March 25, 2009

  • I Love Homeschoolers

    I was at an acquaintance's house, and met their kids for the first time. The young ones (4.5 and 7) were filled with energy and excited that visitors were there. And as odd as it sounds, it got me thinking about...homeschoolers.

    I haven't had a chance to say this before, but I really like homeschoolers. I feel like much of American elementary and secondary education breaks the uniqueness of the individual and pushes us into a herd mentality, dominated by group think. I look back at most of my years of K-12, and feel the pressure of being told to be less curious, less outspoken, less creative than I was, so I wouldn't make my peers and teachers (long story) look bad. And I went to smaller private schools for K-12 as well! I know I'm showing my biases here, but thank goodness my parents didn't put me into day care. It's yet another way that kids get homogenized and blended into the masses rather than being taught to explore and create.

    In general, what do I love about homeschoolers? I love the maturity that comes with having spent more time with adults than the average child. But I also like the child-like wonder that they occasionally exhibit in the presence of knowledge, and often their above-average creativity and mastery of the English language. I appreciate their purity of thought, and their willingness to rock the boat and be different. And they're not afraid to try new things that they might not be suited for, because they haven't been whittled down by a coach or teacher as not being fit for something just because they did not match a type or did not initially show high aptitude. I just feel like their dreams are bigger, and that their hearts are more open than the stereotype of home-schooled kids as being narrow-minded.

    Oh, I know their general limitations, too--too often their relationship with their parents or a few close friends dominate their lives; they sometimes lack complete socialization or are rather ill-at-ease in large groups; often their math and science skills leave something to be desired; and they sometimes fail to hide their disdain for those who have not progressed through the same route they took or don't share their beliefs. But, overall, I love homeschoolers, and my homeschool friends are very precious to me. They give me hope and encouragement, and I'm pleased to have known them. This is not to say that there's anything wrong with those of you who went to public or private schools--I was never homeschooled myself. But as someone who is not a homeschooler, I wanted to show some love and respect for them.

Comments (191)

  • I personally loved being public schooled. I got a good education in the honor's program and I made about 25 lifelong friends.

    But I do like homeschooled kids. They can be fun.

  • The longer I teach college, the more convinced I am that my children are not going to go through the broken American school system.

  • Thanks for the nod - I was homeschooled from K through 11th grade... and although it wasn't perfect I have no doubt that it readily prepared me for college. I appreciate the acknowledgment.

  • Math skills? I took calculus in the 10th grade.... don't think homeschooling is a limitation there.

    As for the rest of your post, pretty accurate, though I've had numerous homeschooled acquaintances who probably would have been better off in another school system due to their parent's teaching style (or lack thereof).

  • What I dislike about homeschool kids is that blatant, awkward wall that comes up at certain points in conversation with them. Something about homeschoolers...

    But otherwise, fuck it, they're just as human as the rest of us. Mostly. They come out at night...mostly.

  • You know we're legit. And yeah - the math and science is hard to teach at home. That's why often it gets neglected. We're really trying (curriculum wise) to change that though. Lots of strides have been made in this area.

    Thanks for the support in this. Rec'd because you know I love it too. :)

  • I often feel more comfortable with friends who were homeschooled than friends who weren't.  They are not more intelligent, but they embrace intelligence more.  They also tend to be more knowledgeable of literature (esp. more knowledgeable than I am!!).  Maturity is definitely something they show.

    A few of them are socially different, but I know several who are more socially capable than I am. 

  • I love the morals and confidence most of my homeschooled friends have...I hope that I will have a job to allow me to spend time with my kids (when I decide to have them that is). Too many parents, babysit their kids these days, leading the media and peers to raise thier kids under basic society norms. A couple of my friends spend hours on the phone, not taking the time to draw a picture with thier kids...or teach them anything outside of the school system. My mother was a house mom, but I went to public school, when I got home, I had a whole new session of learning. A lot of talks about what is right and wrong, a lot of girl scouts and interactive things that kept me active and in pursuit... and ultimately, have helped me stay open minded, but not so easy to manipulate or stray from my morals. I dont think it just has to do with a school system,  I think a lot of kid's personalities come from  peers, enviorment and parenting skills.

  • Finally! This is what I have been wanting to here at least once in my life.
    Although, I guess I'm an odd homeschooler then. I rock at math and science, but writing and English have always been the areas I've had to put forth the most effort.
    I agree with you on the social ability though. That is what I believe I lack the most. (although I've been told differently.)

    Thank you. :)

  • duly reccomended*

  • WH00T!!! A homeschooler (me) loves you lots!!! Now, don't make me mad, because I can and will explain and then disprove e=mc2 to you, then I will lecture you on how Da Vinci, rather than Michealangelo, would have done better on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

    (Note: I have done this before. Ignorant person (not knowing I was homeschooled) started yammering on how dumb homeschoolers are, and how they will never get anywhere in life, because they are just so lame.

    Me: *eyebrow up* *deadpan* "The concept e=mc2 deals with the effect of speed on time, i.e. if you break the speed of light, time will stop for you. Note, this has not been proved and will not be, unless it is possible to break the speed of light. But if this is done, a black hole would be created which would most likely destroy several galaxies, most likely Earth. But this really takes second place to the Sistine Chapel, granted Michealangelo was wonderful in his detail and colors, but Da Vinci would have done the same with more order, and creative genius."

    Ignorant Person: You are so right, how do you know all that?

    Me: I was homeschooled...later.

  • I had it all, man.. Public, private and homeschool were all part of my academic career. I think that it's best if children are homeschooled during their younger years, and then set free into the public school system nearing high school. I know my homeschooling years allowed me to cultivate my fantastic weirdness, and even if I am socially inept, I'm ok with that.

    Ok, that's kind of a lie, but normally I'm fine with it.

    Long story short, I don't think any one way of schooling is necessarily best for any one child. Mix it up! It's fun.

  • :)

  • I appreciate hearing something nice about us for once.  For years, I've done everything I could not to mention I was homeschooled, 'cause people automatically treat me as though I were socially inept and stupid.  I really appreciate your take on the value of our differences.

  • I have to agree with you. I wouldn't have three months ago, but recently I started giving private art lessons to three homeschooled children, and it has really made me rethink my position.

    I have to say that these boys (ages 9-15) are unlike any of the other boys that age that I've taught in my preservice years. They are polite, kind, helpful, and attentive. They are mature enough to care about what I'm talking about (or at least pretend to), and they always try anything I ask them to try without complaint. Many kids their age are too worried about failing and embarassing themselves to put a real effort into art. They goof off as a defense mechanism, or rush through without taking the time to make something successful. These boys dive right in and work diligently, despite having no artistic experience at all, and they are such a pleasure to teach. Chalk it up to good parenting, homeschooling, or luck of the draw, I don't know.

  • oh and RYC: no pictures yet of NYC. I was unable to bring a camera, but I've already announced to all of my friends who did bring cameras that I would scam their photos off of facebook as soon as they uploaded them. So sure, pictures will be coming eventually :)

  • I think it is a legitimate form of education that can easily pwn public education. And I think the socialization thing is just a cliche issue to bring up.

  • Eh.  I'd have to say it depends on the individuals involved (both parents and kids), since home schoolers are people just like the rest of us.  There are some home schooled kids who are absolute idiots and jerks, and there are some who are brilliant and sweet.  I don't think one is better than the other when it comes to public vs. private; you'd have to take the schools, parents, and children into account.  Not every parent is going to foster the sort of confidence and intellectual curiousity that you're talking about, just as not every school is out to stifle it. 

  • I love the knowledge they hunger for. Their creativity, and the fact they spent more time with an adult than most children do in a day.

    Great post, man!

  • Thanks!
    We're a pretty unique bunch...

  • Having 5 of the little mites at home, being home schooled I can appreciate your post.

    Sure I may be a little biased, ok a lot, but I made the decision to home school when I was a teen myself.

    I had met some other teenagers that had been home schooled and recognized instantly there was something different about them, obviously in such a positive way that as a 13-14 year old I had made the commitment to myself to home school any future children I had.

    My decision was later made rock solid when I was studying for my Teaching degree.  I saw gaps in every system and decided that the thing I had going for me was my love for my kids- something teachers sometimes lack.

    So we have never looked back.

    They are not all perfect it does pose it's limitations, that with a bit of creativity, for thought and commitment of the parents to go out of their way if needs be, those limitations can be over come.

    We are now on a pre-packaged curriculum that will earn them an independent qualification, so hopefully some of those gaps will be filled in.

    Great post, it is nice to have someone see the good sides and not just lean on stereo types for their opinions.

    x

  • home puts me in lazy and douche bag mode

    -maaaaaddex

  • I haven't met many homeschoolers, but they certainly are unique

  • Seems to me that if parents took the time and interst in their child and education as most who do the home-education route, then public schools would markedly improve.  Some PS parents do, but not most; some HE parents do not, but not very many. 

  • I was home schooled my entire school career. It helped me tremendously. I entered college a year early and I'm set to graduate with my bachelors two years before the average individual. Homeschooling also allowed me to participate in a variety of activities at different time periods than if I was contained to only after school hours as in public school. Homeschooling does have issues-but if taught correctly can be a great asset.

    I know work in the public school system and I hate it. The children are stifled, contained, and forced into a mold. Childhood is a time of curiousity, exploration, and discovery- yet in the public school system these avenues are rarely explored ( in my school district). I hope that more educators will recognize the importance of alternatives to the public education system. Homeschooling is not for everyone but it can make a great difference in the lives of many children.

  • I have considered homeschooling my children (if and when I have children). I suppose whether or not I follow that path depends on where I end up and what the schools are like there. I went to, I think, a really great elementary school, and I'd have no problem sending my children to a public school like that, but I don't know that I would want to send my children to schools like the middle school and high school that I attended.

    Even if I did send my children to public school, I would want to be able to help them learn at home, too. I was lucky enough to have very caring and very intelligent parents who helped me to learn a lot outside of school.

  • yeah! spoken as one who first entered public education as a college student...:) my mom was the greatest. and yet, it is not for everyone...my sister had a hard time with it. kids are individuals...as should their scholastic programs be.

  • I like them, too. 

  • I was homeschooled k-12 and now that I'm in college I am even more convinced I will homeschool my kids. :) I can't even begin to describe all the ways homeschooling gave me an advantage over my peers when I started college. It's helped me in EVERY area of life.

  • I've been homeschooled since kindergarten.  The thing I like about it most is the freedom to focus on the things I like the most.

    For example, I don't want to get involved in math, so the highest I went there was Algebra 2, no geometry or calc.  But I love government, politics, and public speaking, so I'm in policy debate and speech.  I could talk for hours about campaign finance laws or domestic energy production.  I've never taken a government class, but through debate I've learned on a practical level how government works.

    And I've read vocabulary books for fun.

  • Just scoping out the competition.

  • I am socially inept thanks in part to the public school system of cliques and ostracizing the different.
    My children are much less inept thanks in part to being accepted by their home educated peers.

    Public School while giving me an adequate education did not give me the courage to utilize my brain and my abilities.
    My children are getting an adequate education and more while getting the courage to try new things and pick the electives that they are interested in.

  • Homeschooling is pretty cool. I'm really glad I was home schooled k-12, not because it protected me from the big bad world or from a less than adequate public school system; but because it gave me a lot of time to read.

    My independent reading is where I grew the most intellectually. I know there are homeschoolers who don't love to read (although that seems to be kind of a rarity) and they turn out fine as well...if they have other passions or at least if their parents are competent.

  • Thank you! I suspected you loved me...and now I know for sure. Hee hee just kidding actually I was home educated for most of my education. I also attended public school a bit and even made it into Catholic private school for while too. So my education is a little of a mish-mosh. Albert Einstein said  - "It’s a miracle that curiosity survives a formal education"  I have found a lot of truth in those words. When I applied for colleges several admissions officers told me they liked the fact that I had been home educated. But, I learned very quickly in college that my teachers had no desire for or tolerance of creative thinking. They all seemed to simply want me to listen to or read their information they provided, digest it and vomit it back out to them on command. College taught me nothing academically but I did learn a lot about social situations with overbearing authority figures.

  • I think my comment about homeschoolers "embracing intelligence more" was poorly written.  I am not sure how to express what I was trying to say.  Looking at it now, I feel kind of like a jerk.

  • I knew you loved me. I knew it!

    jokes aside, I loved my education even though at times I despised it. and being out in the real world, I see that herd mentality and desire to fit in creep in far more than I recall in my younger years. I'm not half as creative or adventurous as I once as. but that sorta comes with adulthood ...

    great post. thanks for showing love to the homeys!!

  • There's a lot to be said for homeschooling.

  • I never felt stifled in my creativity or curiosity in public school, but then again, I've been told by multiple people that my public school experience was out of the ordinary.  I loved it.  I wasn't bullied or anything like that, either.  The only things I would've changed would've been skipping a grade or two like my parents had considered for me in elementary (but ultimately decided against because they thought I'd miss my classmates), and that more AP classes were available, especially for middle school.  My classes generally weren't challenging enough, but my AP Composition, French and Ceramics classes, in particular, were absolutely amazing.  They taught me so much.  I was happy to have been allowed to dual enroll in college classes during my senior year, as well.  I took Intro to Philosophy and Theatre Tech classes at a local college, and it helped me feel more comfortable and acclimated when I went off to live on my own at a private university a year later.

  • ha! the front door of wherever you are standing looks similar to my home...there is a closet right behind our front door as well. and the door in your photo looks very similar to the door I have...are you sure you weren't in my home when you took that photo???jk!

  • This is amazing, someone who doesn't look down on homeschooling.
    I was homeschooled K-12 and am now in my 3rd year at a university studying.... elementary/middle school science/math/history/spanish education!

    ...anyway.  I appreciated this post.  :o )

  • I was home-schooled until 7th grade, then my grandmother enrolled me in a cyber charter school. I was still at home, of course, but I had teachers and interraction with other students. I had several friends in real life, only a few being other home-schooled children. I used to take swimming lessons and dance lessons, and I started working when I was seventeen. I think my social awkwardness is the result of certain life experiences, not because I was home-schooled. No, I'm not the best at basic math, but I'm really good at geometry. I'm not good at science because it bored me to death. I don't disdain non-homeschoolers, either.

  • Aye, I agree Mr. Physique.  I've done all three: Private, Home, and Public school.  There are definitely life-perks in the home schooling zone.

  • speaking as one who was homeschooled m'self, must say this is an excellent external summary of both our strengths and weaknesses - thank you

  • It's a mixed bag. You get kids from all walks of life. A majority of them come from Christian homes, but not all the time. My parents homeschooled me from day one, but made sure I was part of enough clubs, events and the like so I wouldn't be socially stunted. I think it worked well for the most part.

  • Thanks!

  • This is a wonderful post! As a homeschooling mom I can really appreciate this since so many people are misinformed about homeschooling. Although it's not for everyone, for some it's the only way to go.  Thanks!

  • I was home-schooled all the way, while it may not have been perfect, I loved it, and wouldn't trade the experience for anything!  Also, I can't say that it deterred me at all; I'm starting grad school this year :)  

  • I was homeschooled, until 5th grade. My parent's friends (at the time) were hardcore Bible-Thumpers. To them, EVERYTHING was evil. I never celebrated Holloween until I went into high school, and was told that Christmas trees were "evil". Obviously, I got beat up when I went to school. Everyone hated me, and I can't blame them...I didn't know the differance between reality and fiction. Yes, I had book smarts...but I never even knew that you need street smarts to survive as well! I think that the only way that a child should be homeschooled is if you make them participate in group activities, such as clubs and soccer teams, and put them in public school when you feel that they are independent and well-educated. Otherwise, a child WILL walk around for four years, depressed and not even knowing what "sadness" is.

  • i pretty much agree w/ your assessment here, being an educator myself, being a product of the system, as well as knowing parents of homeschoolers/homeschoolers themselves.

  • Hi there!
    ~~ less outspoken, less creative than I was, so I wouldn't make my peers and teachers (long story) look bad.~~

    I peed in my chair in 1st grade because the teacher would not recognize my raised hand, got slapped in the face in 2nd grade by a teacher during class for crying, and was put into a sort of closet thing in 3rd grade for 'talking too much'. - oh, and had to do a deep knee bend with books on my up turned palms for 2long by the fourth grade 'teacher' .... hmm.

    Yep.

    I walked out of school in the middle of tenth grade after being expelled twice in the same day, and I'm telling you now with the full capacity of an adult, I was a really good kid.

    When will we ever learn?      geeze, alternative ed, ya think!?

  • thank you for your post, sincerely

  • Hi,really sorry to disturb but..errr...a lil' help here puh-lese??

    http://esthern.xanga.com/696965984/chapter-136---esty-needs-help-/

  • I was homeschooled too.  I tend to feel pretty out of place in social situations.  But then my brother was homeschooled, and he's everybody's friend.  I think it's more about personality than how you were educated.  Thanks for such a nice post.  : )

  • i really appriciate  what you said, it is encouragement for me on my homeschool journey with my kids!

  • I was homeschooled all the way through kinder-12th and can't wait to homeschool my children one day.  Subbing at a private parochial school for a few years only strengthened my conviction that homeschooling is the ideal way.

    As a young adult, one of the best things about having a homeschool background it that I'm still being homeschooled at almost 24.  Learning to self teach aids you all through life.  If there's something I don't know, I can attempt to indpendantly learn it.  My graduation will be my funeral; that cap and gown thing was just a ceremony.   Homeschooling trained me to be an independent thinker and pursuer of not just knowledge, but more importantly the Lord and HIS wisdom.  There is a difference between being schooled and being educated.

    In regard to your objections and concerns, like most homeschoolers having just a few close friends, or a tight knit family, what is wrong with that?  My immediate family are my best friends, and at 23 I'm proud to say that. Others have come and gone, my family will always be there.  Aside from aquaintances, I'd rather have a few close friends outside my family than enter into a popularity contest of who has the most friends.  Math and Science weren't my strongest subjects, but that's just a matter of personality, in the same way that it is to students of any other educational method. 

    Great post, enjoyed it a lot.

  • I was homeschooled for 10 years, loved every bit of it!

  • Thanks for the plug for homeschoolers.  A word about math, science, and socialization.  They are all what the parents make of them.  My six were all homeschooled from K-12 except my daughter who went to a private school for her senior year.  Four of my sons are in the military, my daughter is in college, and my youngest is still home with me.  They all went through math up through advanced math.  My husband has a bachelors in physics so he helped there.  They all went through physics with my youngest at present taking an advanced biology course.  (with all of the labs and the disections that are called for)  It is all out there and available to all homeschooling families.  They belonged to groups at church and through a homeschooling group locally.  My daughter and youngest son belonged to 4H.  My daughter represented the county in the public speaking program for 4H on the county and state level and my son went to state.  They all worked in the local food pantry for all of their high school years.

    My point here, it is what the parents make of it.  They can be as socialized as others or they can be overprotected as others.  They can be thoroughly educated or they can be undereducated.  It is what effort the parents put into it.

  • wow. as a homeschooling mother of three this made me feel really really good!! :)

    thanks ~

  • Being partially homeschooled, and now teaching homeschoolers for a co-op, I can agree with you. Out of thirty or so families I've met, maybe a handful really probably shouldn't be homeschooling their kids, but overall I love the kids and have had my best teaching experiences with them. I look forward to homeschooling my kids one day, at least for part of their education. To me, it only makes sense as a parent that I would take the bulk of the responsibility for educating my kids and passing on my worldview, but of course it isn't feasible for everyone.

    Also, in the group I work for, science and math are actually the strong areas. A number of students have won scholarships to college through our science fairs. It's foreign language that can be a weak area. Unless it's latin. For some reason homeschool parents love to make their kids take latin.

  • Glad for your expression of appreciation towards homeschoolers, we had four of our own that we homeschooled!

  • This is a great post. I am homeschooled myself.

  • I only like the thought of homeschooling when the parents are educated enough to do it. My aunt is a complete idiot and she home schooled my cousin, who, needless to say, turned out much the same.

  • I was homeschooled and everything you wrote about homeschoolers is right on target. I like to believe I turned out alright though :p I did go to elementary school in Canada (the education system there in incomparable to the US one, so much better) and then was homeschooled from the age of 13 until I graduated. I probably would have gone to school if I didn't want to pursue a career in tennis but I think it all worked out alright and I will seriously think about homeschooling my children in the future as well!

  • Yay! I was homeschooled.  In Mozambique!  Pretty hardcore, I think.

  • homeschoolers typically aren't as brainwashed as the kids who went to the public indoctrination centers... err public schools. They aren't all filled with social inhibitions as some people suppose. If a home schooled individual is feeling socially awkward it's often because they are baffeled with the compleatly mindless conversations and prepackaged typical responses. Baffeled that they are around the people that are seemingly incapeable of origional ideas or thinking in general.

  • *smiles* Thanks, dude. 

  • I've only met one homeschooler. We went to the same dance class. People saw her as different almost immediately because she was very quiet and later we learned that she was homeschooled. She seemed very mature for her age and caught on that we wanted to know more about her. She embraced our curiosity and subsequently we became friends. She's really not all that different from other kids.

  • Eh. Public school FTW!

    Homeschoolers are typically too awkward. I hate when people think their kids are too good for public school, or the public school isn't good enough for their kid.

  • I'm about to start homeschooling online.
    I'll miss my friends, but it's not the end of the world. The public school I'm attending has a lot of empty promises and I can't stand it.
    Oh, we're gonna start thus club or get you involved in FBLA and we're gonna have meetings...
    No.

    I don't really know what to expect, but I was pretty stifled in high school. Not much  hands on stuff.

  • thank you! i agree with everything you said too. of course there are downsides to homeschooling but i've noticed i receive a better education then some of my public school friends. i notice that teachers in high school don't care about the individuals they are teaching and i'm so thankful for being homeschooled. i'm always finding myself helping my public school friends with their homework. i don't mind helping them, but i think it would be better if  their teachers did their job and paid attention to their students.

    i don't have many friends and i leave my house three times a week at most. that's the only downside for me. but i have a closer relationship with my family and i can tell them everything. also, i'm in honors classes and my teachers (i'm cyberschooled) are constantly encouraging me. in high school, there is no encouragment and teachers (the majority) fail to meet their students needs. i'm one of the lucky ones. i've found that one teacher that reaches me. she has the ability to make me see things in a different perspective. i suprise myself with the assignments i hand in and it's amazing to me, so i just thought i would share. :p but back to the point, i really appreciate your post. :]

  • i've only met one home schooled person in my life, and he was bigoted, antisocial, and disgusting. he joined our class in sixth grade and tried to convert people to his religion, promoted neo-naziism, showed really poor hygiene, and basically didn't really get along with anyone.

    i think it really depends on the family and the individual. i went through the public education system and came out fine because my parents gave me plenty of education opportunities outside of school as well. which is not to say the schools didn't offer plenty of diverse opportunities, because they did.

  • Today, I was talking to my dad in the car and was JUST thinking about trying to find more people who've been homeschooled to be friends with.

    And then you go and post this.

    STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEADDD

  • Awwh thanks :D I used to be embarssed that i was homeschooled cause automatically kids would think i was weird & socially challenged. But in reality its who i am & i love who i am. Plus if i fall asleep in class theres no detention lol.

  • I've been homeschooled all my life and I'm always stereo typed as a backward nerd. Thanks for the encouragement. :]

  • I think what you are saying really depends on the parents that are doing the home-schooling. Homeschoolers that I've had the honor of knowing don't have the qualities you talk about. They really have the same limitations as the average student, but have less social skills.

    I think the thing about being stripped down by teachers and other students really happens the most in private schools. Growing up in public school really fueled my ambition to have my own mind, but keep it open to see others' views, show my individuality through my interests, physical style and beliefs, and to let my creativity show through everything I did. This may just be because of the person I am. Maybe it allowed me to break past the things most students are wired to think growing up in public or private schools.

    Ultimately, I think it is up to the parents to show their homeschooled kids the importance of all the good qualities you mentioned in this post, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

  • Aww! I was homeschooled my entire life and I really did enjoy every minute of it... I definitely count myself lucky to have had such amazing parents who sacrificed so much for my education.

    I've been told for years how "unique" I am and, for awhile, I didn't appreciate it. For some reason I wanted to be normal and fit in with everyone else for once. But now I am especially thankful for these many unique characteristics.

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We rarely hear people actually praise the homeschooling movement ;)

  • Personally I hated homeschooling because it was a decision that was moreso my parents.  And our personalities didn't work together.  But I'm also thankful I went to schools at several places (well, maybe too many schools!) so I see both sides of the issue.  I like homeschoolers sometimes...but others are prudes...so it depends on if you're an individual or if you mould into the homeschooler stereotype and group think!

  • I was homeschooled my whole life and now I'm in college...homeschooling definitely can be successful! We do have our quirks...I would add to the list a general ignorance or distaste of current fashion trends, but as with the socialization aspect, of course that's not always the case.^^

    I do find what my education gave me was a love of learning. Now in my college classes I just love coming across new information, feeling those new connections in my brain--great fun. I've noticed not many other students seem to feel the same way.:/

  • I wish that I was home schooled for my ENTIRE school life, but I wasn't. I wasn't homeschooled until I made the choice to fill out the proper stuff to be homeschooled. I loved so many things about knowledge, and learning that I couldnt learn at a traditional school. So I quit my public school and switched over to being homeschooled. There needs to be more "stuff" available for homeschooled and unschooled students so that people dont treat us like crap. I have learned way more outside of a school building than I ever could have inside. More importantly, after I left "real" school, I instantly learned things about myself and my personality that I would have never learned. I became aware of what was really important in life. Purses and make up became unimportant because I no longer needed to impress anyone. Things I really cared about became obvious to me, and material obsessions faded away.

  • I plan on teaching my kids how to code at an early age.  Everything else they can learn at school.

  • As a homeschool graduate and homeschooling mother of four ...

    THANKS!

    We think we're not so bad, ourselves!

  • Yay, for the shout out to us homeschoolers!!  I wouldn't agree though that we are not completely socialized.  Often homeschoolers have a lot more friends than the average public schooler.  One other pro that people don't usually see is that homeschoolers tend not to care about what others think because they haven't been raised in that environment.

  • That's what I've been saying all along. When I went to a "real" school, I was very shy. I was afraid to do certain things because someone might call me "weird" again. I pretended to have the same interests as everyone else just to make it easier for myself. The parents were cut-throat with the other parents. (Trust me. It was terrible.) Finally I got out of that and now I'm ME. And I'm a lot more interesting than I thought I was. Suuuure, maybe I use the occasional large word and maybe I actually read for my own enjoyment, but at least I learned to make up my own mind about what I like. I do only have like 3 friends, but that's enough. If I went to a normal high school, I'd still have 3 friends, but I'd also have to put up with a lot of jerks. (Not to metion teachers that clearly aren't passionate about what they do.)
    So thank you for realizing that us home schooled people are kewl. :)

  • I LOVE this! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Aww, thanks! It's nice to know that not a few people out there aren't prejudice against homeschooling. Let me say, I've tried all three (public, private, and homeschool), and homeschooling is my favorite! :D I feel like I'm not wasting any time and that I'm being really challenged in the work that I do.  My school environment isn't perfect, but it's ideal for me. But it comes along with the people who falsely and ignorantly presume that I am socially challenged and don't know anything about anything. Just gotta work past that, I suppose. :)

  • I would hate my parents if they homeschooled me. 

  • Yeeeah, I admire homeschoolers!
    They're so ambitious. hehe. My home schooled friend taught himself French via internet and TV. haha.. I was so proud of him *tear*

  • I think the issues with Math/Science are strictly going to depend on the teaching abilities of the parents. Because my mom was strong in math and my dad was strong in science, I got just as good of an education as anyone else did in public school (much better, I would guess, because I actually liked school and wanted to learn). I just get tired of the basic generalizations that happen regarding homeschooling, mostly because I've been hearing them for most of my life. (And, as in most generalizations, there are MANY exceptions.)

    But yes - homeschooling - gotta love it. :)

  • I quite agree with you on this topic. I like homeschooler myself.

  • This is beautiful!  And just the pick-me-up I needed!

  • i love homeschoolers too. we're pretty much awesome.

  •   I  have a blended family with six children.  We homeschooled all of them,and I'd do it all over again in a minute. My kids got to do things public school kid don't because they don't have the time.

      We did the basics math, science, english, history but also much more. Here are a few of the other things we did with other home schoolers. Debate class,spanish,science,art,drama.swim lessons,PE,sports - baseball,panio,flute,drum,guitar lessions, field trips... Seatle Science Center, ostrich farm,zoos, oceans,mountains, movie events,the symphony,concerts,plays,the ballet, sports events,boating,skiing,camping,fishing, hiking, Nothwest Treck, Missionary Trips out of the country,motorcycle camp, and horse camp.

      My kids all had jobs as soon as they where older. They worked at many places... Dairy Queen,Harbor Inn Resturant,Taste of Eden Resturant,Taste of Eden Bakery,Papa Mupherys,Mircale Ranch,Manor Care nursing home,A Christian Book Store,Gig Harbor Athletic Club,Yes Computers,Bertalios Coffee Shop. One of my daughters worked at several horse farms. One of my daughters was a compaion for a 90 year old man. Several of my childrens jobs led to managment positions. I think at a young age they learned the value of hard work and that money doesn't grow on trees.

      We also got to have many pets or care for animals here are a few of those... dogs,cats,rats, gerbales,hampsters,turtle,fish,parrot and other birds.sheep,and horses to name a few.

     My children did well in all their studys. When my first two children took their GED tests,my daughters score for english was in the 99% for the national average. My sons math score was in the 98% for the national average. All our kids did well.

      I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging. What I'm trying to say is that children get way more one on one time to be taught. they can be challenged more and prasue their interests.

      As audlts I think my children are well rounded, functioning members of society. We go to Monster Truck Shows,The 5th Ave. Theaater to see plays or just camping. I for one am a better person and have a closer relationship to my children because of  Homeschooling.

  • Interesting . . . I was homeschooled from second grade through highschool.
    I also spent most of my young adult life in the least populated county our side of the Mississippy.

    Like all other things there is a up side and a down side.  And of course all of this could be called "hasty generalizations", because none of us have the same set of skills . . . from learning [being us kids], teaching [the parents], understanding [being what the parents are good at], and in structure [being the families]. 

    For instance, some kids are taught by live feed televisions, some by movies, some by books, some by parents, some by co-ops where one of parent teaches all the "home school" kids in the area a spesific topic.

    Family life is also to be taken into account.  Some homeschool because they really just run a meth-lab and don't want it to get around.  Some do it for religious reasons, and with that being the motive there are varrying degrees of fanatisim with that.  Some also, do it purely for the ability to monitor the child's education and tailor it for them, or so they'll get the best they can.

    All that being said, I can only tell you how homeschooling has affected me.  When I was 15, I was made aware of a girl through a mutual friend who had gone through terrible things and was now in deep trouble with her step-father.  I contacted her via email and once we had sorted things out between all parties she asked me when it was that I had graduated from college.  Well, I was 15 . . . 

    Now, since I've come to college, I've been made to work through many problems that were difficault.  Not only dealing with being away from the family, being in an area where I didn't have any friends, bicicling 9 miles twice a day 6 days a week to the school . . . dealing with people who believe many different things that I do.

    So far I've been able to adapt, cope, and deal [as needed] with the different obsticals thrown at me.
    I am respected by teachers and students, I work for the college and just made a tour with the campus director about things needing to be done around the school, and I've never been in any real trouble.  [virgin, don't drink, don't smoke . . . but, I'm not a nerd, I enjoy having friends over, and going out and doing fun things with people.]

    I'm good at math, and bad at spelling and grammer . . . which I'm sure you all have figured out alread. 

    Those are the facts as unbiased as I can present them. 
    If these are things you like then homeschooling might be a good options.  If you have any questions or comments, please post them on my xanga so I'll be sure to find it.

  • Well sir, allow me to thank you for having a more open mind than a large portion of people that I have encountered with regard to homeschooling.
    Of course, the socialization aspect that you have brought up has been a major contending point brought against homeschoolers for as long as I can remember (and yes, I am one of those who were homeschooled from kindergarten through High school.) I personally disagree that being homeschooled means that the child(ren) will lack complete socialization. There are support groupt for homeschool families that connect parents with one another and set up meetings/get togethers for the childern to run around and have fun, and learn socialization skills. In addition to giving a wide diversity of people to meet and get to know.
    As for the preceived lack of ability in math and sciences, I am quite competent in both, which is a good thing given that I am studying to be an accountant at the moment (and only have two more semesters to go, Woo-Hoo!) But I would say that this is likely due to more of the person themselves rather than the setting.
    But all that aside, I applaud you for giving a fair and even look at homeschoolers as a whole. It is quite refreshing after still having to deal with stereotypes of our being intelligent, yet socially inept. Or being indoctrinated into our parent way of thinking without being told that there are other ideas out there.

  • the government is watching this blog.
    you will all be (gradually) banned.
    think like them. Abort.

  • Great post! I was homeschooled as well!

  • I can't imagine that average parents are able to teach their kids all the things that are taught in school.

  • I intend to homeschool my daughter and I really love reading things like this.  I want her to be able to get the individual attention and customization that I desired when I was in school.  I'm not confident enough in myself to ensure that I get the curriculum correct so I'm going through an umbrella school, but I like that we can choose the pace and add things on if we want to.   

  • I can't imagine not having the tools to get by in society that I learned from my experience in public school...  I think the exposure, socialization is necessary...  exposure to diversity leads to a well rounded mind.

  • I think this is a rather sweet post! I wasn't home-schooled, but I was an only child and always felt more comfortable around adults than other children. I'm curious now what it would have been like if I had been home-schooled. 

  • Excellent post.  I was homeschooled from 4th grade through highschool and it definitely was a good experience for me.

  • being homeschooled was the BOMB!

    ironically i'm going to school to be a teacher, and yet i also want to homeschool my kids when i have them. it was awesome.

  • I love autodidacts/unschoolers.

  • Chyeah.

    I'm a lifelong homeschooler, cept I'm awesome. I'm not some retarded unsocialized geek who wears all my shirts tucked into my pants. I don't go to school, yet I hang out with lots of school kids and whatnot, and I'm NOT religious, like 57829357329852% of other homeschoolers are.

    I'm more unschooled than homeschooled though, which means I don't sit down and follow some stupid curriculum every day - where's the fun in that? I don't do bookwork, I just like... chill out and learn stuff from reading or whatever. Either way, I'm getting all A's in college classes so I guess my parents did something right along the way xD

  • I used to hate homeschoolers, but I've been reading up on it this week.  They score higher, have more self esteem and seem like better people overall.  I know that sounds bad but perhaps it's smarter. LOL Especially in such a confusing world, you know?  The current public education system is failing so many. 

  • I'm thinking of taking my daughter (she's in kindergarten this year) out of school next year and putting her in an online public school. I'm not thinking of doing it for religious reasons. I've read some of the comments on here, and I've wanted to reply that if I did it it wouldn't be for religious reasons, and my children would still have access to whatever fashion is in at the time (then again, I like buying cute clothes at Target, haha)... I just think that my daughter would benefit more from learning at home. She's not an awkward child, but she doesn't like waking up in the morning, and her school starts at 7:40a. I tend to believe that my children (not all, just my own) should sleep until 7a-7:30a... she can't do that in her current school, and our district doesn't have open enrollment in other schools. There's a waiting list a mile long for the charter school. Plus, I like the idea of being able to travel around whenever/wherever and not have to worry about my daughter missing school. I don't want to do traditional homeschooling because I just plain don't have the desire for it. The online school I'm looking at does field trips, after school activities (mostly online, but they meet in real life sometimes too), and sends everything to you free. I definitely think I'm trying it for first grade, and if it goes well, it goes well. If it doesn't: back to brick and mortar she goes !

  • As a homeschooler, I really appreciate this. America seems full of haters, and its nice to see somone talk about what's good, as well as some of the drawbacks of homeschooling.

  • I love some homeschoolers. My best friend and my crush are both homeschoolers; I was a public school kid.

    I've found that homeschooler come in different packages. I go to a small Christian college and thus have encountered quite a few homeschoolers. Some of them are amazing (like my best friend and my crush). They are very unique (in a good way), mature, intelligent, and well-rounded. Others, however, are socially awkward, naive, and even a little bit creepy. Then there are the random ones in between.

    Homeschooling is cool, as long as they don't get that elitist attitude that so many of them form. Many homeschoolers I know look at public school kids in distain, which really, really bothers me.  

  • Interesting entry. I remember the first day of Kindergarten I asked my mom if I could just not go to school. But anyway, I don't know how much school stunted my creativity because I've kind of always stayed with art (taking art classes) and am a Studio Arts (drawing and painting) major now in college. I also love many genres of music and learning foreign languages purely for self-interest, as I've already long ago fulfilled that [language] requirement. 

  • I have to agree and disagree. There are definitely some benefits to homeschooling; but if the parents don't have a varied education themselves you're going to have a heavily biased--and mostly uneducational experience. I tried doing the homeschooling bit; but the lack of social interaction made me want to kill myself and my mother.

    RYC: Honestly, I am not trying to conduct a crusade against her insomuch as a crusade against anyone who attempts to impose their moral code upon the rest of us. Not only that... but to point out that while she wanted to take away our freedom (though it isn't a HUGE freedom... NOW) she cowed out at the slightest hint of dissent.

    She flat out blocked me from having a discussion with her on it. She was uncivil; and beyond rude. And yet had the nerve to insult me? Call me "immature"? No. If someone is imposing their beliefs on another they should be held accountable; and step up like an adult.

    I'm merely voicing my concern and disgust with the "moral authorities" within our community. And right now she's the most vocal.

    If she can't back things up; she never should have said word one. That's my issue; that's my problem. It's not saying she's a Nazi; it's saying she's misinformed, ignorant, and childish. It's also saying that she's in no position or right to tell us what's "appropriate" and "mature" when she's neither.

    I hold my rights and freedoms with the utmost respect and sanctity. I also hold others' same rights in the same regard. But I have none for those who wish to impose their will upon the community; which would infringe on OUR rights. And when someone ducks out; I will not back down.

    I love Xanga. I love the many people here; including you. I refuse to let something completely ruin what we have. That's what the XC-FM is about.

    Sorry. Just got off on an essay rant there. Crap!

  • Thanks. :D Good to know it's getting a good rep. Lol, I've loved being homeschooled all the way through. It's actually enabled me to graduate two years early, and I'm getting ready to finish up my second semester at a Bible college before I turn seventeen. So, quirky and unsocialized as I am, I think it's been a fantastically wild ride with a good outcome. And yeah, we can be snobby, and it's a bummer. Though... I've never encountered any 'social problems' as a result of having a strong relationship with my parents and a few close friends. I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with that... lol, someone care to enlighten me?

  • I like them too. 

    They are really unique and rock their own style. I've noticed that the many home-schooled kids I have met end up going into something that has to do with writing, singing, and art. Is that just me who has noticed that? 

  • I once used to think it was the most absurd idea a parent could possibly have. That deciding "Hey, let's teach our kids at home because we are just that good!" However, now I'm older, grumpier and perhaps more honest than diplomatic I realise that all I really learned when in school is that humans can be real idiots when in packs. Needless to say, I wasn't the bullying kind.

    Most of what I was learning as I grew up was from influences outside of school. Both my parents are intelligent and I was always encouraged to learn without being forced to. A good thing really, I'm no fan of the UK school system because, quite frankly, it's really rather crappy.

    I think the final reason I realise that home schooling can also work if done properly is that one of the people I know from Xanga does this and her boys are nothing short of amazing, which I think is a combination of great parenting and them learning values at home, as well as the knowledge they are clearly gaining from a parent who cares enough about them to spend time with them and personally ensuring they are getting an education, rather than shipping them off into overpacked rooms where unknown individuals are, we are told, giving them the best education they can recieve.

    If that's the case, why doesn't she have metal detectors and guards outside her house like far too many schools seem to these days?

  • Thank you for this post.  I am thinking about homeschooling my child.  After teaching in the educational system I have doubts about sending my child there.  

  • Yeah, it can be a really good thing or a really bad thing.  I personally would hate to be homeschooled, but that's just a personal preference.  I hate public school, but I would also hate to be homeschooled. 

    But it all depends on the parents.  I know two kids, a brother and sister, who are homeschooled.  They are extremely immature, but its the parent's fault.  I'm pretty sure not much schooling actually goes on.  I also met a girl who was homeschooled who could not spell "hello".  She spelled it "helo".  And she was thirteen.  There was nothing mentally wrong with her, she just didn't appear to have much schooling. 

    I also know people who are intellegent and mature enough, but they have no social skills whatsoever.  My friend Levi is like this.  He's a cool guy, but there are some things he just doesn't *get*.  I can't really explain it. 

    Other people are perfectly adjusted.  My friend April is homeschooled, and I wouldn't be able to tell by talking to her like I could with Levi. 

  • i'm homeschooled.
    not to sound like a total snob but...
    most of the public schooled people i meet don't even know who margaret thatcher is.

  • I went to public school for grades K-5, then tried a private school, then my parents gave up and just homeschooled me. I preferred homeschooling so much more; it gave me more flexibility within the curriculum, plus I found it easier to learn on my own as opposed to in a classroom setting (plus, I am extremely hard of hearing, so it's easier for me to concentrate when I'm alone). Thanks so much for letting people know that not all homeschool kids are socially inept!

  • It makes me happy to hear that we are appreciated. I wish more people understood homeschooling.

  • I was homeschooled for grades K-12, and I didn't always appreciate that my parents had chosen homeschooling for me.  However, after receiving a full academic scholarship to the school I really wanted to go to (for an ACT score of 33) and receiving compliments from my professors on my dedication and capability, I think it was the right decision.  I wasn't at all sheltered and I was very active socially.  Something a lot of people don't know about homeschoolers is that they are required to be under a "cover school," and my cover school during highschool was very active and offered dozens of classes at our school building (but limited the number of classes you could take outside of the home).  I played varsity volleyball with my cover school and was on student council; I REALLY loved homeschooling during highschool.  I was able to dual enroll at a community college my senior year to earn some college credits, and I had no trouble adjusting whatsoever.  I really respect those who choose to teach their children at home; it requires so much time and effort.  

  • I would say that you made my day, but I just had a pretty un-topable day.  I'm a homeschooler, and it always makes me happy to know that there are 'schoolies' who a) don't hate us, b) don't stereotype us, and c) would like to interact with us.

  • Really now?  I understand the public educational system may not be perfect, there are many life lessons that are taught in public school that simply cannot be learned at home.  Education is more than the books, there is also important social learning that goes on in school.  Kids are exposed to a whole motley of peers and many different types of adults.  They learn about diversity, and define themselves more clearly based on all their experiences with so many different people.   

    The majority of Home schooled kids I meet are socially stunted.  They have trouble grasping basic concepts like sharing, empathy, and how to get along with others.  They're like little cookie cutter models of their parents, so I can see the narcissistic appeal, but they lack basic social skills.  And this opinion isn't formed off of just one strange individual.  As a whole all of my experiences with home schooled kids have not been favorable for homeschooling. 

    I'll give you a few examples:
    There was a boy on my sports team that was home schooled.  He couldn't understand the concept of personal space. So during instructional time would sit really close to the other boys.  When the other boys told him to respect their space, he would say "birds of a feather, flock together" and continue to sit next to them.  It was something his mom had taught him.  He was shunned on the team because he couldn't grasp this very basic concept. They called him gay and teased him relentlessly until he quit.   

    Another example is in one of my college English classes.  A home schooled kid would attempt to have one on one conversations with the professor during lectures.  He would dominate entire class periods with his "pursuit of knowledge" in a class of 30+ people.  After a few weeks of this, people started yelling at him to be quiet and listen to the lecture, rather than talk through it.  He was indignant and argued with them.  Eventually they ganged up on him and he ended up crying and storming out of class.    

    Parents need to ask themselves what will get their kids further in life: being ahead a year or two in math, or being able to get along with other human beings?  No person is an island, no matter how hard parents may try to isolate their children from the world.  Eventually they are going to have to go out into the world and deal with other people.   

    It's a really cruel thing to do to the kids.  The worst part is, most of them believe they are somehow better for it. 

  • Haha, thanks for saying you like us and not commenting on what freaks we are! I appreciate it =]

  • I love being homeschooled, and I love the people (adults and children) I've been able to meet because I'm homeschooled.

    I also like not having to worry about standardized testing and (sometimes) midterms :D
    (but I did like having an experience at public school, so I have no clue what I'm gonna have my children do!)
    - Chloe

  • I was homeschooled until college and I loved it!  It lets you be yourself and it gives you time to do other things than just study your brains out all day long.  Plus, I got done faster and I learned a lot more.  And I am still very social.  I actually got to homeschool with my friends which was awesome.

  • Thanks you so much for the thumbs up for homeschoolers! I am 13, and I personally love being homeschooled. My friends all ask me if I get lonely, because they are with their friends all day. I have a small circle of very close friends, and that's really enough! And, of course, I have my mom who is, I personally think, the best teacher I could have. Another reason I like being homeschooled is when you are in a classroom with other kids, I don't really think you could learn as much if you where taught one-on-one. Again, thanks for giving homeschoolers thumbs-up.

  • Mega dittos!

    We are home schooling our children and I'm proud of it!

    I say whether you use PS or HS you the parent are responsible to protect and nurture your children and help them become all they can be.

  • I have a feeling that my creativity would've mostly been stunted if I was home schooled, mostly because of my parents rather than the system itself (ramming fractions down my throat two years before I would need them did not inspire learning, but rather tears and a lot of anger, and they didn't support me in my writing endeavors, which I did anyway).  I think whatever independence and confidence I have didn't come from my family, but from going to summer camp or otherwise being on my own at school.  And if I stayed at home all day, I would eat an obscene amount of fruit cups.

    Also, my English would be terrible, although my math and science would be awesome.  My parents are immigrants and somewhat lacking in grammar enthusiasm.

    At any rate, I think it depends on the parents and the kids rather than homeschooling itself.

    -Anna.

  • My childhood best friends were home schooled, and not only did they act like they were better then me but they treated me like they were too, not only them but their friends too. I stopped going over there when one day when one of their friends told me I was dumb for being in public school and I would end up being a racist, dumb ass with no future because I went to public school. ( An opinion I'm sure past on from his parents.) Not only this but their parents rule their life. Everything they do is watched. And lets face it, yes they might have a better up bringing, but being home schooled is nothing like life. You have to learn to face those bullies and pressure of society. it isn't going to go away when they are older and on their own so why cover it when they are children? so they can grow up to know nothing about how the world works. One of the girls stopped taking a class because she didn't like the teacher, she just stopped. (yes it a homeschooling group so they did have teachers). That's nothing like life, I went to public school my whole life and you think I liked all of my teachers? Hell no. Think of it like this, you have a boss you don't like, you're not just going to ask for a knew boss or quit, some might but that's not realistic. I'm just saying that in order for home schooling to work I think it depends on the parents and the kids need to be involved in big groups so they learn how to socialize.

  • I had written a very interesting story.

    Hugs

    Claus

  • Thank You! It's so refreshing to hear positive comments about homeschooling when negative ones are usually the first said...

  • I do not feel as though unqualified individuals can properly educate a child.  Even if a parent should have a degree in education, I believe that they cannot cover each and every grade level.  One person can't do it all.  I also think it shields these children from the real world and when it comes time to college of the work force, they don't know how to handle situations and exposure to outside viewpoints, ideas, and people.

  • I think during the early years homeschooling and then setting them free at an older age would be a great idea.
    Homeschooling isn't bad or good it just depends on the individual.
    It really does preserve their own minds.

  • I think it's a little like the grass being greener on the other side. Public schooled, we are stronger for surviving the resistance from forces of conformity and social interaction, be it positive or negative, empowers and informs as well.

    Alas I personally know few if any home schooled people as adults. Is the reason that it has a sense of shame associated with it?

  • i wanted to be home-schooled so badly. however, i'm naturally soft-spoken, so maybe it's better that i got used to being forced to talk to people.

    <3 micalyn

  • I decided at the beginning of this school year that I wanted to leave public school to do cyber school.  I'm a sophomore in high school, and being at home has been SO much better for me.  I feel that there is more of a challenge for me to do well and succeed with my home/cyber schooling.  I don't get to see my friends as much, but I don't regret leaving public school for anything.  Although I've been critizized by some of my friends for leaving public school, it's helped me to see what true friends I really have.

  • @Miss___Lexi - just a note on what you said, my mom definitely didn't do it all. I had math tutors and science teachers and other extra-curricular classes which were either taught by certified teachers for a fee, or they taught me in a free class offered by one of the moms in our homeschool group who might've specialized in the subject. I definitely would've had a harder time in highschool if math had been left up to my mom! but in a homeschool group everybody really works together to take care of each other, it's really nice. And as for exposure, well, public school isn't the only place you get that from... and if it were then I don't think this would be an issue. That really depends on the personality of the parents and whoever else they choose to expose their kid to. 

  • This was a nice read. Thank you! I have four children and I homeschooled them. However, I give them the chose in 9th grade whether to continue homeschooling or starting public school. Three of my children went on to public school and did very well. My last child went to public school for 6 weeks in the 9th grade and hated it. She felt that the classes lacked discipline. She is almost done now. Although I did have some challenges (teaching algebra etc) we have suceeded in getting her through her classes. She has even taught herself to play the piano. Thanks, Gabi

  • Thank you for not completely giving into the homeschool stereotypes and bashing them on the head.  I hadn't thought about some of what you said before, but it's true...it does foster more independence and confidence to be oneself instead of fitting into some mold.  It also gets kids involved with kids of other ages, instead of their grade only.  Do be careful about some things at the end...most of my homeschooled friends are very social and don't have a problem with large groups.  I'm personally not fond of large groups that I don't know, but that is more a result of being naturally introverted i think, rather than homeschooled.  I still have a good amount of friends and acquaintances, many who are not homeschooled.  I had a good science background (31 on the ACT), and when I got to pre-calc and the subjects my mom didn't know as well, I went to a community college nearby to learn all that.  And most people I know don't have anything against people who have gone to public or private school, or have anything against those who believe differently.  I'm in college now, and haven't had any academic or social problems.  Sure, there are a few who do fit into those stereotypes, but I think it is much less common than many people believe, no thanks to TV shows like 17 & Counting.
    I apprecciate your respect and this post.  God bless.

  • I agree with you. I had gone through middle school in public schools. When I started high school I realized that my whole school career the teachers had basically been controlling me by telling me who to be and what to think. It was a horrible realization. I ended up homeschooling that year and I loved it.

  • thanks for the appreciation :) it's great to hear some positive feedback for this alternative lifestyle. i was a homeschooler myself throughout my middle school years. when i introduced the person i'm going to start interning for in a week, he actually asked me if i'd been homeschooled, because i seemed confident and mature to him. i'm at public school right now, and a lot of the students and teachers involved put that form of education down even though they don't know anything about it. it's nice to know a few people can be open-minded about it.

  • I went to private school during elementary years and homeschooled the rest of the way. It worked really well for me. Everyone always seems really surprised when I tell them I was homeschooled. Sometimes I get some very negative reactions, usually stereotypes, from those who know nothing about it, except what they see in the media. 

    My parents did a good job of teaching me, getting me tutors (for math), enrolling me at the local community college for science labs, and making sure I had extra curricular activities with both homeschoolers and other organizations. (teen club, violin tour group, orchestra, skate group, book club) I don't think you need to be surrounded by 500+ people every day to be social. 
    Glad to see a lot more people are being more open about it, even if they would never consider it themselves. Honestly, there are probably a lot more people out there who were homeschooled then say it, simply because it doesn't come up in every conversation and no one would ever know.

  • Homeschooled k-11th, scored a 33 on the math section of the ACT, scored a 5 on the AB calc test after taking it through public school, and 4.0ed AP physics B but didn't take the test. math and science were never a problem for me, I'm a physics undergrad now.

  • I'm glad you don't hate us. I just want to say that my fellow homeschool friends are anything but "unsocialized." The most outgoing extroverted people I know were homeschooled. I have always been very introverted and find it hard to really socialize, but I was like that before I homeschooled; in fact, my teachers in "regular" school, broke my desire to talk, and they wanted be to socialize with girls I really had nothing in common with. It's funny you should say our math and science scores often leave something to be desired, because though I am more literary minded and weak in those areas (and have always been, even in the five years I was in "regular" school), most homeschoolers I know are math and science wizards. Our homeschool group even had a math club, as nerdy as that sounds. One friend of mine majored in math and now teaches college mathematics. My homeschool highschool biology class was ten times harder than my college biology course. I wouldn't say I have "disdain" for those who weren't homeschooled, I just find it harder to relate to those people who went through the homoginizing meat-grinder that is public school.

    Most kids at my college were public or private schooled, and they all seem to have the same mentality. I'm seeing the work of the public school system at its finest, and I am more glad than ever that I was homeschooled. Thanks for loving us and not labeling us sociopaths.

  • I was both homeschooled and public schooled.
    I like both, but public schooling is nice. ;D

  • As a homeschool alumnus, thank you.  And as a homeschooling mom, I also thank you.  While I acknowledge the potential academic shortfalls also, I believe that they're being overcome by homeschooling co-ops where degreed moms or dads teach the other kids whose parents are weak in the higher disciplines.  And growing up as a homeschooler, I used to tell people that I had to work at de-socializing myself- we were involved in EVERYTHING!  I live in an area where the homeschooling community is incredibly diverse- people of all religions, economic brackets, and races are choosing to teach their own children.  As a mom, I can say that this ride is great fun (and greatly challenging!).  My goal is to see my children thrive academically and socially, but most of all spiritually.  That's what lasts the longest anyway.

  • So you don't like just children, you like children who know how to act like adults.

    And everyone wonders why kids can't just be kids sometimes. x] It's because people like YOU prefer them not to be. but hell, no one likes the obnoxious children, so just homeschool them to do away with all the bad things! they don't need to be in on the social norms of society; society is messed up anyway! we don't need the scientists, the professionals, the leading experts in a field with the bases of evidence and logic and years of teaching, to stuff things into our children's minds. we just need...ourselves. :) regardless of who we are, what our biased judgement of life is, and our background.

    not only that, but those homeschooled children will grow up to be good individuals, unlike our children who have public education. so rude and corrupted those kids who are exposed to the norms of society are; so easily manipulated and what disrespect they have for their parents. not only that, but public schooled children are unhappy. how do i know that? because from my experiences, i just THINK they're all unhappy. all these problems because they had public education. public education must be the root of what makes an individual less "right".

    well. enough sarcastic ranting. and if you agreed on the above, that just goes to show how narrowminded you really are. seriously, we can't categorize people: judging whether or not if they're good or if they're better; less curious or not, based on whether or not if they've been homeschooled or had public education. home schooled kids don't like it that people think they're socially awkward, and i'm sure public schooled kids don't like to think they're personally inferior, either. each person is as good as he/she chooses to make themselves, and that's the bottom line.

  • I was homeschooled through middle school and I completely agree with this. Going to high school was the right choice for me, because I feel like it prepared me for college in a way homeschooling never could. But I also feel that being homeschooled as a kid made me unique in a way school never could...I got the best of both worlds! But yeah, my math and science skills aren't great. ha. And THANK YOU for not buying into the stereotypes... that all homeschoolers are closed minded, or religious, or socially awkward. There are many many different types of homeschoolers! I made my best, lifelong friends while homeschooling.

  • Having homeschooled all eight of our kids, I realize it's not for everyone. We have loved it and are still teaching the youngest two. Some did College others didn't. Some were tutoring College Math at age 13, some had troubles with math. Overall, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

    My kids make fun of akward homeschoolers, probably more than anyone.

  • Thanks :)

    I was homeschooled K-12th grade and I think it was pretty great :)
    As for the stereotypes, there are weird, strange, awkward, unique, unusual kids no matter who school system you look at.

  • I, personally, do not like the idea of home schooling

  • I don't know. If only your parents are teaching you, you don't get a variety of opinions about topics...and you are just molded into what your parents want you to be.

    of course, that's with younger children. At the middle school and high school age, home-schooled students learn out of books and online.

    but still. I apprectiate the different perspectives that all of my teachers have given me. I would rather understand information rather recite it. and I can always supplement my public school education by pursuing information on my own.

    <3

  • Going to public schools is a hugely organic way for children to learn how to interact, socialize, understand, and appreciate those who are different than they are.  Homeschool children miss out on this in spades.  Playgroups and sports teams can never replace being a part of a large group for seven to eight hours a day.  In such a situation, children absolutely learn so much about themselves.  For this reason, I will ALWAYS advocate public schools over homeschooling.  In the long run, the life skills learned can not be replicated in a home.

  • Amen! You and me both, I believe. I wanted to homeschool my children at least to the middle school age-range, roughly. But my guy doesn't see it the same way. He wants us both to be able to work so that he can get the house of his dreams and such one day. *sigh* But, it's alright. At least we reached a compromise where I can stay home with them until they start school. Who knows? Maybe I can convince him of the benefits and such, and he'll let me homeschool a few years too. ;) haha. Not getting my hopes up though. :) I'm just thankful we reached a compromise.

    <3, ~*Akarui Mitsukai*~

  • Everything has its ups and downs, it's pro's and con's. One option provides you with more interaction with different beliefs and ways of thinking allowing you to learn to deal with those different than you, the other provides less opportunities for this kind of interaction. While one allows you to create your own way of thinking through differing with others, the other carries with it a higherprobability of adapting the parent's mindsets and points of view. 

  • My neighbors all comment how my son is more mature, polite and well behaved than all the other kids in the very prosperous neighborhood we live in. He's home schooled. He and all the home schooled children I have met excel in math and sciences. I have met more than a thousand.

    Government Schools are Wrecking the Country

    I met Martin Luther King III at my store one day. Very pleasant fellow. I told him that if I were the Grand Dragon of the KKK, I couldn't think of a better way to destroy a black child than to send him to an Atlanta public school. Especially one that offered to drive the pregnant girls to a Planned Parenthood Clinic.

    Keep You Kids in Public School

    That doesn't mean I want everyone to home school their children. My kids will need someone to supervise at work one day.

  • @PaulsGadita - Go to Abeka Home School to get more info. I (a man) felt the same way as he does. See mu comments to the article.

  • @whoaXXangela - "I would rather understand information rather recite it." That's ALL you get with Government Schools. Read "Free to Choose" by Milton Freedman - Nobel Economist. Schooling should be a choice. If you don't like the hamburgers at McDonalds, go to Burger King. If you don't like either, eat at home.

    With government schools, its one size fits all. No room for the fast learner, slow learner, etc. Also, see my comments to the article. I have decades of experience in this field. I come from a family of educators and I have an engineering degree - very strong in math and science. Colleges RECRUIT home scholled children. Self motivated, self starter. Of course there are always exceptions, but as a rule they rock in every way.

  • only three years of my life were spent being homeschooled, but they were some important years. (10th, 11th, and 12th grade. go figure.)

    i've definitely had the experience of both, and during my homeschooling i can honestly say i was able to express myself and become who i was much better than when i went to a public school. it could have just been a part of growing up though. ;)

  • I like your point of view. While I fit into some of the areas of lacking, I can't imagine that I would have been better off in the public school system.

  • Interesting and well thought out post.

  • I think its wrong to say that you cannot be equally brainwashed at home as you are brainwashed in school. In fact, by being able to go out and not be home schooled, you get to meet other people, hear of other perceptions, and become less brainwashed. You get new experiences, and just because you are in public school doesn't necessarily mean that you lose your energy and enthusiasm.

    I think that your post can fall under both homeschooling and public schooling. Just there's the idea that you win some and you lose some. I would definitely prefer going to public school with other peers in comparison to being home-schooled.

  • Heck yes!  I was homeschooled through high school and I have tons of friends, and completely socialized, and got a 1200 on the old SAT.  I'd say my education and socialization are fine:D  Thanks for the props though:D

  • I was a homeschooler! (Well, from 8th grade through high school) and I do agree with a lot of your post. Especially about being an individual and pretty much not falling in with the crowd. I was around more adults than people my age, so I think that helps with the maturity factor a lot..and little stupid things I worried about in public school, like what people would think of me if I did this or that, didn't matter to me anymore. When you're in a place that you just feel judged by everyone, it holds you back from doing things you want to do. I know not everyone is like that, some people just don't care what others think and will do what they want regardless, which is great.. but for me, being homeschooled definitley got me to stop caring about what other people thought and to do what made ME happy.

  • I home schooled my son from 6th thru 12th - but this is Oregon and he could take whatever classes he wanted from the public school system. So we had the best of both worlds, as many home schoolers in our state do.

    He is, at 20, his own person, mentally curious about everything and his moral values are above reproach, although the way he'll talk about the ingredients in some illicit drug like its a math puzzle can give a stranger pause.

    Wish I had started from day one, but we had just moved a from a state where homeschooling is not easy - and in some districts it was almost illegal. I just didn't know I had the option at thetime

  • Thanks for the support! As someone who was homeschooled from 3rd grade-12th, I know for sure that it made all the difference in the world for me. I have a feeling that had my parents left me in public school, I would've been miserable in middle and high school, as I tend to be quite shy. I suppose in some ways I fit the stereotype (not that I was unsocialized so much as that I didn't want to socialize), because I'm also far more skilled in English and language arts than I ever could be in math or science.

    Homeschooling is not for everyone, but I believe that many people certainly benefit from it.

    Thanks for such a terrific post!

  • Yay! I don't think I've ever read something so honest and observant of the many different angles that come out of homeschooling.

    I was homeschooled from 3rd grade on and it's true, I was socially akward for many years and am still uncomfortable with public speaking and interacting with large groups of people I don't know. But, It really hasn't harmed me one bit.

    The math and science problems I understand. I was tutored by a retired math teacher through junior high and still couldn't pass pre-algebra or algebra one and my mom didn't even try to get me started on the more advanced maths. Therefore if I had gone to a public or private school I wouldn't have graduated. My brain just doesn't work that way is my thinking.

    However I can take three measurments from anyone and know the formula to cut them a perfectly fitting jacket pants or dress without a calculator or any other aids than a measuring tape and pencil. I was not taught to do this or any other sewing skills but, I don't think I would have discovered it if I wasn't homeschooled. I supose I am a more three dimensional than abstract learner.

    Abstract concepts are very difficult for me to grasp so, because of homeschooling I was able to skip them and focus on other subjects that I was good at and therefore more likely to use in adult life.

    I really think it depends on the parents and what their approach to homeschooling is. There are definatley some who are really lazy and don't want to "force" there child to learn anything, even the important basics. And there are some that are so gung-ho into making it just like "real" school that there children loose alot of the opportunity for natural growth that they might have had.

  • As a home school grad,I have to say thank you for this encouraging post! Though,when it comes to math and science,I think it really depends on the parents devotion to those subjects.For example,my brother who was also home schooled,is a wiz in math and science,and is now working with the air force on top secret work,using his love of math and science.Our parents saw at a young age that he had a gift,and sought out people who could help encourage and facilitate his gifts.Though I don't enjoy math like my brother,I made it through,and we both graduated with 4.0 gpa's.It helped that both of our parents are educators,our mother taught in the public school system for ten years before having children,and saw how the children were then (thirty five years ago)and made the decision to home school,when really no one had heard of home schooling.All that to say,thank you for the props,far too oftin home schooling gets a bad rap,and though I firmly believe it is not for everyone,I also believe that public education is not for everyone either.Thanks again!

  • In that last paragraph, you named almost every stereotype of homeschoolers, and you couldn't be more wrong.I was homeschooled for a time, and A LOT of my friends were, and are being, homeschooled. I have never known any of them to be socially awkward in any way out side of their general personality types. Some of them are better at math than science that many regular school people I know. And never have I seen or heard any of them look down on others for not being homeschooled.

    Don't stereotype people when you have not met enough to make a decision about it. Yes, homeschoolers often have a closer relationship with their parents and siblings, but is that a bad thing? They do rec league sports, music lessons, and often classes outside of their actually house. There isn't any lack of social stimulation for the majority of homeschoolers.
    The focus on math and science just as much as they do history and english. I personally, am not great maths beyond alg two, but I can tell you all about the Battle of Hastings. But thats just what i prefer. I know some people who can do maths I can't even begin to comprehend. Home schoolers, like kids in regular school, have individual strengths and talents.
    I'm sure that some people do look down on people who weren't homeschooled, but they are in the minority. Homeschoolers know that going to public or private school is as much a personal choice as homeschooling. There's nothing to look down upon

  • I was homeschooled and one of the things my family is best at is social interaction. It has to do with personalities more than with being public/private/home schooled. My sister-in-law's family had never actually met homeschoolers before they met us, and they couldn't believe how "normal" we were.
    The biggest failing in our homeschooling was foreign languages. CD's and books just don't cut it in that area.  

  • @FirstxChairxOrchxDork - *laughs* I thought all homeschoolers were full of home/public schooler jokes.

  • I was homeschooled K-12, and loved it. I started college a year early, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and am currently getting my teachers certification (so I can teach overseas). I have found it very interesting/frustrating to deal with the foreignness of the public school system. I feel like such a rebel--I keep thinking, why do we have to do it that way? That's dumb! I hope that as I teach I can help my students catch my passion for learning and encourage them to explore all of their God given potential.

    I appreciated that you gave the basic pros-and cons of homeschool--it isn't 100% effective, and it isn't the answer for everyone. This isn't a perfect world--there is no one perfect way to educate the kiddos. However, it is great to see someone giving homeschooling a positive, but balanced review.  

  • @nicolthepickle - yeah, we are... Like if a homeschooler goes to public school they've already read all the books in the advanced lit class... or things along those lines...

    I was homeschooled in grammer school, yet by the time I was in high school, some of my teachers could still tell that I was homeschooled. I was reading Louisa May Alcott in third grade, and Jane Austen in sixth. I was reading a post high school level by the time I was in fifth grade... I had been to almost all the museums in DC (we live really close) multiple times; Gettysburg, Battles of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsy courthouse, wilderness, and petersburg; the folk life festivals on the mall; jamestown and williams burg; the balimore aquarium; Hugh mercers apothacary shop in fredericksburg; mount vernon; monticello, montpelier; and loads of other places before i even left elementary school.

    I believe that homeschoolers get a much greater oppurtunity to expand on their learning, and do much more upclose, and hands on than public school kids... I think that it helps them enjoy learning, and seek new knowledge all on their own...

  • they sometimes lack complete socialization or are rather ill-at-ease in
    large groups;     ill-at-ease in large groups? what kind of home schoolers do you know?None I know are like that and I am homeschooled and I am like that.

    often their math and science skills leave something to be
    desired;

    Often our math and science skills leave something to be desired? I don't know any home schoolers in which this is the case I know quite the opposite. My sister and I are home schooled and she is great at science and we are both good at math.

    and they sometimes fail to hide their disdain for those who
    have not progressed through the same route they took or don't share
    their beliefs.

    All the home schoolers I know are nothing but polite to public school kids and we have alot of friends in public  school. But we certainly stand up for our belief in Jesus Christ and that is definitly not a bad thing.
    .

  • Great post. My wife and I are considering home schooling our youngins right now.

  • As a kid who grew up pigeon-holed in the public school system, I wanted better for my daughter. She attends a public charter school that is as much like home school as you can get. Its focus is Project-based learning which is similiar to home school's total learn immersion. The students are encouraged to question, to find, to create and to learn from one another as well as taught presentation skills from a young age so they can easily and comfortably get up in front of a large group of people and not have the fears that many students have when giving presentations. These students present once a month. For more information please visit: http://www.ekacademy.org -- thanks!

  • Just one more home schooled alum giving you eProps.

    My mom did a stellar job home schooling my two siblings and myself. The attention she was able to devote to each of us in our studies is really what made the difference, I believe. It gave me an incredible work ethic. I've already graduated from university with honors, and my brother will have done the same this May.

    We had a home school support group that was fantastic for socialization. We were also involved in scouting programs, church, and sports.

    I wouldn't say home schooling is the best choice for everyone, but it's worked for me and many of my friends. Thank you so much for bringing the positive to light!

  • @TheDumberScott - Oh my! Do it! I'm a homeschooled senior and have been since 4th grade and let me tell ya, it's amazing. I have other siblings under the age of 8 and when we go out places, you can totally see how my siblings (not meaning to brag) are much more behaved than the kids who go to school. Homeschooling is awesome. :)

    For everyone else- parents were made to teach their kids. They first learn at home. We're not sheltered and us homeschoolers are actually tired of that misconception. It's kinda gets annoying when people ask us if we have friends or get out of the house. My mom is biiiiig on learning by doing instead of learning by reading. So we get out alllll the time. I'm also dual-enrolled at the local community college; doesn't mean we're SMARTER *coughwemightbecough* :D , it just means we take our work seriously.

  • Why, thank you. 

  • I was cheering you on...till I got to your last paragraph  I realize you like homeschoolers, so I'll try to be gentle with you  But I'd like to try to educate other readers who hold some of the same misguided ideas that I've heard in the past.

    I homeschooled both of my children. I don't know where people get that homeschoolers are not completely socialized. Do people think we lock them in a closet till they finish school? Honestly!

    My almost 23 yr old daughter is now a Retail Services Representative at a Federal Credit Union. In all the places she has worked in the past (she's been a cashier in 2 retail establishments and a teacher's aide in an elementary school) people seek her out because of her outgoing personality. People have actually tried to hire her away from her jobs, because they liked her personality. Most recently, the CFO/VP of Human Resources of this credit union, offered her this job because they like her. She did not seek out this job she is in now. Someone who lacks socialization would not have had these things happen.

    My 27 yr old son has a very good job and is married. He is well liked by everybody. He played baseball on our city teams when he was a teenager. He has also been offered jobs he did not seek, because people liked his work. Both kids were always in church and were members of their youth groups. However, they did usually prefer being with adults than youth their age, because they more mature than their peers (if I do say so myself )

    And as far as math and science, that's just ridiculous. My son always liked doing his algebra in his head (and he did get the answers right) rather than working it out on paper like most kids do. He also learned practical applications...he rebuilt Camaro engines. He can figure the volume of a cylinder quite rapidly in his head, from working on car engines. And one of the magazines he subscribed to was Scientific American. Both of them like science, but we look at science a little differently. We study science from a creationist point of view. (Yeah, I know...that just marked us as well below average intelligence on the lists of most people. I can live with it.)

    Our pastor and his wife are teachers. She always said that homeschooled children were not good at writing. Baloney. My daughter is a gifted writer and she loves it.

    Occassionally, the public hears about a child who was locked in a trailer for 10 years, never saw the outside world, and in one case here in our state of Texas, lived under the porch of the trailer. The parents will say the kids were "homeschooled." But that's generally hogwash. Those parents were not schooling their children at all. If they are abusing them, they certainly don't care about schooling them. But those are the cases that stick in the minds of the public.

    Many homeschooled children do the majority of their studies at home, but meet together with other homeschoolers for things such as music (bands and choirs) and sports. Yes, there are entire sports teams of homeschooled children, and at least in our state, they can compete with public schools.

    And about being uneasy in large crowds...I went to school entirely in a large Texas public school district. I don't like large crowds. That has nothing to do with the socialization, and everything to do with the temperament of the person.

    My husband was schooled in West Virginia and Michigan. He attended Michigan State University. He's not much for crowds, either.

    My father-in-law was against us homeschooling, and tried to tell me that our children would not grow up to be like their peers. I said, "BINGO! That's exactly what we're shooting for." They were not subjected to the immaturity and the beliefs that run counter to ours, until they were old enough to handle it. That means old enough that they weren't brainwashed by it. We taught them about other beliefs, but they didn't have it pushed upon them at an early age.

    Our church pianist is a 16 year old homeschooled young man. He doesn't lack socialization. He is one of the leaders on the tall sailing ship, ELISSA, in Galveston, TX, and has been for a couple of years. He will be 17 this summer, and is far above his age group in maturity.

    Your post was generally favorable to homeschoolers. But please try not to further the typical stereotypes...the homeschooling that much of the general public looks down on. With a few exceptions, it is simply not true.

  • Well said. I was homeschooled from 2nd through 11th, and I used to always say I would never do it to my children because of the social stunting it did to me. However, I've changed my mind now after seeing the state of school systems - not even so much academically, but the effect they have on students' characters.

    Personally, I never had any issues with math or science, having a mind for that sort of thing, but you'll find kids who do and don't get it in any system. My sister never could understand even the most basic math or science, but she just wasn't interested in academics.

  • Ive been homeschooled for four years now,my parents dont actually teach me though,im in a school program,but the school is states away,then send videos and textbooks,and my mom even has solution keys,and i can actually call and talk to one of the teachers up there,its pretty cool.

    Its a private school though,over in Florida.and although i sometimes wish i was back in school,i dont think i would ever go back.So many of my friends have changed from being pressured into something there not,and its easier,at the age i am,to figure out who you are without being told what you "need to be to fit in"Im severely shy too,but i always have been,even when i was in school.but its cool,its who i am.
    by the way,i really liked this.(:not many people acknowledge homeschoolers.

  • I won't go so far as to say homeschooling is always appropriate - because it's not in cases. But I will say that attending a small private catholic school wasn't the best way to go. We didn't learn any actual history, or anything like that. I know literally nothing about history because of it, and learn 90% of what I know now from the discovery channel. As a young child, the private school I went to did fairly well with allowing students to explore their creativity, but there is nothing that could save a child from the negativity expressed by fellow students there. I know all schools have cliques of children, but private schools take the cake. If a kid ever got sick in class or spelled something wrong, you heard about it all the way through early highschool because every class had the same 30 kids in it. If you didn't have good friends from the get-go, odds are, you weren't going to have any at all. Ever.

    I switched school in 10th grade to go to a career center. Definitely one of the best choices I've ever made it. It was a public career school, but you had to pass a test in your area of study to get in. only 25 kids from 16 schools could get into each program, and I got into the art class there. Now, the teacher of our art class was a terrible, god awful teacher. But, the friends I had there and the lack of hate and cliques made me feel very welcomed. Thanks for the insight!

  • I was a public school kid and I REALLY do feel like it's all about teaching you to be just like everyone else. I didn't buy in... and I had hell for a few years. The other kids were... terrible.

    I'm socially awkward as heck.

    Public School DID do one thing for me... it has me constantly second-guessing my dreams and ambitions. I'm always thinking "is this practical?" "will this make enough to pay the bills?" "what's my backup plan?"

    I'm not grateful. D=

  • May I present the other side of the argument?

    I went to a public school K-12, then a private college. In college I met quite a few homeschooled kids, or friends with homeschooled cousins. I won't completely generalize, but a grand chunk of these kids were just so awkward socially that they had no chance in college, and alot ended up dropping out.

    My freshman year roommate had an aunt and uncle with 4 children who were all homeschooled who ranged from kindergarden to 10th grade or so, and they were just too creepy (for lack of a better term). Way too close to their parents and one another, no outside friends, they would send my roommate "family" letters once a month or so which included examples of writing from the youngest and some math problems the oldest was learning. Maybe it's because I wasn't raised this way, but this just is not normal to me. There is suppose to be a period of high school stress where you generally fall away from your parents and spend more time with friends. Not due to any hatred of your parents, but it's just natural for a teen to want to be more independent, and those who don't have this usually end up living with their parents instead of forming normal social relationships and going on with their lives.

    Maybe I'm critical, and I know I'm biased towards my lifestyle, but I don't think I'd ever consider homeschooling my children.

  • I homeschooled my children for a couple years. I always told them they could back any time they wanted.

    What a difference it made in my daughter's personality. The kids are mean at school.  I won't even go into all the things that went on at school with her, but it drove me crazy....One example: Her grade 1 teacher refused to let her write with her left hand...she is left handed. The teacher told her there is no room or place in the world for left handed people. I went in to have a talk with her but it didn't help. She was a miserable person. I took her out of school. 

    My daughter became less defensive and her whole personality calmed right down.

    I didn't like school. I was poor, so none of those private schools for me...but school was not fun.  I was compared to others. I had teachers say things like "your sure not much like your brother, are you!?"...because my brother was a straight A student with never cracking a book.

    The grade 2 teacher use to yell at us horribly and she'd smack her ruler down on our desks if we were doing our work wrong. She would walk up and down the isle and look over our shoulders and smash a ruler on our desk and yell like crazy if we had done something wrong.  Oh the stories, that is but one story.

    I was quiet and shy in school and everything about school made me completely withdrawl into myself and made me more quiet. I was happy to be sick instead of dealing with the kids and teachers.

    When I homeschooled I visited with other families and I took the girls to mom and tots skating. We didn't have money and never got to go to museums and I've never been able to travel with my girls or put them into lessons, like dance or anything....but it is a cherished memory

  • I'm homeschooled, and I think that I have awesome grammar.  ;]

  • unfortunately I can't read all of these comments right now, but I agree with Perelandra30. also you (GP) are right about homeschoolers, but only because you said "sometimes". I'm glad you said that because a lot of ignorant public-school people think those things are true about all homeschoolers. a few antistereotype notes about me and my family:

    were homeschooled K-12, also went to small Christian private schools (sort of co-op) for most of those.

    math: not so good, true. BUT reason for that: mom was public schooled and her school gave her a stupid student teacher for math so she was never good at it. we later took algebra and geometry from other people and did ok.

    science: no problems that I'm aware of, although it's not really something I'm especially interested in.

    English: very good. I don't capitalize sentences in blogs and such but I'm good at spelling and grammar. my brother and sister are writers and I sometimes proofread for them. I used to correct people's grammar all the time but they just got annoyed and didn't care about it so I gave up. when people have a lot of misspellings or texting shorthand in their blogs and comments I usually skip over those posts 'cause they're too hard to read.

    socialization: large homeschool group with lots of activities including 4-H, sports, scouting, drama; also the part-time Christian schools I mentioned. I even had a year in one of those schools (7th grade) in which I was basically the social outcast, the "uncool" one for no reason, picked on every day. yeah thanks, I really needed that. but also I have lots of friends, both homeshooled and public schooled and both from homeschooling high school and from college. all of them are cool of course but I personally think most homeschoolers are cooler people than most public schoolers. I mean almost all the homeschoolers I've known have been really cool and not so large a percentage of the public schoolers have. I used to have some neighborhood friends, but they moved away.

    parents' fault: I know a homeschooled only child who's really cool, a homeschooled only child who's really fussy and clingy with some of his friends, a public-schooled only-child who's cool, and a public-schooled only child who's been a lot of trouble for me and my friends after a falling-out with her parents. all of the homeschoolers I know who have siblings are pretty cool.

    anti-social/shyness: I'm an introvert, but that's a personality type, not a result of upbringing. it's also NOT the same thing as shy or antisocial but does give me a rep of being quiet. I have current friends that I hang out with and music ministries that I'm involved in. My boyfriend was public schooled, and he's sort-of half introvert half extrovert. actually I think he's extrovert with some introvertedness, and I'm introvert with some extrovertedness. we met at a small party that neither of us had wanted to go to because of our introvertedness. he's a gamer but is less social outside of gaming than I am. I'm generally quiet and not good at chit-chat but if anyone wants to actually have a conversation I can do that. there are some things I can do by myself and some things that I need external motivation for like someone else doing it with me. specifically if I can do it alone I will but if it's a social thing I'd rather go with friends.

    grades and graduation: my siblings and I had good grades and graduated at the usual time of age 18, except my sister graduated at 16. I had some basics in college and did well in everything except college algebra, but I got bored and stopped going. I'm trying to run a business with the jewelry I make. my siblings have jobs but want to be full-time writers eventually. I felt a lot less creative in and after college and didn't find anything there that I wanted to do. My jewelry comes from individuality and rebellion against popularity/herd mentality, although of course I want it to become more popular.

    maturity: there are of course exceptions of mature and intelligent public-schoolers and not-so-mature/intelligent homeschoolers, but generally you're right, homeschoolers spend more time with adults and are more mature. provided of course the adults are mature.

  • interesting post.

  • ha ha. Nice tags and a highly accurate assessment for someone who personally hasn't been homeschooled.

    But on another note, another one of my friends was homeschooled and she was a super genius at math. Maybe the type of people who generally choose to homeschool tend to be more sucky with math and tend to be more creative since they go against a system and create their own curriculum. parents bad at math = kids bad at math.

    either way, great post and good homework break!!!!!

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