1119: Home Schooling | Skeptical Sunday

The Jordan Harbinger Show

Jordan Harbinger

Education, Science, Business

4.8 • 12.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Homeschooling: Not just for doomsday preppers anymore! Nick Pell joins Skeptical Sunday to unpack how kitchen tables became the new classroom battleground.

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

Homeschooling exploded from 2.5 million kids in 2019 to a whopping 6 million by 2021-2022, with most families sticking to it even after the pandemic dust settled.
Forget the stereotype of homeschooling being a luxury for the wealthy — it's actually surprisingly affordable. While private schools can demand $25,000+ per year, homeschooling typically ranges from $500-$2,500 annually.
Homeschooled students who pursue higher education tend to outperform their traditionally schooled peers in college, though they might stumble a bit in math (because calculus is still calculus, whether you learn it at home or in a classroom).
Contrary to the classic "awkward homeschooler" trope, research shows mixed results on social development. Like a scientific experiment with conflicting data, some studies show better social skills, others show worse, and some land right in the middle. The key variable? Social involvement — it turns out that being social makes you, well, social.
Want to explore homeschooling? Start by recognizing that it's never too late to begin, and you don't need special qualifications or a teacher's license in most states. Like any good adventure, success comes down to research, understanding your child's needs, and trusting your parental instincts. The best part? You can customize the education to fit your child's learning style, pace, and interests.
Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Skeptical Sunday. I'm your host, Jordan Harbinger. Today I'm here with Skeptical
0:07.7	Sunday co-host writer and researcher Mick Pell. On the Jordan Harbinger show, we decode the
0:12.5	stories, secrets, and skills of the world's most fascinating people and turn their wisdom into
0:16.9	practical advice that you can use to impact your own life and those around you.
0:24.0	Our mission is to help you become a better informed, more critical thinker.
0:27.7	During the week, we have long-form conversations with a variety of amazing folks,
0:31.0	from spies to CEOs, athletes, authors, thinkers, and performers.
0:33.4	On Sundays, though, we do Skeptical Sunday,
0:37.2	where a rotating guest co-host and I break down a topic you may have never thought about and debunk common misconceptions about that topic.
0:40.2	Topics like why the Olympics are kind of a sham, why tipping makes no sense, acupuncture,
0:44.9	astrology, recycling, diet pills, energy drinks, and more.
0:48.0	And if you're new to the show or you're looking for a handy way to tell your friends about it,
0:51.7	I suggest our episode starter packs.
0:53.8	These are a great place to tell your friends about it. I suggest our episode starter packs. These are a great
0:54.7	place to begin. There are collections of our favorite episodes on persuasion, negotiation,
0:58.5	psychology, disinformation, cyber warfare, crime and cults, and more to help new listeners get a
1:03.3	taste of everything we do here on the show. Just visit jordanharbinger.com slash start or search for us
1:08.6	in your Spotify app to get started. Today on the show, homeschooling.
1:12.5	Previously, the domain of creepy cults or super religious folks,
1:16.3	homeschooling has become a lot more mainstream over the past few decades,
1:19.6	especially as public schooling, namely here in the United States,
1:22.6	has gotten a pretty bad rap.
	...

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