# An Honest Question/Observation



## Brookhaus (May 20, 2008)

I find this topic quite fascinating from a different point of view. I am in the unuique postion of hiring two young adults for a postion in my office, one young adult who was homeschooled and the other who has gone to public school. This is their 'trial' period for permanent employment.
This has been a learning experience for me as I see the differences in each (regardless of their individual/personal charactistics). As their supervisor one of the differences I see is that ,absolutely, the homeschooled young adult does exactly as she is told however she has a harder time in working 'on the clock' and adhereing to a 'timed' scheduled.........(it's your typical office job M-F). The first few weeks she showed up late for work,(only 5-10 mins) etc but after I spoke to her (and explained the significance of being on time) this has all but stopped.
The public schooled young adult is quite out-going and very good in dealing with the public though not as concientious as HS'd Y/A. Both are from tight-knit large famiies.
What I find interesting is that while the HS'd Y/A is very concientious and follows instructions to the letter, she does not initiate anything on her own. She has a harder time working in groups in the office.
I find myself having to explain what I thought were very basic things to her .......ie while explaining direct deposit to her for her paycheck I discovered she does not have a bank account/has no idea of checks etc...................while she is weak in math she is high level in reading............PS'd Y/A is great in math, weak in reading. Ps'd Y/A is familiar with calculators, different pc programs etc...........HS'd Y/A is not but eager to learn

Because of her religious beliefs HS'd Y/A dresses differently than peers and this I feel also sets her apart from the people she finds herself surrounded with in the office. She has told me that she has no 'friends' her own age except for a few older girls at church................Now I am not for or against homeschooling/public school/Christianity or bascially anything ---I believe in 'each to their own' but, because of this experience I am wondering if parents of homeschooled children think into the future of readying their teenagers for job interviews,exposing them to people/work situations of all types etc especially if they are expected to work and relate in the world at large?
I am certainly not casting aspersions either way but honestly curious.

BTW--I am hiring both for permanent positions.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

I would imagine that most home schooling parents think about it as much as public schooling parents do, and I don't think your experience with these two young people has ANYTHING at all to do with which of them was educated where, but more to do with the way their parents raised them.

"School" is about academics. "Education" covers a much broader spectrum. Life lessons (such as doing basic personal finance accounting and showing others the respect and consideration of being on time) should be taught by all parents, whether their children are publicly educated or home schooled.

Oh, and not all home schoolers are Christian. 

It sounds to me like these young people would have had similar personalities, regardless of where they went to school, because of the way their respective parents raised them.


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## Brookhaus (May 20, 2008)

I certainly did not mean to imply that ALL homeschoolers are Christian.............nor to imply anything negative whatsoever-I was simply asking based on what I have observed/experienced.
That's all


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

With the utmost respect, I think your observation is interesting, but I tend to disagree that it's a HS vs. PS issue; rather just personality differences. I would be more inclined to think you had something there if you had 10-20 kids you were working with and then made that observance. I don't think you can come to any conclusions based on 2 children. 

In fact, there are several studies that have shown that, homeschool kids are more outgoing because they have typically interacted with a broader range of age groups.

I would like to say, however, kudos for allowing young people the opportunity to work, and working with them to teach them good work ethics and dealing with customer contact. God bless you! Not many employers are willing to give kids a chance.


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

My first two children are twins. Except for the clothing & the money handling (they are already doing that in 7th grade), you could have described them. One is outgoing, is very good at talking to anyone and a natural salesman, self-starter looks for things to do and needs doing, good in reading, not in math, loves a good joke and laughs a lot. The other is quieter, will follow instructions to the letter, good in math, not in writing, will wait quietly for the next job, but doesn't initiate things, doesn't quite get a joke but loves playing practical jokes and can wait weeks for it to play out without letting on to anyone what she's up to, rarely if ever laughs, keeps track of my calendar and keeps us all on time. They have used the same curriculum, are raised the same and know all the same people. I guess I am saying, ps/hs only go so far, and you *could be *seeing a difference in their education or it could be just a difference in personality.


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## nomad7inwi (Nov 30, 2005)

We are frequently talking about the future for our kids. Why they need to get along with their siblings, teammates, and other peers, even if they don't "like" them at the moment or ever. You have a task to do and differences sometimes need to be set aside. All 5 of my children have savings at a bank. When they want something they need to save and buy it. They pay for it and make sure they get the correct change. If the need a loan they pay interest. I believe life skills are the MOST important skills my children will leave home with.

My 14yo son started refereeing soccer in August of last year as a 13 year old. He needed to take the class on his own, figure out how he would pay us back for the class and the uniform, what games he was available for, how he would get to the games ON TIME, then there is the actual refereeing. He's really excelled at making calls with confidence and reminding adult, professional coaches that he is the referee. Recently a coach was being abusive to him and the adult center ref. My son very politely and firmly let the coach know that her behavior was unacceptable and she would need to leave the game if she continued. She stopped harassing him, but then resumed with the center ref... He handled himself very well. I have gotten numerous remarks from area parents and coaches on what a good job he does. He is getting exposure that will help him in the rest of his life.

We do happen to homeschool. I really think you are experiencing individuals that happen to have been homeschooled & happen to have been public schooled. I recently dealt with a 13 year old child that was simply mortified that her mother would not replace her $400 phone for the 4th time in 2 years. There was no one, public schooled or homeschooled in that group that could sympathize with her. It wasn't a issue of schooling, but an issue of parenting and personality. I think that is what you are witnessing.

I too am happy to see you giving young people a chance and being willing to teach them what they need to know to succeed at their job.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Homeschool kids, just like public school kids have their own strengths and weaknesses. My DD is doing well in her chosen career field. As for the checking account thing, we opened a student account for her when she was 16 and taught her how to reconcile her account. She soes great at it. She was pretty much a homebody, but I made sure I had her involved in activities she enjoyed where she was around others her age.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I have to agree with the others. The difference you are seeing is a personality difference. I homeschooled both my children, the oldest for only a couple years, the youngest for 7 years. The oldest is outgoing, punctual, takes the initiative to do something (unless it's helping with housework), is very responsible when it comes to money, and is very practical. The youngest would never get anywhere if we weren't always jumping on her to "get ready NOW!!!", waits until she is told to do something, does NOT dress like girls her age (for which I thank goodness because of all the skin and cleavage showing), is very reserved and has no friends her age. 

Although I do question why a homeschooled student would not have had some banking education I do understand that some people do not like banks and have no banking accounts. My children are bank savvy because I taught them about banking and different accounts before they went to school.


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

Although I also wonder why a homeschooled student doesn't have banking education, I have proof that many public schooled students don't either. Both my DH's twins graduated PS without understanding a budget, spending, account balancing, etc. Although we tried with one (who lived with us a few years prior to graduation) she didn't wish to learn from us, and ultimately had to learn by herself through the hard-knocks-life program.

In your case, I think the homeschooled student's desire to learn will carry her through those things she'll need to learn to hold your (or another) job.


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## reese (Jul 6, 2004)

> I am wondering if parents of homeschooled children think into the future of readying their teenagers for job interviews,exposing them to people/work situations of all types etc especially if they are expected to work and relate in the world at large?


While it's interesting about your observations, I find the conclusions of your observations to be a bit confused. 

Despite how one is educated, they'll be who they are personality wise and family experiences. My oldest was a "nerd", "geek" or whatever while he was in school, and still would be considered so now that he's home schooled. The difference is that he was ridiculed in school for being true to himself, whereas now he can be proud and embraces his uniqueness with out ridicule. 

NOW to answer your question; which for some reason is a common one. We don't go out of our way to get these particular experience, it's part of daily living that my children are exposed to all sorts of people from religious and other backgrounds than ours. 

We are not Christian, and are quite surrounded by Christians. We are staunch homeschoolers surrounded by public educators, strangely. We are homebodies, and yet we are frequently spending time with people of all walks of life outside "in the real world". 

Their education isn't just about things in books and texts, it's about life, and living and how to survive in the real world. We do this, not through books and text, rather through living it, doing it, real life experience. 

Everyone has to start somewhere; it's nice that you consider young people for positions, despite their weak points, no matter what their educational background. 


Reese


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2008)

Sounds like a personality thing to me. 

If you look at my oldest brother and I you'd be amazed to hear we come from the same DNA. He's Mr. Republican, Catholic, and will go to the grave with every penny he ever earned. I'm a child of the Universe. While my brother teaches high school sciences, I barely made it through higg school science. My brother has horrible handwriting and had difficulties in English. I almost have a minor in it. He's athletic and I surf the net. See where I'm going with this?

I learned about banking not in school but in LIFE. I've also worked at a homeless shelter where the women had no clue about banking, checking accounts or how to budget. They all went to PS.


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## LynninTX (Jun 23, 2004)

I agree this is not about where they were *schooled*, but more about what each family taught/expected plus the individual bents.

We home school. My dh is mostly self employed and our 13 & 14yos work with him. They are getting a good education on dealing with customers, the public, how to run a business, etc. My dh has 2 places he also works *for* people. Both have hired our sons at times because they are good workers. My boys have cleaned pools, delivered water, worked in a store, and in an office. 

Although our dd does not work off the farm because of our beliefs... she does handle farm customers and is going to be learning small business accounting. 

It just depends mostly on WHAT children are educated in... not WHERE. 

We hear plenty of complaints from small business owners about the trouble in finding good employees (.) most of those they are looking at are ps educated. But the issue there is not ps... but what they were not taught & trained...WHAT not WHERE


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## saremca (Jun 19, 2008)

Karen said:


> With the utmost respect, I think your observation is interesting, but I tend to disagree that it's a HS vs. PS issue; rather just personality differences.


I completely agree. Personality differences and probably differences in family dynamics as well. I have three children and they have each been homeschooled and raised in a predominantly Christian focused home. My oldest daughter is very responsible, super-organized, on time or early for everything, and a social butterfly (she's 17). My second daughter (14) is a bit of an airhead, not at all organized, late for things on occasion, hysterically funny, and yet extremely shy until she gets to know you. My son is a mixture of the 2 girls, although more socially outgoing than daughter #2.

I, on the other hand, went to public school my entire life and am one of the most socially backwards people I know. I'm extremely shy, uncomfortable in social situations, would never strike up a conversation with a stranger, etc. It's not public school's fault that I am the way I am, it's just the way I am.

It's funny to me that when a homeschooled kid differs in any way from the norm people automatically want to attribute it to the fact that the kid was homeschooled, but if a publically schooled kid is different, then he's just different.


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

I also agree its a personality issue, I have one of each type. 

Each person is unique in their abilities - Public or privately educated.

I am not pointing fingers either, not saying you do this, but as a home school Mom, it seems that some people tend to look for differences once they "know" they are home schooled.As if to find it a reason for the persons natural quirks.


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