Homeschooling Affecting Students in a Variety of Ways by keelin davis
There are many vacant seats in classes all around the school. Many homeschooled and Cloud Students are missing out on valuable influence and experiences that students in-person get to be a part of everyday. “I do feel that I am missing out on some things being at home and I do miss my friends sometimes. It’s part of the sacrifice,” Leake said.
Breaking the stigma.
back over to public school,” Meyers said. After attending in-person school for years, it was a drastic switch for Meyers and she felt that it was not for her in the end.
The widespread view of homeschooled children is that they are “weird and standoffish,” but they are just exposed to different influences than others.
Although homeschooling may not be for all, some people need it to be able to get a proper education best suited for their situation. Cloud Academy student and junior Logan Leake said, “I feel like I just work so much better online. I never really did that well in school and this year I have been able to learn so much at my own pace and I enjoy it now,” While many feel that they get more work done in the classroom, others feel the opposite and work better under their own time.
While those who are homeschooled may have different reasons for doing such, they are exposed to similar influences that reflect in their daily lives. With Cloud Academy being an option, many students are closing themselves off to their friends and a more in-depth education. There are many effects that can result from homeschooling that can have lasting impacts. Homeschooling is often viewed as an odd dynamic from those on the outside, looking in. Many students who choose the homeschooling route have social or physical impairments that interfere with their ability to attend a “normal” schooling environment. Others simply thrive in smaller and less exposed environments and learn better by themselves rather than with peers. With being constantly surrounded by only your own thoughts as well as your family’s, there is a lack of variety in opinions and cultural awareness that one can be exposed to in their life. This can lead to a variety of effects all tied back to influence that can change a person’s mindset and thought process.
With the homeschool approach, it raises the problem of the interference with social skills. By missing out on the valuable interactions with peers and teachers, these students are forced to stay in their own bubble and close their shell in a way. This may not be the same for all homeschooled students, but it is a common problem that arises in many. Meyers said, “not experiencing the school environment was bad for me. A big part of why I discovered homeschooling was not right for me was because I was so isolated and I felt really lonely.” This serves as one of the largest disadvantages to homeschooling but in certain situations it may work the opposite.
There are a variety of different types of homeschooling that can be executed by parents and students. They range from state-controlled curriculum taught through tutors or parents or Cloud Academy, offered through the school systems. Senior Madeline Meyers explored the homeschooling world during the beginning of her eighth grade year and had a short experience with it. “Towards the end of seventh grade, I thought that I would work better home-schooled so I did that the first quarter of eighth grade. I realized soon that it was not working out so I switched
The main source behind the cause of this problem is the need for a well-rounded education. Being exposed to others’ thoughts and being able to formulate a proper conversation is an essential part of curriculum in high schools and without that social aspect, these students may lack these skills in the real world. “I do miss all the talks with my friends in class but I don’t think I have lost those skills that I have learned my whole life. I feel like educating myself has made me way better at communicating than anyone would’ve thought,” Leake said. On the other hand, Meyers said, 9
