Are homeschooled kids weird?

For the social aspect, I know some that are normal and some that are weird as hell. I know of a tricounty area (I live in rural MS) that has some sort of homeschooling organization. They go on trips, play sports, have awards and graduation ceremonies, and just in general allow their kids to meet people and make friends. I don't think they're awkward. There are some, however, that wake up in the morning and spend every waking minute with mommy. That would **** anybody up.

From an education standpoint, I don't believe it's advantageous. Most of them just aren't as knowledgeable as I am or many others who went to real school. It really depends on the parents though. My father is an electrical engineer and my mother has an English and business background. I have no doubt that they were smarter than my high school teachers in all areas. I believe that they could have taught me better than the teachers could have. I know of one family that pulled their child out of school for homeschooling. Unfortunately, they didn't place an emphasis on education and he just wasn't motivated. He spent his time helping his father and working with his hands. That's useful in a lot of ways but if you don't understand three quarters equals 75%, you should have probably spent a little more time with your math book. I guess my point of view is that if you don't have a college education, you shouldn't be attempting to educate your children. You are taking them away from someone who is better equipped to teach them. It's hard for a parent to admit that they are better off in someone else's hands but as far as education goes, it's usually true.
 
I was homeschooled.

While I find the topic question rather offensive (what's next, "are Jewish kids weird?"), it's understandable how it can come up from someone who's never known anything different than public school. Let me clarify some things.

First of all, there are many different kinds of homeschooling. In fact, the term has pretty much just come to mean "not going to formal school," which covers just about any alternative upbringing out there. A few examples include independent study programs (ISPs), in which professional teachers visit the student every week to assign reading and homework, unschooling, in which the child decides what he feels like learning about, and indoctrination, in which the primary purpose is to keep the kid indoors so that he isn't exposed to alternative thinking.

ISPs are generally used in more rural areas. Since you get the same curriculum and textbooks as the public schools in your district, those are the closest analog to actual schools. Often, they'll have things like weekly writing or math groups where all the kids in the area will work together.

Unschooling is rarer, because not all kids go along with it, and they need to be in an appropriately supportive environment. This is based on the philosophy that kids are natural learners, and that forcing a predetermined curriculum on them would only serve to get in the way and make them hate studying. By making sure they have books and other materials about whatever they're interested in, learning stays fun.

Indoctrination is probably what most of those who say "homeschooling is bad" are thinking of. It's generally religiously influenced, and says no more about the evils of homeschooling than it does about the evils of religion; not all religious people indoctrinate their kids, and not all homeschoolers do either. If you've ever seen Jesus Camp, you know what this looks like.

There are other schools of thought on homeschooling, but you get the idea. There's one that cites the way our public schools have adapted to turn kids into society's sheep who are good at getting in lines and doing what they're told, but frankly that one is kind of offensive and I don't know if I really agree with it.

As for socialization, yeah it's not quite as good as public school (if you're one of the popular kids, at least), but I'd say it's adequate. You've got homeschooling groups, where all the homeschoolers in the area meet weekly at the park or whatever, do field trips together, you can play sports, visit your friends, or just play with the kids in your neighborhood. I mean, I'm no Casanova, but I turned out OK.

There are plenty of socially awkward people who attended public school, and there are plenty of socially adept homeschoolers. For all your anecdotes, let me ask you this: if you met a socially capable homeschooler, how would you know? It's not like we go around hollering about our education. That wouldn't be socially appropriate, now would it?

There are loads of famous people who were homeschooled, as well: many (most?) of our founding fathers (including Franklin and Washington), many of our presidents (including Lincoln and Roosevelt), loads of other schmott guyz (including Einstein, Edison, da Vinci, Pascal, the Wright bros., Bell, Whitney, Churchill), and celebrities (uh, on second thought, maybe listing them won't support my thesis here). Google for more, if you're curious.

As for my story, I was brought up mainly via unschooling, as were two of my siblings. I also participated in an ISP for grades 7 through 9. How'd I turn out? Well, I'm still writing that story, but recently I spent a year traveling through Japan as a Labo Intern, joining youth groups and telling them about my culture. I'm doing OK at college too, I've got mostly As. I'm not doing as well as my sister, who just graduated Magna Cum Laude from Clark U with a bachelors in neuropsychology. Oh yeah, and she's 19. (She's got social skills too, trust me on that.)

So, here's my point in all of this: you don't see me hating on your education, so please don't hate on mine. If you mean sheltered/indoctrinated, say that, not "homeschooled," and I'll not go posting trollish threads like "are schoolkids tactless jerks." Sound fair? Thanks.

~Justme8800
 
I wouldn't say they are doing any harm to them, but they are definitely weird.

I think being home schooled gives the kid, as an individual, a better opportunity to learn, and generally the parents do a good job of teaching them what they need to know, but the kids usually have a total learning disability when it comes to social interaction. That's not to say that the kids are completely in their own world, but every person I've known who was home schooled don't "fit in" as well as us normal people.
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']I change my mind. Yes they are.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='tiredfornow']:rofl:

Yeeeep.[/QUOTE]

Fine. I change my mind, too. You guys are tactless jerks.


[quote name='MisterModest']"She's got social skills too, trust me on that."[/QUOTE]

You want me to elaborate? Ok. How would YOU measure something like this? I could start rattling off famous people she knows firsthand, I could tell you how popular her blog is or how large her social network is, I could talk about her student life involvement, or I could talk about how she's the life of the party wherever she goes. It would just make me sound like I'm either bragging or jealous, though.

She's better off than you disillusioned forum trolls, that's for sure. Geez, if you're what passes for "normal" these days, then calling me weird is a compliment.
 
[quote name='Justme8800']
[quote name='MisterModest']"She's got social skills too, trust me on that."[/QUOTE]

You want me to elaborate? Ok. How would YOU measure something like this? I could start rattling off famous people she knows firsthand, I could tell you how popular her blog is or how large her social network is, I could talk about her student life involvement, or I could talk about how she's the life of the party wherever she goes. It would just make me sound like I'm either bragging or jealous, though.

She's better off than you disillusioned forum trolls, that's for sure. Geez, if you're what passes for "normal" these days, then calling me weird is a compliment.[/QUOTE]

I believe MisterModest was referring to a sexual innuendo... a funny one at that.
 
[quote name='Justme8800']She's better off than you disillusioned forum trolls, that's for sure. Geez, if you're what passes for "normal" these days, then calling me weird is a compliment.[/QUOTE]

This is like if you're standing in line for unemployment checks or at a porno shop, and you look around at everyone else standing with you and think "losers".
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Something not taught in a homeschooled classroom: a sense of humor.[/QUOTE]

:rofl:
 
[quote name='TheShepherdSauce']I believe MisterModest was referring to a sexual innuendo... a funny one at that.[/QUOTE]

*facepalm*

[quote name='Lord_Kefka']This is like if you're standing in line for unemployment checks or at a porno shop, and you look around at everyone else standing with you and think "losers".[/QUOTE]

Being a CAG is like standing in line at a porno shop? Or are you calling me a troll?

Look, a lot of people in this thread are sharing opinions about something they clearly don't know much about. I happen to know about it, and it matters to me, so I tried my best to comprehensively explain a complicated issue as clearly as I could. Apparently I failed (for that I apologize), because rather than intelligent discourse, I'm getting mocked. I understand that this is all fun and games for the trolls (not naming names), but it's hurtful and I just wish people would realize that.

[quote name='5of9']All kids are wierd.[/QUOTE]

Most insightful comment yet. :lol:
 
[quote name='Justme8800']
Being a CAG is like standing in line at a porno shop? Or are you calling me a troll?[/QUOTE]

Nope, I'm basically saying the equivalent of "one of us, one of us". You are a member here and have been for awhile, you are posting in this thread, and you used the phrase disillusioned forum trolls. Look, we're all in this together. Plus, taking the time to argue this on a forum primarily based around gaming probably means you didn't happen across it in the "one in a million" shot. I'm guessing you were looking at the sub-forum or main page and decided to join in. You are a forum member and spending the time here...I guess I read it as "you people who sit in forums and make comments".

I didn't see anything wrong with your initial post and or the record my only thought to this thread was how much different my life would be without the good friends I made throughout school.

It's the internet, people crack wise ass comments. And by default, I think anyplace on the internet is basically like standing in line for porn. You know you're getting there eventually.
 
[quote name='Lord_Kefka']Nope, I'm basically saying the equivalent of "one of us, one of us". You are a member here and have been for awhile, you are posting in this thread, and you used the phrase disillusioned forum trolls. Look, we're all in this together. Plus, taking the time to argue this on a forum primarily based around gaming probably means you didn't happen across it in the "one in a million" shot. I'm guessing you were looking at the sub-forum or main page and decided to join in. You are a forum member and spending the time here...I guess I read it as "you people who sit in forums and make comments".

I didn't see anything wrong with your initial post and or the record my only thought to this thread was how much different my life would be without the good friends I made throughout school.

It's the internet, people crack wise ass comments. And by default, I think anyplace on the internet is basically like standing in line for porn. You know you're getting there eventually.[/QUOTE]


Ah. No, by "disillusioned forum trolls" I didn't mean CAGs, I meant trolls. A few of them have posted in this thread.

My life would be pretty different without the friends I made through homeschooling, so we're even there. :)

As for wise-ass comments... yeah, I should know better. But these are wise-ass comments at my expense! I can't just walk away. Somebody on the internet is wrong, dammit!
 
I'd never homeschool my kids. Nope. Never.

Private school? Yep. Public school? As long as it's not a failing one...yep. Small class room school? I'd consider it.

But the beauty of my education growing up was the diversity and creativity that you learn through growing up around...kids. I'm a big guy. I grew up...a big guy. If I didn't have people calling me all types of fat jokes and such, I'd never know how to charm my way out of shit or get mothafuckas back in the best situations.

I can only imagine what life would be like being cramped up inside and hitting the park...only to be outcast'd by all the kids who didn't see me from 8-3pm.

The only benefit to homeschooling a child is if the neighborhood is doing it. I can kinda support that slightly....but even then, I don't want my children going through the "brick wall" syndrome as I call it.

That means they don't see rich and poor peers. They don't see dumb and smart peers. They don't see peers who have different ideas and cultures. They just see people like them typically. And they don't know how to handle it sometimes.

Nah, fuck homeschooling. Take your ass to school, learn what you gotta learn, get your social life going, and get prepared for college...where you'll sometimes wish you could just stay at home and learn shit
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']I wasn't home schooled, yet people seem to think I have Asperger's Syndrome and have some social issues.[/QUOTE]

Really? I would have never guessed.
 
Here's a thought: Do home-schooled kids know they're weird?
Click to expand...
I don't think so, I think in general when people are different it's hard for them to recognize that. Kind of like crazy people who don't know that they're crazy. Delusion of the mind and such.

Note that I'm not comparing home schooled kids to crazy people.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']I wasn't home schooled, yet people seem to think I have Asperger's Syndrome and have some social issues.[/QUOTE]

You do know that Asperger's isn't caused by homeschooling, right? Because that's what the structure of your post suggests.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']You do know that Asperger's isn't caused by homeschooling, right? Because that's what the structure of your post suggests.[/QUOTE]
Oh I know that for sure. I was just going after what someone said about having to homeschool their kid who had aspergers syndrome.
 
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