# Homeschooling and MBTI



## SherlyDEDUCE (Jul 25, 2012)

If you were homeschooled or are being homeschooled, tell us your MBTI type. I’m curious to see if there’s a correlation (I’m predicting more “N” than “S,” but we shall see.)

I’ll start. Never been to any formal school.
INTJ.


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## Tetsonot (Nov 22, 2012)

I'm not homeschooled myself, but I have a friend who was homeschooled from the 8th grade on because school just didn't work for him. He's familiar with the personality types and types himself as an ISTP.


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## dejavu (Jun 23, 2010)

I was homeschooled for a few years in high school. I attended public elementary and junior high school, though. I'm an ENTP.


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

Nah, you'll find a variety of types homeschooled. I'm extremely connected to that large network of homeschoolers (and have been one myself). There's the normal mix of people with all the preferences. I'm ENFP, and I've been to every sort of school possible, really. Haha. But I've been homeschooled for quite a bit of my life. Same with my ESTJ sister and INTP brother.


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## ENTPreneur (Dec 13, 2009)

Many homeschooled over at ENTP forum. Not allowed in Sweden though, so not me.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

My parents almost started homeschooling me in 6th or 7th grade, because I was failing everything and the teachers hated me and stuff. But I didn't want to because friends.

Really, I think it'd have more to do with the parents' types than the kid's type, since they're usually the ones who choose.


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## dejavu (Jun 23, 2010)

Raichu said:


> Really, I think it'd have more to do with the parents' types than the kid's type, since they're usually the ones who choose.


Good point. Does everybody here know their parents' types? My dad is an ESFJ and my mom is an ISTJ. My mom was the more pro-homeschooling parent.


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## Tetsonot (Nov 22, 2012)

Just emailed my friend for you. He says his mother is an INTJ and his father is an ESTP. His mother was the one more interested in homeschooling and she ran all of his "classes". However, he admits to having a much better relationship with his father because he seemed to better understand his son's need to do something other than sit in class.


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## Hurricane Matthew (Nov 9, 2012)

I think this is one of the ((many)) things that won't have a MBTI correlation. There's sooooo many reasons why kids end up in homeschool and a lot of them are out of the kid's control. I ended up in homeschool mainly because... the public schools were just too terrible to deal with anymore. I was in elementary school at the time and my mom was fed up with my extremely lazy teacher who did nothing but read us books all day ((no math, no history, no science, etc etc)). Then when my mom went to the principal, still nothing was done, so she pulled me out and homeschooled me for a while. I was being so bored in school, I was getting in trouble and magically decided to stop showing up for class anymore because I'd find more interesting things to do in-between home and school ((I used to ride my bike to class)). But meh, maybe it was a sign of my eventual INTP-ness :tongue:

I'm not sure of my mom's type but I want to guess xNTP. I have a lot of differences with her but in terms MBTI, we seem similar with a lot of traits and a lot more similar to me than my dad and brother. It's just hard to tell how introverted or extroverted she really is.



ENTPreneur said:


> Many homeschooled over at ENTP forum. Not allowed in Sweden though, so not me.


Huh? Why wouldn't homeschool be allowed in Sweden?


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## Mitsuko (Apr 3, 2012)

The parents definitely have their own biases, especially strongly religious folks who don't support evolution and such for their kids. Apparently there were a lot in my district, but we never really saw them... I couldn't tell you their type.

That said, I was homeschooled 5th grade through high school, and did well. IFP, I generally think myself ISFP. My mother is an ExTx (can't tell), my dad is INTJ. I had a weird career choice, homeschooling was a better schedule. My INTP brother wasn't home schooled. 

Nowadays, unless all classes are online, I am unable to hold myself responsible for out-of-school classes... I don't know how I did it then. I was pretty much left alone to learn, my mother & a district organized my work.


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## Ellis Bell (Mar 16, 2012)

It seems like the choice to do homeschooling lies with the parent, for the most part, especially if they start you out on it right from the beginning. My ISTJ aunt was terrified of social interaction at school herself and it scarred her so much that she did all of her kids' schooling (parents who choose to do this method tend to be introverts, at least that's the pattern I'm seeing here).


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## BlackMoonlight (Oct 16, 2012)

I was homeschooled all my life. The first time I entered a classroom was when I started college last year.

I don't know if this is what you're getting at, but I've heard it said by people who choose either homeschooling or unschooling that public school causes children to lose their natural curiosity about the world and turns learning into nothing more than dry memorization of facts without much room for questioning or pursuing interests that aren't included in a set curriculum. Maybe having to learn in that way would cause some young people to lose their intellectual curiosity, especially if learning is presented to kids as something repetitive and boring. Do you think that kids tend to develop intuition because homeschooling offers a freer environment to learn?


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

From my experience... the mother of a homeschooler is very likely to be pretty J-ish. As for the homeschoolers themselves they can be any type. Just what I've noticed, not sure if it holds up with a larger sample.


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## goodgracesbadinfluence (Feb 28, 2011)

I was homeschooled until 9th grade. I'm an INTP. Athough I think I showed NTP tendencies from early childhood.


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

goodgracesbadinfluence said:


> I was homeschooled until 9th grade. I'm an INTP. Athough I think I showed NTP tendencies from early childhood.


What's your moms personality type?


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## goodgracesbadinfluence (Feb 28, 2011)

Sporadic Aura said:


> What's your moms personality type?


She's an ISFJ.


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

BOOM. The patterns continues. Homeschoolers have J's for moms.


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## Hurricane Matthew (Nov 9, 2012)

Sporadic Aura said:


> BOOM. The patterns continues. Homeschoolers have J's for moms.


In my post I said my mom is likely xNTP...


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

Matthew Nisshoku said:


> In my post I said my mom is likely xNTP...


You're the exception not the rule.


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## Hurricane Matthew (Nov 9, 2012)

Sporadic Aura said:


> You're the exception not the rule.


There isn't a pattern at all then. Especially with so few people in the thread


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

I desperately wish I had been homeschooled, but instead I was subjected to several miserable years of being trapped in a hellish prison where they tried to break my spirit and turn me into someone else. 

Oh, how I envy the ones who weren't abandoned into the public school system! I think if I had been so lucky, I would be so much better off now. If only someone had cared enough to let me learn in the way I naturally learn rather than forcing me to do it in a way that felt completely wrong! I hated every second of being surrounded by hostile peers and emotionally abusive authority figures who despised everything about me that made me who I was. 

I am determined that if I have children, I would rather die than make them suffer that way.


For the record, I was *not* homeschooled, and I am an INFP.


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## EdBogie (Aug 15, 2011)

INFJ here. 

I'm a sophomore in college now, but I was homeschooled from birth all the way up 'til my senior year in high school, when I began taking full time college classes. So glad my parents decided to homeschool me, it truly was a wonderful experience and I'm extremely thankful for it!


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## Nominal (Feb 18, 2012)

I found school to be pure busy work, so was in and out of school every other year. Homeschooling, GT programs, switching schools.. none of it ever really helped. This was before online schooling, unfortunately. I would have done so well just taking college classes online instead of going to high school. The repetition was simply impossible to endure.

MBTI type.. I don't know. My thought process is very intuitive.


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## armyofdreamers (May 31, 2012)

I've been homeschooled my whole life. INFJ.
So was my brother. INTJ.


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## marbear311 (Dec 19, 2014)

I'm a junior in high school and I've been home schooled since first grade. Not exactly sure what my type is, ExFP of INFP. I enjoy it a lot, and contrary to popular belief, I have no problems with socialization.


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## Bugs (May 13, 2014)

I went to public school but I support homeschooling more. I'm ENTP.


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## MaskedNicci (Aug 5, 2014)

I'm an INTJ, and my INFJ mother was mostly in charge of our homeschooling. My ExFx father was not really very involved. I was homeschooled from birth up until I entered college, and I am now in my senior year. I was always really appreciative of the fact that we were homeschooled, and it offered me a lot of freedoms. I adjusted well to college level work - which was the main thing my mother was concerned with - and got straight As my first semester of college right off the bat. 

My four siblings were also homeschooled. My INTJ brother from about first grade until college, INFP sister from birth until college, and my two youngest sisters (ISTP and ENFP) from birth until high school (senior year and freshman year, respectively). 



Eos_Machai said:


> It can be allowed in very special cases, but in general it is not. And that's partly because there isn't much interest in it.
> 
> But arguments that are refered on the rare occations when the topic is discusses are for example...
> 
> ...


In regards to the third comment in particular, (same education) I've heard the public education system in Sweden is pretty well set up in general, though, which would make more sense why there would be more standards trying to keep students in the system and on track. One of the main problems my family experienced with homeschooling was adjusting to "the system" when we wanted back into public education. For me and my older brother and one sister, it was getting high school credits for our college applications and explaining that the transcript could _not_ be requested through our school system. Because our school system was my mother in her office upstairs.  Typically, students and their families are not supposed to have the original copy of their transcripts, the school has to send it directly to the college, so this was a very confusing point for them, since they have no real policy on it usually. For my two youngest sisters, it was also getting high school credits in line, but in order to re-enter the public high school system. This was waaay more complicated, and involved my sisters taking placement tests for most of their first semester.

I can see some logic in the first argument (too much direct parental influence), certainly. This tends to carry a lot of negative connotation with homeschooling, especially in the United States in the Bible Belt, where it is thought that all homeschoolers are die-hard Christian radicals who want to brainwash their kids -- and I can't say that this type of homeschooler does not exist. But since the fundamental structure of the U.S. tries to focus on personal freedoms, rather than general efficiency, that might explain the difference between Sweden's rules and the U.S.'. Not saying either is better or worse, just a possible reasoning.

The second argument (re: stunted socialization) here is also one that is a common stereotype for homeschoolers in the U.S., and I have to say that from all my experiences, I have to disagree with this one and say that it really varies so much, that I don't think you can logically base an argument for it and "blame" it on homeschooling. I have known other families with multiple children who homeschooled, and I also have the experience of myself and my siblings. Some of us adjusted well to socialization, some of us did not. If the homeschooled child was an only child, I think you could say that this _might_ be a possibility, but most homeschoolers I have known had at least one sibling. What is wrong with siblings playing together and socializing? And there is also socializing with the parents, too. Homeschooled children do not always have to be locked in their room with schoolwork, but they are also allowed to go play in parks and out in their neighborhood, to go on field trips and to libraries (the library was a _very_ popular choice in my family, and we are all avid readers, with most of us participating in book clubs at some point or another). And if the parents are still concerned about exposing the child to possible socialization, there are "homeschool co-ops," organized events between multiple homeschooling families in order to share the experience with other families, often including extra-curricular classes with the other kids. One which we went to offered things like painting, wood-working, etc. There are also involvements with 4-H and Girl/Boy Scouts. So I really don't think that a child will necessarily _lose_ the opportunity for exposure to other children their age, just because they are not being scooted around a large classroom in a public school with hundreds of other kids. They would have a different social experience, of course, but that is neither a positive nor a negative thing. So I believe that thinking homeschool children are unable to socialize due to somehow being unexposed to other human beings enough is an assumption often made but greatly unfounded.

I _will_ allow that some children need more socializing than others, and sometimes this can be problematic if the parent is not diligent enough to provide for the child. My INTJ brother, for instance, is very awkward socially. He often comes across as either very confusing, stating non-sensical things that nobody follows, OR he comes across as insulting, cold, and insensitive. He is very ill-adjusted socially and has a problem connecting with people and keeping other people's viewpoints and feelings in mind._However_, aren't these a fairly natural set of traits for an underdeveloped INTJ? He may have benefited from more social interaction during his high school years or even elementary years, but there would still have been some risk of that in public school, as well. If you look even just at some of the threads on here discussing personal experiences in the public school system (there is one, in fact, for INTJs, too!) a lot of people found public high school to be emotionally draining and found it difficult to make friends or to enjoy any offered/forced social aspect. And although my brother _did_ have some exposure in his early elementary years to a public school system, he was a misfit, was bored with class work (math in particular) and all. And yet, I am also an INTJ, and I did not have that bit of public school exposure. I do not mean it boastfully, but it is a fact that I am significantly more socially adjusted than my older brother. I often have to try and "translate" for him to people (without his knowledge, usually) and have been able to make multiple friends in college, and have found a balance that will make my introversion fairly pleased with how things are set up socially. So I don't think that public systems vs. homeschool systems will alter a child's social development _unless the parent is severely neglectful and/or controlling_. I'm suddenly reminded of the movie _Carrie_, for some reason.

Then there is my ENFP youngest sister. She, as the only real extrovert of us kids, probably requires more social stimuli. This was one of the reasons that we had one of our "family meetings" and my mother decided to put her in public high school - she knew that she wasn't offering her enough social stimuli at the time being, and with her current situation she didn't have enough time and energy anymore to devote to amending that on her own.

I hope this doesn't come across as me attacking you in any way, Eos_Machai. I mostly quoted your post because it exemplified a lot of common issues with the public's image of homeschooling quite clearly and concisely, and I wanted to address those as directly as possible. I am genuinely curious as to your general thoughts/analysis of the pros/cons of the Swedish education system, and would not begrudge a rebuff to my arguments.

*tl;dr...*
1. Yes, homeschooling sucks for consistency and "staying on track" with systems.
2. No, not all homeschool parents are tree-hugging hippies or religious nuts. They exist, but especially recently a greater variety of homeschoolers has developed.
3. Homeschoolers have many, many ways in which to make friends and socialize, so homeschooling does not offer or remove any more risk of anti-social or under-socialized kids than if they were in public school.
4. I loved being homeschooled, but it is not for everyone.


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## dyecaster (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm 27, and was homeschooled except for 1 year at a small Christian school (4th grade) and high school, which I went to my local public school for.

I'm an INFJ, but my parents homeschooled most of my seven brothers and I for a majority of our schooling years. So the decision to homeschool would be more indicative of my parents' types than mine.

I was overwhelmed the first week of public school, and was shy, but didn't have much trouble adjusting socially to my school environment. I was inevitably awkward sometimes, but that's just an INFJ's life interacting with the outside world I think.

I wasn't isolated socially when I was homeschooled, as I regularly attended church, had a couple children in the neighborhood around my age, and had seven brothers. 

I found public school to be very draining - spending 7 hours a day in a very stimulative, public environment filled with a lot of busy work. The public school system in America felt a lot like a prison - a daycare for older children.

My parents did a good job of getting good curriculum together for us every year, and after we could read well our schoolwork mostly consisted of reading a lesson from a textbook, doing the accompanying bookwork, and taking quizzes and tests when necessary. We could often finish all of our subjects in three hours or so.

We rarely finished a book in a year, but I found that didn't happen in public school either. The only trouble I had adjusting academically was with algebra, which I definitely slacked off in the last year before high school. I was sorely ignorant on some concepts that made for a really rough first month transition into the class, but finished with an A. I had all As until the very end of my sophomore year. Eventually I lost my motivation to be diligent to do homework and do work during freetime at school and lived to hear the bell. I comforted myself by socializing more in school as I made some consistent friends. I was lazy, but found school to be fairly easy if I did my work. I rarely did more than cram-study, and I graduated with a 3.7 grade point average.

Not every homeschooler is the same. Some fit stereotypes, some are homeschooled for the wrong reasons, some have parents who arent diligent or take schooling seriously enough, some kids are sheltered to a point of social disability. But there are many advantages to homeschooling that may benefit certain types of children and those that don't like a mass-market, government controlled, (sometimes) one size-fits-all approach to education, and I'm glad the U.S. allows parents the freedom to decide what they believe is in the best interest of the child.


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## ForestPaix (Aug 30, 2014)

I've been homeschooled since I was old enough to start, and Im an ISFP. The rest of my family was homeschooled as well, all of us taught by our Mum, an INFJ. Two of my brothers and one sister are ISTP and one is ENFP, one is INFP, and Im unsure about the rest.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

snail said:


> I desperately wish I had been homeschooled, but instead I was subjected to several miserable years of being trapped in a hellish prison where they tried to break my spirit and turn me into someone else.
> 
> Oh, how I envy the ones who weren't abandoned into the public school system! I think if I had been so lucky, I would be so much better off now. If only someone had cared enough to let me learn in the way I naturally learn rather than forcing me to do it in a way that felt completely wrong! I hated every second of being surrounded by hostile peers and emotionally abusive authority figures who despised everything about me that made me who I was.
> 
> ...


Catholic school is worse than public school, or at least it was for me


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## TheINFJ (Apr 12, 2014)

INFJ and I've been homeschooled since 5th grade, and I'm currently in 11th...looking back, I'm glad to have been homeschooled. I really think that, with the people I was surrounded by, I would have turned out really bad had I not gone away from them.


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## Harizu (Apr 27, 2014)

I was partially homeschooled (but I still went to school at times) during elementary and middle school.

ExTP


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## melancholy (Aug 14, 2014)

I'm an INTJ and have been homeschooled ever since I can remember. 
I'm going into college soon, but I am glad to have been homeschooled. 
Being in public school probably would have drained me.


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## ScarlettHayden (Jun 8, 2012)

I was homeschooled. Two other ENTJ friends I had were too. 
I also know an ENTP who is homeschooled. Oh and an ISFP.
And actually my brother and sister were both homeschooled like me and they're ISTP and ISTJ.
And to finish, I just remembered I know a homeschooled INFJ too.


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## Sabrah (Aug 6, 2013)

ISTJ, was home-schooled my entire life then began college.


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## Grain of Sugar (Sep 17, 2013)

Not usual, sometimes tolerated in Germany. Some private schools do exist though.


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## Fern (Sep 2, 2012)

I was home-educated 4th grade and on.

During my sophomore year of highschool, I did start taking community college classes,though, so this helped ease me into socialization pre-university 


The people I met in co-ops during my time being home-educated didn't seem to have a pronounced flair for N versus S, though.
There's every kind of person imaginable, really. ISFJ homeschooled girls are especially adorable in my opinion  all... baking and nannying and crap ^_^


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

john.thomas said:


> Catholic school is worse than public school, or at least it was for me


I have heard that from a lot of people. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.


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## hyenac (Dec 4, 2014)

I have always been homeschooled.


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## sarahscriptor (Aug 2, 2013)

I homeschool my kids. The oldest is definitely INTJ, the youngest is IxFJ (most likely ISFJ).


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## the_natrix (Aug 10, 2011)

I was homeschooled for a while, same for my brother, ISTJ and INTJ respectively.

Anywho, wouldn't the person who made the decision to do the homeschooling matter more for making sense of things? 

In that case ISFJ mother.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

Why would homeschooling have more N's than S's?


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## Waif (Jan 3, 2015)

Was. At the time I hated it, but I look back now and think...

...

... it sucked.


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## Waif (Jan 3, 2015)

There are probably more Ns than Ss on here anyway, because navel-gaze.


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