Let’s talk socialization
Ah yes, the classic concern. “But what about socialization?!”
It’s one of the first things people ask when they hear about homeschool or micro schooling.
It’s a totally fair question—we all want our kids to grow into socially skilled, emotionally intelligent little humans. But here’s where it gets a little... nonsensical.
In many traditional school settings, “socialization” looks a bit like: “Be social! Just not now. Or here. Or with noise.”
Let’s break it down for a second:
Class: Talking is mostly off-limits unless it's perfectly timed, on-topic, and under 10 seconds. Anything else = distraction.
Hallways: Depending on your grade you’re either silent or you’ve got about 3.5 minutes to run to the bathroom, grab your books, and whisper “hey” without being late.
Lunch: One of the few “free” times to talk—unless the volume creeps too high. Then it’s back to structure, assigned seats, or (you guessed it) Silent Table.
Breaks: In the older grades phones often become the main social outlet—because that’s safer than starting a conversation you might have to cut short.
And sure, kids are surrounded by other kids—but with a bajillion students per class, they might genuinely connect with one or two. And even then, it’s tough to build a friendship when “no talking” is the unspoken motto of the day.
Meanwhile, research says things like: “Students learn through conversation, exploration, and connection.”
And schools say: “That’s adorable. Now please finish your worksheet quietly.”
To be clear, this isn’t a dig at teachers. Teachers are heroes, often doing the absolute most with very little.
But the system? Yeah... it doesn’t exactly scream social-emotional growth.
So the next time someone gasps, “But what about socialization?!” maybe ask: Are kids actually learning to connect—or just learning to stay quiet until the next bell rings?
That’s part of why I started PivotED—a place where talking, questioning, collaborating, and being human is kind of the whole point.
Thanks for being here.
Thanks for thinking differently.
And hey—keep being AWESOME.