Homeschooling and the Redefinition of Citizenship

Abstract

Homeschooling has grown considerably in many countries over the past two or three decades. To date, most research has focused either on comparisons between schooled and homeschooled children, or on finding out why parents choose to educate their children at home. There has been little consideration of the importance of homeschooling for the more general issue of citizenship, and whether people can be good citizens without going to school. This paper reviews the research on homeschooling, as well as the major objections to it, and frames these debates within the broader issues of citizenship and citizenship education. The paper shows that homeschoolers are carving out a different but equally valid understanding of citizenship and that policies which encourage a diversity of understandings of good citizenship should form the basis citizenship education both for schools and homeschoolers.

The Social and Educational Outcomes of Homeschooling

“…The topic of the social development of children is consistently reported to be a critical outcome measure of homeschooling, often ranked first in importance but almost never less than second (Arai 1999;Lyman 2000;Ray and Wartes 1991). Those who are apprehensive about the socialization of homeschool children put forth a theory of action that runs as follows.…”

Choice without markets: homeschooling in the context of private education

“…Rather than seek instrumental advantages, many of its practitioners aim to remove children from market (and bureaucratic) settings, reasoning that they are too precious to be entrusted to the care of others (Stevens, 2001), and focus instead on providing personal attention and tailored forms of pedagogy. Homeschooling also attracts many parents via its cultural benefits, whether to inculcate parental values, strengthen family unity or shield children from societal undesirables like drugs, alcohol, peer pressure or consumerism (Arai, 1999;Marshall & Valle, 1996;Mayberry & Knowles, 1989). Although it may be economically inefficient, homeschooling is a viable alternative for parents who insist that their children be exposed to their favored educational philosophy.…”

O neoliberalismo como um dos fundamentos da educação domiciliar

“…As we aimed to point out in this study, the formulations of the main ideologists of In this perspective, Bruce Arai (1999) allows us to understand where the proposal of homeschooling is placed in terms of changes in the foundations of education in society.…”

“…They clearly do not believe that compulsory schooling is a necessary prerequisite of adequate citizenship and they prefer to stress the importance of family and participation in public activities as the basis of their understanding of the good citizen. (p. 9) Therefore, Arai (1999) points out a fundamental question, brought forth by this debate, for the educational policies on homeschooling and compulsory education. In this author's evaluation, the biggest consequence is the understanding that schools cannot be the only way, or even the primary agent, of citizenship education for all citizens.…”