For most students, especially in the upper grades, school’s biggest attraction is the opportunity to socialize. Socialization remains a concern of parents who homeschool because homeschooling can be isolating. The saturated social interaction provided by schools doesn’t necessarily equate to positive interaction, however: witness schools’ increased attention to bullying--cyberbullying, in particular. Most parents would probably be willing to trade quantity for quality when it comes to their children’s social interactions.
Town/city recreation departments, the YMCA, 4-H groups and religious/cultural institutions often provide positive educational and social opportunities for children. To ensure that Allegra socializes with others her age, we enroll her in enrichment classes outside the home. On Wednesdays, she swims with her peers at the YMCA (physical education). She dances on Thursdays (physical education and arts). On Fridays, she takes an art class (fine art) at the local Conservatory. Last fall, she also participated in a youth theater class (language arts/performing arts). These classes serve two purposes: 1) they meet curriculum requirements and 2) they provide an opportunity to connect with other age-group peers.
Allegra's take: These enrichment programs cannot compare to the day-to-day socialization provided in a traditional school environment. On the more positive side, however, the enrichment programs are fun, and I thoroughly enjoy them. We also get much more done in them than we ever did in the public school classes.
