The June issue of Heart of the Matter is posted. Please take a moment to read my article which is really more of a question that I have been batting around in my mind for a few months now. You will likely be hearing more about it as some of my thoughts are becoming clearer, but a snippet from How Does Homeschooling Benefit Society:
Other than the occasional list of historic figures who were homeschooled, most of the defenses I have read focus on how homeschooling benefits us and our children. But is there an actual benefit to society, one which even those who would never choose to homeschool themselves might recognize as valuable?
To me, a good question is infinitely more interesting than an answer. Which is good, because I raised a question I did not really answer in any concrete way. But what do you think? Is there a benefit to society beyond the list of historic figures?
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And some other links for your enjoyment:
A good article about immigration. It reminds me of some thoughts I shared after my last visit to the Alamo.
An interview with Debby Schwarzer, who gives more information about the amicus briefs in the California case. Including just a teency bit about that educational anarchy comment. I now come up number one for that search term. Yeah! And Bore Me to Tears even came up with a product line so you can proudly display your inner anarchist. Much more fun than a boycott.
It is almost time for the next one, but the last Carnival of Homeschooling was hosted over at Tami’s blog.
The Carnival of Education is up at one of my favorite education blogs: The Education Wonks.
And a quote I liked from Arthur Koestler. I wish the internet quote machine (this one is from Wisdom Quotes) were better at documenting quotes, partly because many of them turn out to be misrepresented and partly because a good quote always leaves me searching the library for the original source to read more. But a thought to ponder, nonetheless:
Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
I like it.
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
An interesting question to ponder, Dana. For me, it partly depends on the way a child is homeschooled. I hope my children contribute more to society because of their upbringing, a large part of which is being homeschooled.
I think homeschooling often helps kids learn to think outside the box, be innovators, figure out how to make something of their life rather than waiting for life to happen to them, and be interested in the things and people around them. I hope to teach my kids to be responsible and active citizens. So much of public school is going with the flow and doing what they’re told rather than coming up with ideas, solutions, and possibilities.
If nothing else, I hope my kids learn how to be happy in any circumstance, understanding that they have a huge power to make something of their lives. Does that benefit society in a tangible way? I don’t know.
I know I’ll be running this through my mind this week. Thanks!
The benefit to society is that homeschoolers tend to raise self governing people and children who take responsiblity for their own education and welfare. The notion that the government will take care of you and owes you something is not there.
See, Leslie. Sometimes I think that is what the educational establishment is afraid of.
(Just kidding…mostly.)
I echo Leslie’s statement. My hope is that my children will reject government handouts and provide for themselves with creativity and industry.
Another benefit for the school district is that we pay taxes and don’t use their services. That doesn’t benefit us, but someone must smile.
Yes, we pay taxes and we don’t use the buses.
If all homeschoolers showed up at school tomorrow, it would require 2 million more desks, 2 million more text books for each subject and 80,000 more teachers.
We can barely supply this for the children currently in the system, even with the tax dollars we give to the district.
But I agree self-governing individuals are a huge asset to us all.
It also sets an example for children of change through resistance and legislation. I would argue that my children are far more aware of the legal restrictions and regulations that govern their lives than most school children. They have also had the experience of watching us tell various administrators, “No, that policy doesn’t work for us,” and watch the back and forth until they developed something different.
Self-sufficiency, not only in education but I think in financial matters too. If the money isn’t there for a class or a curriculum, then we have to choose something else. It isn’t just a matter of begging the school board until the special product magically arrives.
I think that homeschooled children also tend to be freer in their educational inquiry. There is less bounding by grade level. If they are younger and want to explore something or older and want to keep with a particular passion, they can. My children, at least, are also learning that they learn from more than just the designated teacher at the front of the room. They go to museums, battlefields, libraries and special lectures. They have had the experience of asking a question, being told that the adults don’t know, then going together to find it out.
I wouldn’t say that these qualities can’t exist in a schooled child but that the occur with more frequency amongst homeschooled kids.
Oh, and on the socialization front, because they aren’t being trained in social cliques, when they are at camp, scouts, church etc, they interact with a wide range of kids, perhaps not recognizing that they shouldn’t hang out with this or that person.