Feedback from this chat included comments like:
“I feel so relieved and encouraged!”
“There is so much freedom in homeschooling.”
“I learned that hobbies don’t necessarily have to be separate from extracurriculars.”
“Homeschoolers are so well rounded!”
When I asked the homeschoolers participating in the chat to list their kids extracurricular activities, several dozen different activities were named: every team sport imaginable, music lessons, dance, 4H, historical societies, ice skating, mountain biking, scouts, birding, horseback riding, chess, pageants… basically any activity one could imagine was listed. It dwarfed the list of activities supplied by non-homeschoolers even when I adjusted for the number of parents submitting replies (the average homeschool parent named 4-7 activities to an average of 2-3 for non-homeschool parents). But beyond numbers, what I found interesting was the diversity of activity. It was not all sport-related. It didn’t necessarily involve a team or competition. There were many specific, often cerebral, interests represented. And volunteerism was common.
In this chat we discussed many angles… everything from public school access laws to using “time freedom” to what the goal of all this activity is anyway. What is the purpose of it? And how can we think outside of the box to obtain the same end result? Let’s take a look:
Today’s chat aims to answer two questions I received when I asked for what topics you would like me to cover:
“Can a homeschooler join school teams?”
“Are there homeschool specific extracurricular programs??”
If you’re a veteran homeschooler you likely already know the answers. But to someone new to homeschooling (or just considering it) these are fairly common questions.
And we will go a little beyond these queries. Because I feel there is a wider discussion here. What we consider to be an “extracurricular” and what we believe the goal of these activities to be is a vital aspect of how we view education (and life in general).
Whether or not homeschooled kids can join school teams is dependent on location. According to a number of states, a homeschooled student has the right by law to try out for a school team.
They are, of course, not guaranteed placement on the team any more or less than anyone else. And they are held to the same academic and behavioral code that an enrolled student would be.
In many cases homeschool kids are also allowed access to music programs, theatre programs, art programs, clubs and science labs in local schools. Did you know that?
If you are unsure of where your state lands in this, I would check with the HSLDA. They take a neutral stance in advocating for public school access as they are firmly in support of homeschoolers being free of public school
oversight. So they will just plainly state the law. I recommend new homeschoolers (or anyone considering it) check there for other basic state homeschooling laws too.
Regardless of whether your state has public school access provided by law, many private schools will allow homeschooled students to participate.
As for homeschool programs, there tends to be a plethora of these. Again it will obviously vary by location. But generally there is not a shortage of homeschooling groups to join.
Co-ops and other such groups, are sometimes specifically geared toward a certain style (you may, for example, find a local group rooted in the classical method). But many are not method specific. All generally provide opportunities for children of all ages and offer a diverse range of extracurriculars.
And of course there are many activities that are not associated with schools or homeschool programs at all! All manner of community, paid private or group lessons, etc are available to everyone.
Archery, chess, coding, 4H, art clubs, debate teams, music lessons, dance, horseback riding, swim, sewing, theatre, gymnastics, church youth groups, nature clubs, martial arts, scouts, STEM, foreign language clubs, and volunteer groups only scratch the surface of extracurricular activities in which homeschooled kids participate.
Further destroying the laughable “no socialization” myth, a whopping 98% of homeschooled kids participate in an average of FIVE activities outside of their home. *per a recent Think Impact poll study
Flexibility of schedule is one reason that involvement in extracurriculars is particularly common with homeschoolers. Their daily “school time” averages 3-4 hours daily (though in truth can be far less) and can be completed whenever convenient.
The average enrolled child spends 6-7 hours a day at school (therefore 30-35 hours a week).
A full time job is considered to be 40 hours a week. So let me ask you this, how many teams have you joined in your spare time as a fully employed adult?
Part of the entire concept of a home based education, is learning and accepting that a well rounded education (and life) doesn’t have to look a certain way.
You don’t have to follow the herd.
This applies to extracurriculars too.
While there is a lot to be learned by committing to a team or developing a skill to a level of excellence or pursuing an interest in a deeper way. There are many ways to teach commitment, supplement learning, provide social interaction, and nurture interests that don’t involve teams or clubs.
Your child may be learning valuable skills and using their love for nature by helping on the family farm or in the vegetable garden. They may be passionate about developing their entrepreneurial skills by helping with a small business. Their interest may not require a class or club. Maybe it’s developed in the kitchen or their backyard.
They may not learn a new craft from weekly group lessons because they have a beloved family member who can teach it well and they enjoy soaking up time with them.
Perhaps they thrive in self exploration and the fun would be lost if they had to sit through a group meeting.
Maybe the very time freedom that would allow for participation in traditional extracurricular activities is being invested in other ways: Building solid friendships, frequent travel, family bike rides or hiking trips. Maybe you bring groceries to an elderly neighbor and spend time keeping them company.
Sometimes the folks that have the hardest time understanding this are the ones that never learned outside of classrooms and a full rotation of practices and competitions. That’s just all they know.
I’m not here to convince them to change course. I would rather spend my time encouraging you in your swim upstream.
Remember it’s okay if life looks different for you. It doesn’t have to make sense to another soul. You don’t have to defend your family’s choices. You know your child. There are entire populations that don’t have soccer moms and swim meets. There were centuries of mankind that didn’t have football teams, dance competitions or youth orchestras. Let’s get comfortable with thinking more “big picture”. Something tells me you’re already one thinking outside the box. I hope this chat has encouraged you in that.
Emmy Goulet 