KANNASOMBAT 1

Arissara Fern Kannasombat

Mr. Abel Cadias

English 10/1003

June 04, 2018

Homeschooled Students and their Social Activities in the Universities

Loneliness, social phobias and lack of clarity of goals are defined as

“Homeschooling” by many parents and people in society because it is not an official

educational institution and only a few number of students do homeschool.

Homeschooling is one type of educational system. In the present, homeschooling is

becoming more popular in the world and many countries accept it. On the other hand,

some people resist homeschooling because education has to be forced for efficient

studying and preparing students to the future. Although there are some supports and

approvals from reliable academics, the author believes that homeschooled students have

low socialization skills like communication and interaction with others, especially, when

they are in the universities which is an important change in their life. All students need to

encounter with many problems and communities, so they need to have strong

socialization skills. The purpose of this research report is to find out how homeschool

students do their social activities in universities in order to provide awareness in the

impact of homeschooling. The author uses eight academic articles from different sources.

Homeschooling can affect their social activities in the universities by reducing their

ability to make a relationship, communicate and handle social problems.

History and Objectives of Homeschooling

Homeschooling is established to oppose the formal school education. Learning

does not necessary happen only at schools. Sometimes schools cannot be able to respond

to the demands of many parents. In 1970, John Holt started to argue with the formal
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school and created the unschooling system which is known as “Homeschooling.”

Afterwards, in 2009, it was spread to over two million students among grades K to 12

and it surprisingly received a lot of positive feedbacks from all around the world.

However, there were also some experts who doubt and objected to its (Ray, n.d.).

Homeschooling is one alternative way of education that parents choose to educate their

children at home instead of sending them to conventional schools. Therefore, it can be

defined as the alternative education (Coalition For Responsible Home Education, n.d.).

In the present, homeschooling has become more popular. For example, there are about

2.2 million home-educated students in United States and it is also quickly growing in

many countries like England, 65 percent of homeschooled students increase over the last

six years and now it has more than 36,000 homeschooled students (Gaultney, 2016). In

china, 18,000 parents interest in homeschooling, over 54 percent of them choose to

educate their children at home because they object to teach philosophy of traditional

schools (Lilian Lin, 2013). Moreover, there are more reasons that parents choose

homeschooling for their children; they believe that homeschool can achieve more

academic aspects than formal schools and it provides a safer environment. Homeschooled

students can learn in better conditions without any violence such as drugs, alcohol,

bullying and associated unhealthy sexuality. Moreover, some parents also believe that

this kind of education helps to make a strong connection in family among parents and

children because homeschooled students always spend all days at home with their parents

(Brian D. Ray, 2015).

Students’ Social Activities and Skills in the University

Having a good social skill is very important and necessary for students. It includes

communication, making relationship and their ability to handle with the social problems

such as bullying. As reported by researchers from Pennsylvania State University and

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Duke University, students who have high social skill can relate to have good career,

freedom and emotional well-begin so social skill can be defined as a “predictor of future.”

Moreover, it also helps with the way how students solve the problems. Without good

social skill, children have to face with friend rejection, argument, depression and low

academic performance. Therefore, social skill is necessary for all of the ages. To improve

the social skill, it can be divided into four parts which are survival skill, interpersonal

skill, problem-solving skill and conflict resolution skill. The best way for parents to

develop their children’s social skill is to teach, show and suggest them how should they

do, not only tell them what are they should not do (Lake, 2018).

In the universities, not only core subject and academics are important, but also the

social activities. Many universities give attention to the social activities and there are

various types of them. For example, Western Sydney University has student clubs like

debate club, activities on campus, trips and sports (Western Sydney University, n.d.).

Moreover, there are some interesting activities from the University of Cambridge such as

drama society, political society and leisure activities. When students join activities, it

brings them to work together as a group which can improve and practice their

socialization skills like making friends and self-confidence. Besides, they will know how

to adapt and usefully live in the society by learning from each other (Why Answer Blog,

2010). Because in the university they have to meet various types of people, so joining

social activities will provide immunity for them. As stated by Qualicare (2010), social

activities also help with health and well-being like lowering of loneliness. Therefore,

social skill becomes more important because it can efficiently solve and improve the

social problems influencing students.

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Harms of Homeschooling

Homeschooling can affect students’ learning and how they live in the society.

Although homeschooled students can learn one by one with their parents or educators,

their parents need to have various learning requirements, instructional skills and can

handle with the children’s behavior. If parents lack of teaching skills or basic learning,

they will be unable to express and teach their knowledge to children, so students will not

get full of an efficient lesson. Moreover, children also lose their interests during learning.

Homeschooling is non-formal school, people do not believe in homeschooling because

they think that homeschooling is not following the standard curriculum. All schools will

provide the standard curriculum which objects to the personal development of children.

For example, in school, they taught the rules or how to communicate and manage the time

by learning from each other so students will follow the lifestyle of their friends, not only

their way; they will get wide ideas and attitudes from different natures of their classmates.

On the other hand, homeschooled student will only set their own area and just following

the way that they are interested in. In addition, homeschooling cannot provide all

developments to children, so homeschooled students need to take the additional tests to

confirm that they are able to study in college or the universities. Because homeschooling

is limited only in home, it decreases the chance of children to communicate and making

a relationship so they will be afraid to talk with others. As a result, they will separate

themselves from friends. It is related to their low socialization skill. Normal students in

the formal school who are following to the standard curriculum will encounter wide

society from their classmates in the schools. On that premise, homeschooled students

have less chance to learn through that, although they have some parents or few classmates

to communicate with, it still not enough for raising their social skills. As stated by Hegarty

(n.d.), when there are people around them, they will be uncomfortable because they lack
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of interaction skills. Spending most of their times with parents will make them not enjoy

with their childhood that they should have, so they will lose their freedom and dissimulate

themselves.

Effects from Homeschooling on Social Activities and Skill in University

Homeschooling will affect the way students communicate, make a relationship

and encourage to the social problems. In the universities, it is a time to meet and talk to

variety kinds of people. College is a big change in students’ life, it is leading them to

practice the work life and real society; difficult learning is a big difference between

college and high school, almost all of the courses or subjects need much efforts than high

school and students have to learn much lesson in shorter time (Gates, n.d.). Significantly,

most of the colleges want the students who can do the activities with enjoyment, does not

limited themselves (Cambridge, n.d.). One of the big changes is environment. Getting

into colleges will not be difficult, but live and stay in the college is not easy. Although

homeschoolers can live by themselves, they have to live in the environment with others

(Hollowell, n.d.). As reported by Medlin (n.d.), because of the lack of standard

curriculum, homeschooled students will have more hard time to study or adapt in

universities. Moreover, there are many problems that students need to face during the

university like studying, depression and exams, so having friends who can support, help

and understand each other is one of the factors that helps them to pass this hard time

(Navyatha, 2011). Therefore, friends and society are very important in the university.

However, because of homeschoolers’ shyness, unpracticed social skills and lacking of

social experiences, they have less opportunities to socialize or communicate with their

age level peers, so finding some friends will be hard for them (Bergstrom, 2012).

As well as, they have less opportunities to attend the social activities which are

very important in colleges (Carolynm, 2005). As stated by the Western Sydney University
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(n.d.), there are many social activities in colleges, so communication and making friend

are necessary for joining them. However, CRHE (n.d.), found that some of homeschooled

students did not involve in any social activities. They have few friends and a low social

interaction with others, so getting closer to friends is more difficult and challenged. In

addition, because colleges students are in adulthood, they have more confidence with

their ideas and behaviors. It relates to the conflict between the students. Likewise, people

cannot avoid the argument, it is the most common things that every student need to

encourage with, traditional students get used to it because they meet their classmates

every day, arguments or conflicts are simple things in their normal school life, so they

have high immunity. On the other hand, homeschooled students have less experiences

and low immunity. Therefore, when they face to the problems, they cannot solve them

efficiently like others. Besides, one of the reasons why parents choose homeschool their

children is because they want them to avoid the drug or alcohol things. But in the

universities, drug is one of the problems that students have to face with. Homeschooled

do not hold classes on drug use so they are a naive in real society.

Conclusion

This research report is aimed to find out how homeschooled students do their

social activities in the universities. This research report concludes that homeschooling

can affect their social activities in the universities because it reduced their ability to make

a relationship, communicate and handle social problems. Homeschooled students have

less opportunities to socialize and making relationship with friends because they are

lacking of social skills practice and experience. Their shyness, instructions and

viewpoints from homeschooling make them have a hard time joining in the social

activities. This research report recommends further studies on how homeschooled

students’ academic performance compared with formal schooled student.

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References

A Brief History of Homeschooling. (n.d.). Coalition For Responsible Home

Education.
Retrieved April 27, 2018, from
https://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/homeschooling-101/a-brief-
history-of-homeschooling/

Brian D, P. (2015). Research Facts On Homeschooling.

Retrieved April 24, 2018, from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED556234.pdf

Carolynm, M. (2005). Disadvantages of Homeschooling.

Retrieved April 25, 2018, from
http://guiltfreehomeschooling.org/?p=111

Free spirit. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary.

Retrieved May 21, 2018, from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/free-spirit

Gates, G. (n.d.). Ten Common Problems Students Face During University.

Retrieved May 20, 2018, from http://education.co.za/ten-common-
problems-students-face-during-college

Hollowell, K. (n.d.). Disadvantages of Homeschooling.

Retrieved May 5, 2018, from
https://classroom.synonym.com/disadvantages-of-homeschooling-
4745369.html

Ray, B. (n.d.). Academic Achievement and Demographic Traits of Homeschool

Students.
Retrieved May 12, 2018, from
https://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/02/Ray-2010-academic-leadership-journal.pdf

The disadvantages of homeschooling. (March 23, 2015). UKessays.

Retrieved May 1, 2018, from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/education/the-disadvantages-of-
homeschooling-education-essay.php
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