Maybe try reading it again…

https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=59219&st=&pgnum=432

You are amazingly articulate for a junior high student. I would encourage you to continue writing as your prose are at the level of an adult.

Imagine my surprise when it turned out the sicha didn’t actually say this, and that it’s conclusion was quite different from on what was implied here.

You can chuckle at the “meme” about socialization but it’s the number one question for a reason.
From an adults perspective, homeschooled kids might come across as mature and well adjusted, but to the child themselves, they know they are the weird homeschooled kid that doesn’t understand social cues.
I’ve been that kid. As have all my siblings. From the outside we look like success stories (and we would never say a negative word publicly about the way we were raised because our parents meant well) but there’s a very, very difficult life path for a child who’s parents chose to raise them in alternative way.

Yes, there are some pros academically, but also cons. You learn to research and be self sufficient and can pursue interests, but you are also limited by your parents weaknesses and don’t have much opportunity to learn from others.

There also aren’t enough adult mentors around in a homeschooled kid’s life. They grow up with their parents being everything all wrapped up and in one and the parents get overwhelmed and drained from being everything to their kids. This is a huge, huge issue that I’ve experienced myself and I’ve heard echoed from many fellow homeschooled kids that have now grown up.

Parents take pride in how well their kids are doing academically and show them off as accomplishments. We become extensions of our parents, a testament to how wonderful and dedicated they are. But no one sees the pressure that puts on the entire family unit and the damage that happens when the parents start slacking off due to burn out but expect the children to perform even better to keep up the image.

Yeah, we do well on tests and know how to give a firm handshake with eye contact. But it’s no way to raise a child if you have a choice in the matter.

> Especially in the tradition of how Torah is meant to be taught which is from teacher to student going all the way back to Moshe Rabeinu.

The parent is the teacher in home-school. The pasuk says הגדת לבנך, not לתלמדך. Chedarim, like standardized education in general, are fairly new concepts in Judaism like in the rest of the world.

> In addition, the article focuses a lot on career and worldly benefits which are important but misses many values that are important in Torah and Chassidus. Namely learning how to be part of a Tzibur.

The same could be said of shlichus in general (and, evidently, an emerging home-school program for shluchim is what provided the impetus for the first article which I responded to here). A home-school within a Jewish community provides the same opportunities. Literally everything that is mentioned from the beginning of this paragraph to the end (davening, learning chassidus, chavrusa, etc.) is something that is available outside of school; and other than davening, most of those are more available outside of school than inside of school.

> how many times did the Rebbe write to people the tremendous Brochos and Siyata Dishmaya that comes from being in an institution of the Rebbe.

Thank G, my home-school is an institution of the Rebbe.

I hope you have only continued success!

“In order for chinuch to be effective, we rely on each other; for not everyone is capable of teaching and educating their own children. So in addition to the chinuch that parents impress on their children, a teacher is needed to perfect their education…

“…And this is in addition to the main point; successful chinuch happens when a child is educated together with other children his age, not when he is educated alone…Torah must be learned specifically ‘bichaburah’ – in a group.”

Toras Menachem – 13 Elul 5742, p. 2168. (Free Translation)

In addition, the article focuses a lot on career and worldly benefits which are important but misses many values that are important in Torah and Chassidus. Namely learning how to be part of a Tzibur. Learning how to daven Shachris, Mincha and Maariv on a daily basis and special days with a minyan and with a Chayus. Learning how to learn with a chavrusah and to look out for a peer. How to sit by a farbrengen, and the many stories you get to hear from chassidim from yesterday and remarkable personalities that your teachers gained inspiration from. These are very difficult to replicate in a homeschool environment.

And lastly, how many times did the Rebbe write to people the tremendous Brochos and Siyata Dishmaya that comes from being in an institution of the Rebbe. He looks after his students and invests special Kochos in them. Ultimately Chinuch is a partnership between parents and teachers. They each have to work together and compliment each other. Sending to a Cheder doesn’t replace the Chinuch that is meant to take place at home either. And of course there are exceptions to every rule and each parent should consult with their guides, Mashpia, and Rov when their child can’t thrive in a school environment.

Thank you for your article.

What both articles have not addressed is that some parents are homeschooling because their child is suffering in school and sometimes even refuse to go to school. I have a friend who noticed early on that school was not a good match for her kids. She chose homeschooling because they were struggling emotionally and academically in a mainstream school environment. Twelve years later, It’s amazing to see her kids (her oldest is 19 years old) look so happy and well adjusted and have such good middos. I can just imagine how jaded and crushed they would have been if they went to school. She recognized that they had a different learning style and were more sensitive kids.

If our schools connect better with kids and teach in a more creative and systematic way, we would have more kids in school. Schools have made huge strides but it’s still not enough for many of today’s kids.

“This has included, in my house, coding, robotics, Latin, Spanish, world history, creative writing, photography, poetry, the history of fashion, the complete writings of Meam Loez, the history of the treatment of women and women’s issues in Judaism, cooking and baking, advanced mathematics and number theory, and I’m sure many other things I can’t remember.”

“Most grown adults can teach 5th grade anything. The truth is that most grown adults could teach 8th grade anything.”

Nevertheless your points still stand..