ERIC Number: EJ1345006
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-9664
EISSN: EISSN-1539-9672
Homeschool Happens Everywhere: Less Formal Instruction, but More Family and Community Activities
Hamlin, Daniel
Education Next, v20 n5 p28-33 Fall 2020
It can be difficult to know precisely what, when, and how the nation's homeschooled students are learning. After all, privacy and the freedom to explore education as families see fit, with limited government oversight, is a defining feature. But the best evidence indicates that homeschooled students are far from isolated. By looking at a recent national survey of American households conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, the author found that homeschooled students are more likely to participate in cultural and family activities than their public-school peers. They seem to spend less time on formal instruction in humanities subjects, but more time visiting libraries and museums and attending community events. If public exposure protects children and cultural knowledge is a major goal for education, concerns that homeschooled students are in danger appear, at the very least, overblown. This article discusses who homeschools their children and takes a look beyond formal instruction.
Descriptors: Home Schooling, Parents as Teachers, Informal Education, Cultural Activities, Family Involvement, Field Trips, Family Characteristics, Educational Attainment, Parent Background, Cultural Capital, Teaching Styles
Education Next Institute, Inc. Harvard Kennedy School, Taubman 310, 79 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; Fax: 617-496–4428; e-mail: Education_Next@hks.harvard.edu; Web site: https://www.educationnext.org/the-journal/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A