Home Schooling in Western Culture. Definition: “ The education of a child at home by its parents ”. ( Oxford Dictionary, 2005 )

Home Schooling in Western Culture


Definition:• “The education of a child at home by its parents”. (Oxford Dictionary, 2005)


"Home schooling" is probably the most common term currently in use to describe parents taking direct responsibility for their children's education instead of sending the children to school. Other phrases used include: home-based learning, family- and community-based learning, home learning. (OFTP, 2008.)


Overview• How does western society view home schooling in

comparison with non-western cultures?

• What is the psychological impact on children who are home schooled? (social and cognitive development)

• How do students feel about their home schooling experience and are there differences in culture?

• Cultural norms of home schooling.


Myth or Reality?

• At home education/ Home schooling is legal world wide


Myth! Home education is currently illegal in

various countries. Although home schooling is legal in most countries (Canada, U.S, U.K, Austria, Chile, Taiwan), it is illegal to practice in (Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands etc.)


Myth or Reality?• Home schooled children are socially

disadvantaged in comparison to public or privately schooled children. They display social anxiety in groups and are usually perceived as socially awkward by peers.


Myth• Studies reveal that home schooled children

fare equally, if not better than traditionally schooled children in terms of social adjustment, self-concept and overall social competence.


Myth or Reality?• Home Schooling is a rare practice that

usually takes place within rural areas for socially segregated families, or children with severe illness or cognitive impairment.


MYTH

• Within North America alone, in 2002-2004 approximately 1.7 to 2.1 million children are presently home schooled.

• 2001-2002, between 50, 000 to 95,000 in Canada. (Ray, 2005.)

• Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents


What are the societal attitudes of home schooling in Western Culture??

History: In pre-industrial North America, family responsible for education in reading, writing, arithmetic, ideas and values.

Post-industrialization led to compulsory education laws.


• Recent underground movement that began in the 1980’s. 1970’s seen as a hippie, counter culture movement, 1980’s seen as religious fundamentalist

• Largely criticized, seen as threat to local school system. Viewed as irresponsible and anti-community (Olsen, 2008.)

Home Schooling in West Culture

Reasons Parents home school:• Teach at the child’s pace for either advanced or

developmentally delayed children – “unschooling”

• Poor quality of education in public schools

• Developing stronger family bonds and unity

• Building self-esteem, lack of peer pressure

• Morality – religious/philosophical instruction (Gray,1998.)


Other cultures:• Brazil: Nunes Family face possible

imprisonment and loss of child custody for home schooling (HSDLA, 2010.)

• Germany: January 26, 2009 Romeike Family Granted Political Asylum in U.S. for persecution

• Sweden: Johansson Family: 7 Year old Dominic kidnapped by Swedish authorities


Kenya: Over 400 families South African: Approximately 150, 000

families South Korea: Estimated at 600 to 1,000

families Taiwan: Over 1000 families.

(HSDLA, 2010.)

Home Schooling Western Cultures

Psychological Impact• Social Competence : Comparison Study (Francis,

2000.)• Results indicate than children of home schooled

parents scored higher on standard social skills that conventionally educated children.

• Self-control, cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility.


Study suggest that home schooling has a positive effect on development of social skills in children.

Self Concept: (Lopez, 2006.) Social skills, adaptive skill and leadership skills.

Home schooled adolescents score higher on all measurements (average of 5 points) than national school average.

(Taylor, 1986.) Pierre-Harris Children’s Self Concept Scale to test 224 children grades 4-11.

Home Schooling Western Culture

Found that self-concept of home schooled children was significantly higher than traditionally schooled children, where each child scored at 91st percentile or higher.

Cognitive Impact of Home schooling

• (Rudner, 1998.) Home schooled children generally fare the same, if not higher than their counterparts in all subjects (reading, writing, math, science)

• Results consistent, irrespective of parental background.


How do home schooled students feel as adults?

• Attitudes toward having been home schooled were rated on a 5-point scale (i.e., 1=Strongly Agree, 5=Strongly Disagree)

• Mean response was “I am glad that I was home schooled and “Having been homeschooled is an advantage to me as an adult”. (Ray, 2004.)

Home schooling in Western Culture

55% strongly agreed and 27% agreed with the statement, “I would home school my own children.”

In the general U.S.population,46.2% had attained some college courses or higher; 74.2% of the home-educated had attained some college courses or higher. (Ray, 2004.)


Cultural Norms

• Many parents who home school their children are associated with faith based groups and very active in their religious involvement

• Home schooling is gaining fast momentum, due to research and is more accepted, although still largely met with initial criticism due to lack of knowledge in western culture.

• In stages of infancy in other cultures, and largely unknown due to weak education structure and poverty.

Documents

Home Schooling in Western Culture. Definition: “ The education of a child at home by its parents ”. ( Oxford Dictionary, 2005 )