents who choose to homeschool review blogs or other on-line articles, they will eventually encounter prejudice, ridicule or other disparaging comments. Critics focus on the parent's seemingly lack of qualifications and question children's ability to socialize with people who hold different world views. However, many critics fail to familiarize themselves with the 2003 study of adults who were homeschooled by Dr. Brian D. Ray of the National Home Educated Research Institute.
Dr. Ray conducted the 2003 survey commissioned by the Home School Legal Defense Association and questioned over 7,300 adults who were homeschooled. From this group, over 5,000 were homeschooled a minimum of 7 years. Examining these adults, the first generation of adult homeschoolers in decades, shows how they compare to their public school counterparts in higher education, employment, community and civic involvement, happiness in life and their own view of the homeschool experience.
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) published a synopsis of Dr. Ray's report and summarized the findings starting with higher education. "Over 74% of home-educated adults ages 18-24 have taken college-level courses, compared to 46% of the general United States population." (HSLDA, 2003) This shows that colleges and universities are warming up to homeschooling and see these students are able to compete with their peers. Not only are homeschooled students continuing their education but they are successful in doing so.
Critics of homeschooling often suggest this type of education will produce adults who are incapable of coping or competing in business. Reviewing the top 5 specific occupations of former homeschoolers showed the majority were still completing their education with 2573 (49%) being full-time students. Homemaker or home educator was the second highest at 383 (7.9%) holding this occupation. The third, 359 (6.8%) held a professional position such as accountant, RN or artist. In fourth position was office worker at 313 (6%), and in fifth position was 232 (4.4%) who were in some technical profession like computer programmer or draftsperson.
The study also reveals "Seventy-one percent participate in an ongoing community service activity (e.g. coaching a sports team, volunteering at a school, or working with a church or neighborhood association), compared to 37% of U.S. adults of similar ages." (HSLDA, 2003) When asked if home-educated adults viewed politics and government "too complicated to understand" (HSDLA, 2003) only 4.2% agreed with this statement. Thirty-five percent of adults in the United States agreed with this statement.
Adults who were homeschooled enjoyed their experience, having 95% stating so. Of the surveyed participants, 812 had their own children and 74% already homeschooled. Overall, the individuals noted their unique education had not been a stumbling block in their life.
Homeschooling will continue to be a debated topic. Even as the number of homeschooling families increase there will continue to be criticism. However, the statistics show parents who educate their children at home are certainly qualified and handle the responsibility well. Homeschooling does not create an adult who is unable to cope in the world. On the contrary, these students continue to grow and thrive as adults. They are concerned not only with themselves but their community, state and beyond.
Reference:
Ray, B. (2003). Homeschooling Grows Up
http://www.hslda.org/research/ray2003/Socialization.asp
Comments
why are people so worried about homeschool?
Are they afraid of how bad their kids are doing/
We homeschooled our two kids for 13+ years (little sister is 3 years younger than older brother... got more training time).
Our son, now 26 is in the US Air Force, married, has a 3-year-old daughter. My daughter, now 23, is an operations manager for a flight training school and is learning how to fly planes--wants to be a certified flight trainer by end of next year.
Both kids have traveled extensively and internationally. Both kids can speak, read, and write Japanese and Spanish reasonably well. Both kids are black belts in Tae Kwon Do and have also studied Shaolin Kempo.
I don't think that homeschooling harmed them in any way.
Homeschooling can work, IF the parents are dedicated and capable, few have the requisite knowledge to be good teachers.
This quote shows that the article is flawed in its reasoning, perhaps the author was home schooled?
"Not only are homeschooled students continuing their education but they are successful in doing so."
No, what it means is that most home schooled kids attempt college, those numbers do not imply success at all. It is this sort of reasoning that keeps people down on home schooling. After all, if home school defenders don't have good reasoning skills, how can their kids learn how to reason?
A better metric is how many of these kids not only go to top tier schools, but graduate. How many of them major in the demanding fields, such as engineering, mathematics, and science? I am willing to wager that few can since few homemakers have the requisite knowledge to teach these areas. Any moron can get a business or communications degree, all it takes is a heartbeat.
There is a wide difference between it didn't harm them and it kept them out of things they didn't know about but would increase their enjoyment of life.
All of the metrics are meaningless because of the simple fact that if things were different, they wouldn't be the same.
I think the fact that home school advocates have to twist, distort, and outright lie about studies, speaks volumes about the quality of the "education".
Yes, a lot of public schools suck, but a lot of homemakers couldn't teach about the elements or algebra, much less more advanced topics. You can't take untrained, knowledgeable homemakers and have them turn out properly educated children.
Gee Rusty, I'll be happy to inform my father he's a moron, because he has a business degree. I'm sure the fact that he has been a CPA for 40+ years was just due to luck not any intelligence he possessed. I too must be a moron, thank you so much for informing me, as I am obviously too stupid to recognize my business degree qualified me for the label "moron". I have been self employed as a computer consultant for 10+ years and now I feel even more blessed for having achieved success despite my, according to you, lack of intelligence. I should mention I was self-taught my computer skills, so in essence "home-schooled". I guess I have doomed my daughter to the same fate as she is homeschooled, no matter that at the age of 14 she has mastered numerous computer graphics programs,designs and edits web pages for pay. I'll have her code a web page with a more formal full blown apology for being a homeschooled child which to be fair, isn't her fault as she is obviously the progeny of morons.
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