Why Homeschool A Special Presentation Produced by Chef of Lafayette January 2007

Why Homeschool There are many questions today about homeschooling. Here are two key ones: First: How do homeschool students score on standardized tests –Compared to Public School students of similar socio- economic background Second: What about Socialization Also, some Homeschool Tips

How do Home School Students Score? One of the first questions Prospective Home School Parents ask is: How do Home School Students Score on Nationally Standardized Tests? Studies over the past 15 years have found answers to these questions. Let’s compare home school student scores with those of Public School Students

How do Home School Students Score? We’ll compare standardized test score results of Public School Students with similar test results for Home School Students We’ll look at K-12 results for Reading, Language, Math, Science and Social Studies And see if we can make any conclusions We’ll start with Reading

How do Home School Students Score? Reading

How do Home School Students Score? Reading & Writing

How do Home School Students Score? Reading, Writing, Arithmetic

How do Home School Students Score? 3 Rs Plus Science

How do Home School Students Score? 3 Rs plus Science & Social Studies

Home School Students Score Percentile in all subjects: Very High Scores with Minimal subject variation

How do Home School Students Score? 3 Rs plus Science & Social Studies The overall results are remarkable Home school students score at the 80 th percentile level or above on standardized tests nationwide Far above the national average But you might say that homeschool parents are possibly above average in academic training, or contain mostly smarter family units. So, let’s compare home school students in families of similar academic background

How do Home School Students Score: What about the Parents Studies on Public School Students show that the Education Level of the parents of such public School Students is very important Generally, the higher the education level of the parents, the better the performance of the student, in Public Schools. Remember, this is for Public School Students and their parents.

How do Public School Students Score: What about the Parents We will first examine the results of Public School students whose parents have four different levels of education: Parents who have some High School Parents who are High School grads Parents who have some College Parents who are college grads.

How do Public School Students Score: What about the Parents-Public School

Public School Student Scores and Parent’s Education Level A few Key conclusions For Public School Students, the education level of the parents is a relatively accurate predictor of the results of the average public school student The greater the level of education of the parents, the higher the average level of academic result of the public school student

Compare: Student Results by Parental Education Level-Public vs. Home School Next, we will compare the results of Public School Students at each educational level With Home School Students who had parents at the same educational level Then make a few conclusions

Compare: Student Results by Parental Education Level-Public vs. Home School

How do Public School Students Score: What about the Parents-Public School

Compare: Student Results by Parental Education Level-Public vs. Home School

Key conclusions For the Average Public School Student, the parent’s education level is a relatively accurate predictor of academic results. The Higher the level of the parent’s level of education, the higher the average scores for public school students

Compare: Student Results by Parental Education Level-Public vs. Home School Key conclusions For the average home educated student, the parent’s level of education is not an accurate predictor of the student’s results The average home school student scores at or near the 83.5 percentile, regardless of the level of education of the parents.

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? Research has found that most homeschool students –are involved in a wide variety of outside activities, –interact with a broad spectrum of people, and –make positive contributions to their communities.

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? What about Socialization in our present public schools? “We’ve got a whole lot of falsehoods associated with schooling,” says Gary Knowles, a University of Toronto researcher. … We have … weird rites of passage that are quite dysfunctional”

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? The report continues: “Knowles has found home schoolers to be more self-reliant and focused. ‘They’re able to move into adulthood with a much better sense of self and have a very good sense of what they want to do,’ he said.”

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? The report continues: “Where did we ever get the idea that 2, year olds were the ideal people with which to socialize other 13-year olds?”

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? This is a question I would pose to all here: What is the best social group for Junior High Students? Is it other Junior High Students?

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? Brown Alumni Magazine, “Homeschooling comes of Age,” January/February 2002: –“Homeschoolers are the epitome of Brown students,” says Dean Joyce Reed. “They are self-directed, they take risks, and they don’t back off.”

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? “My parents decided to homeschool me because I had speech problems, and they didn’t want to expose me to the teasing of school children. They taught me from kindergarten through 12 th grade. I loved my “school” experience, and I don’t believe I ever wanted to attend a traditional school, public or private. It gave me the opportunity to truly grow up with my 3 siblings.

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? “And I was involved in many activities, including 4-H, Awana, Bible club, and volunteering at a local hospital. Today as a 2002 college graduate … I already have a job as a full time accountant. Looking back on my schooling experience, I was definitely prepared for college— emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. –Carrie Ireland

What about Socialization, Special Interests and Enrichment Activities? How do you measure the success of “socialization”? –By Academic success? –By civic involvement? –By lifestyle choices? –Or by just plain happiness? –Let’s look at all 4.

Socialization and Academics One result of successful socialization should be academic success. A well-adjusted child should tend to have more academic success than otherwise. Note that when we set forth a “tendency”, this does not always mean the correlation exists in every instance, simply that there is a tendency. This should be indicated in overall statistics, but not necessarily in every individual.

Socialization and Academics We have already reviewed the remarkable academic results of home schoolers in high school, but what about college? Recent results of nationwide surveys provide interesting insights.

Socialization and Academics

Socialization To the extent that socialization is related to Academics, it would be fair to say that Home School students are well-adjusted What about other areas of “socialization” –Civic Involvement –Lifestyle choices –Overall Happiness

Socialization and Civic Involvement

This is a small glimpse into the extraordinary amount of Community and Civic involvement by home school students (and their parents). We could go on and on, but we must yet deal with two other areas: –Lifestyle choices, and –General happiness

Socialization and Daily Life There are many possible aspects of Daily life we could review, however data are only available for three basic subjects: –Reading habits –Sources for current events and news –Religious and Spiritual habits

Socialization and Daily Life

Socialization and Daily Life Religious habits

Socialization and Happiness Very happy, Pretty happy, not too happy

Socialization and Happiness Exciting, Routine, or Dull

Socialization and Happiness Job Satisfaction

Socialization and Happiness

Socialization and Happiness Outlook on Life

Socialization By every measure, home school graduates appear to be well-adjusted, contributing members of society and good citizens. The homeschool student starts with an excellent academic background, Nurtured by the one institution that cares for the student more than any other: the family. The student they takes that excellent academic background with confidence to college Then, understanding that hard work is a key element to success, they get to work.

Socialization Then, they join organizations in their community and volunteer on an ongoing basis. Unlike their peers, they regularly attend church services. Understanding that their obligations as good citizens, they vote Even more, they volunteer and contribute to political candidates

Socialization As I read the literature on this subject, I have a bit more hope for the future. Because the home school movement is growing and bringing with it a new breed of citizen, which is not new at all. These young citizens bring the same principled understanding to the marketplace that our founding fathers did when they came to these shores. If you know of anyone considering homeschooling, encourage them.

Socialization

Homeschool Tips Tip # 1: Get Plugged in There are two large groups and several smaller homeschool groups right here in Acadiana –Catholic: Holy Family –Protestant: Christian Home Educators Fellowship – Chef of Lafayette Several Smaller Groups –Local Church Groups –Local “Unschool” groups

Homeschool Tips Tip # 2: Select a type of curriculum and method of homeschooling A few of the general categories: –Traditional –Classical –Unit Studies –Unschooling/Child Directed/Delight Directed

Homeschool Tips Tip # 3: Attend a convention or curriculum fair. Tip # 4: Tap into the used curriculum market Tip # 5: Choose a place to do school Tip # 6: Be creative with field trips