The Hazards of Homeschooling

While students attend school for academic intent, some fail to realize the additional benefits of going to school.

School inadvertently prepares students for the real world with the exposure to different types of people, and with that, students learn valuable social skills. In the isolated bubble that is homeschooling, teenagers lack the exposure to all sorts of experiences the typical school setting offers.

Educational institutions simulate real-world settings in which people come across all different walks of life and personalities. Students become knowledgeable in how to deal with an array of people. Staying home all day limits the amount of people one becomes exposed to. Few other organizations have the capability to prepare young people to handle others the way school does. In a world built on connections, social skills remain key in building any type of career.

School allows students to become more productive, not just in the world of academia. Almost every high school today offers sports and clubs. Extracurriculars grant teenagers the ability to dive into possible career options before they attend universities or enter adult life. Activities and sports offered keep adolescents active, giving kids something to do to stay out of trouble or simply keep them away from the television or their phone all day.

Kids who homeschool may never get to experience getting cut from a sports team, winning a student council election or appreciating the sense of community a special club may offer. They simply never get to experience the quintessential events that constitute one’s childhood such as pep rallies, football games or school dances.

Schools provide students with opportunities on a daily basis that homeschoolers may never get to encounter. Educational institutions consist of faculty members educated on a variety of areas such as college admissions or regular counselors who help kids who just need someone to talk to that may not be their parent. Not all teenagers feel comfortable talking to their parents about their personal issues, nonetheless, a virtual school teachers. Guidance counselors are professionally trained to deal with kids’ problems, they also know what to look out for when it comes to students at risk.

The household setting lacks the competitive nature a school possesses with the variety of situations a student might get exposure to. For instance, with peers surrounding one another all competing for the best grades, this can help motivate students to strive to accomplish the most they possibly can. Homeschooling fails in providing this environment to keep students motivated to achieve the most.

All in all, school provides structure for the youth in training them to wake up everyday at a decent hour and  having priorities they must maintain. These skills become the most important tools when living in the real world.