Socialization in Alternative Schools

One of the most common questions we get during tours of our learning space is this: “With such small class sizes, do you worry about socialization?” It’s a fair question, and something I also worried about with my own children. I stayed home part-time, and otherwise they were with dad or their grandmas. As a new mom, the message I heard about staying home with my kids was that social development comes from being surrounded by lots of peers. Initially, I was worried about what my choice would mean for my kids, but something deep inside me knew differently. Once it was time for my daughter to go to kindergarten, the thought popped up again. Here, I was about to put her in another situation where she was around only a small group of people. Once again, I trusted my gut. As I’ve observed her and the other students over the years, it got me asking a question: Have we confused being around people with actually learning how to be with people?