Socially speaking

The one question all home educators are asked so many times that it has become a standing joke, is “but what about socialisation?” In our family, we even discussed recording a response to play on demand! My chapter in “Another Way to Learn” focuses on the home-educated child as a social being, based on my own experiences and observations from over 24 years of home-educating, and engaging with vast numbers of home-educating families.

I think it is important to share with the wider community all the positive social benefits that home education offers children. The school environment offers social connection of a certain kind, which works well for some children, but it is still somewhat of an artificial environment, where interactions are based on forced association with a large group of children all around the same age. By way of contrast, the home-educated child has more time and opportunity to engage with the “real world” as they are out and about in the community, normally with a parent in tow who is able to guide them, as they navigate society and experience it first-hand.

I have met countless numbers of home-educated children through the years, and I have never seen any evidence to suggest that children’s social development is impeded in any way as a result of them being home-educated. If anything, children appear to be well-rounded, confident, and articulate, and have developed the ability to engage meaningfully and naturally with those older and younger than themselves – they feel like they are a valued part of society and have a role to play in it.  I believe that is something to advertise and celebrate, which is why I was delighted to be asked to share my thoughts in the book.

Juliet English is an experienced home educator who is passionate about encouraging and empowering parents to educate their children with boldness and freedom. She has been married to Larry for 34 years. She is engaged in a number of initiatives which benefit home educators in the UK, drawing on her personal experience of educating her own seven children, running groups, activities and conferences, as well as her background in social work. She is a director at Streams, founder and co-ordinator of the Learn Free Conference, and actively works with others to protect the rights of parents in the UK to educate their own children. Juliet’s idea of fun is creating, crafting and singing.