I wrote this article when I was on my schools newspaper staff. It was the first article I had ever written-and it was featured in the National Edition of the myhighschooljournal.org website. It is from back in January of 2005, but it is still relevent. I will post an update at the end so be sure to read through the entire article.
Homeschool vs. Public School
I had attended public school all of my life until last March, when I was kicked out and had to start homeschooling. I was more than against it. The idea of me being homeschooled was entirely ludicrous. I never knew that my opinion of homeschooling could change so drastically in under a year. Since starting to homeschool, I have realized a lot of things about myself, kids in public school, and the world around me.
The Day. Let’s start where each day starts - the morning. Our local public high school starts at 7:45 a.m. Every day I would get up at 5:00 or 5:30, leave the house around 6:20, and get on the bus at 6:35. I only live four miles from the school, and I still had to get up that early. After I got up, I would take a shower, get dressed, put my hair up, and gather all the stuff that I would need for the day. Eating that early in the day would upset my stomach, so I skipped breakfast. Then, it was off to the bus. Now, with homeschooling, I get up when I want. I usually don’t end up taking a shower until about 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon. I don’t care if my hair looks good or not, as long as it is out of my face. Only on days that I go places do I actually care how I look. Why waste the time making myself look extra good when no one is going to see me? Also, because I get up when I want, I don’t have to worry about food making me sick in the morning.
The Learning. In public school, you work at the teacher’s pace, and a lot of the assignments you do are not anything that can hold your attention. You have the same schedule day after day, only changing every quarter or semester (depending on the class). With homeschooling, you work at your own pace, enabling yourself to learn more because you set the standards of how much you take in at once. You can start classes any time of the year, and you can take breaks whenever you want. It is a lot easier to work how you want and at your own pace.
The People. In public school, you are constantly being judged by everyone around you. Everyone says that they don’t judge others, but in reality they do, especially in high school. Something I realized while watching my "friends" in public school was that they tried to start things between people. It was as if they needed to have drama in their lives or they didn’t feel complete or content. With homeschooling, there is no one to judge you, and no way for anyone to start drama between you and someone else just because they feel like they can. Homeschooling allows you to be yourself and to let your inner-self shine. You could do the same in public school, but it rarely happens for fear of self-image.
The Administration. Teachers in public school can be extremely rude, and usually it is next to impossible to change a teacher’s opinion of you. I have had teachers who love me because I challenged them and others who have hated me for the same reason. You can never win. With homeschooling, if you don’t get it, you can ask a parent, or you can contact your teacher at Keystone, all without the worry of someone hating you. If you still don’t understand it, you can skip it and go back later, or do whatever suits you best.
So, as I come to my conclusion, I believe that homeschooling is a better way to get an education than public school. Without all the distractions, one is able to work how they want and when they want. I also believe that students who are homeschooled end up having a better idea of what they want to do in life. Because of our schedules, we can set up time to study things that are not taught in our classes, therefore expanding our knowledge. Looking at how far I have come, given the chance, I would not go back to public school.
Here are some links to better understand: The link to my high school- http://www.keystonehighschool.com -It was a correspondance program.
The link to the article- http://my.highschooljournalism.org/pa/bloomsburg/knhs/article.cfm?eid=2753&aid=37401
The link to the article in the National Edition: http://my.highschooljournalism.org/nationaledition/index.cfm?neid=64
Now-for an update. As I said, that was written in January of 2005, actually-it was written in Decemeber of 2004, and published January 7, 2005. Things have stepped up a bit since then. (You can tell it was written a while ago because my writing skills have very much so increased since then).
I just graduated high school over a week ago-a full year early. I finished 4 1/2 years of high school in 2 1/2 years. (I had to re-start the 1st half of 9th grade). I am 17 years old, will be 18 in 2 weeks. I still believe homeschooling is the way to go, not only because I finished quicker, but I finished smarter as well. With Keystone National High I learned more than I ever would have in our public high school. The teachers at Keystone care about you, they care about your needs, and they help you when you need it. Public school teachers tell you to look at your notes, or read it in the book. Or-on chance-they explain it the same way they did the first time, which is no help at all. I always had good grades in public school-(mostly a's and b's with a random c), and my grades only got better with Keystone. I am now on my way to start life..after I sit around relishing in my accomplishments first. A week after I turn 18 I am moving to Indiana to live with my boyfriend, I will get a job and start college either in February or next summer (I wish for it to be January, but I won't have enough money for the first payment deadline). I have become my own person through homeschooling.
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I still think that homeschooling prevents the kids from having important social skills, yes its nice to have your own deadlines and work at your own pace, but in the "real world" there are early mornings(the day), deadlines and promotions where you will be judged on your appearence how you carry yourself and how well you meet deadlines(the learning), coworkers(the poeple), and bosses(the administration) as far as your opinions about how much you learned in public high school, students have the tendency to think that what the teacher says is all they have to learn, but we need to step out, read more about a topic, find real life examples of a problem... I think homeschooling is good for some, but not the best for the masses
Did you know, studies have been done on the issue of social skills in homeschooled kids compared to kids in public school? In both groups, NEITHER ONE has a problem with social skills. I chose to make friends online because I got sick of the immaturity of my public school friends. i was growing up-they weren't.
Homeschooling with Keystone creates a GREAT sense of responsibility-and while you can ALWAYS step outside and read beyond what the teacher says in public school-not many kids do. If you do you are judged to be a freak. Public school has to much judgement-which people fear. Teachers should encourage students to step out and study on their own some if they want to know more-but they never do.
Yes, there are deadlines, and early mornings, and we all know that. Just because we do what we want when we want doesn't mean we won't know how to act. Public schools don't teach much about the real world-public schools cram you into a small building with to many students, where you are forced to stand among a crowd of your peers who constantly pick at and judge you. What you learn is dependent on your teachers, and your classes. With Keystone-you are in the real world.
I do agree--homeschooling is not for everyone, but I don't agree that it isn't for most. I believe MANY MANY MANY more kids would do better in homeschooling than they would in public.
I believe homeschooling is the best way for education. Even though colleges look down on it as inferior (or at least the ones around me do,) I believe it is superior to other schools. The learning environment fits to an individual's needs. Have you ever had to take a class in the morning that you wish you could have taken in the afternoon? I have. Homeschooling solves that situation because you have more freedom in choosing you schedule. I also think homeschooling is more like college. Look, in college, you don't take the bus to school every morning and stay there until the bell rings, you have more discression. I believe homeschooling trains you to use that type of discression wisely.
Homeschooling is A LOT more like college than public school. -And actually, it used to be that colleges looked down on it--but more and more colleges are seeing it as a bonus and want students that are homeschooled.
I definately did have classes in the morning that would have been better in the afternoon. (And of course, when I asked for them to be changed the school wouldn't think of it).
Keystone National High School also has different program schedules set up-they guide in which classes you should be taken if you want a 'career path' a 'college path' or a few others too. Honestly-if you really want to do it, I would say look into it. The classes are a TAD expensive..for us they were anyway, but it is definately worth it. With Keystone National you also get an actual diploma--not just a GED. So that is another plus for colleges.
As a "used to be homeschooled" college junior, I completely agree with your assesment of how homeschooling trains a student for college. Although I was concerned at first about how I would respond to a traditional classroom setting, I quickly discovered that I was more than well prepared for college studies. Homeschooling had taught me to be a self-modivated learner, which was a very important skill ... especially when taking those required online courses!
Soli Deo Gloria! ~Gracenotes
I used to think the same thing you did-about 'how will I be able to adjust to a classroom again?' --but I go to a college class with my dad once or twice a week-he helps teach it and I tag along to see what goes on, I love it all, and the students all react as well to me as I do to them.
i prefer traditional school. learning how to deal with the things that are part of life in school are part of life. dealing with people judging you, how to manipulate administrators and teachers and handle relationships with them are good skills in general for life. i also agree with concerns about socializing with others. i went to traditional school for most of my life and while i was acting i had to take some time off school and be homeshooled. i went back to regular school for the advantages i would have for college admissions.
Differently though.
The judgement and terrorization you go through in a public high school is absolutly nothing like what you go through in the real world.
And again--nowadays, the colleges look for homeschooled students. Especially state-based colleges.
Your situation is different from the normal home-schoolers situation. Being in school from an early age helped you learn the social skills that you would have lacked, if you had been home schooled all your life. The home schooled kids that I have interacted with, that have been homeschooled since the beginning, are all very ant-social. One of the boys asked me if I could talk to girls. They had a hard time communicating with people outside thier group of home-schoolers. I'm not saying that all home-schooled kids are like this, but this has been in general, what the ones that I have seen are like.
That is something like I have never heard before.
And my situation really is different yes, but I have talked to and hung out with other people that have been homeschooled all their lives and they have never had a problem.
I graduated this year after home schooling for twelve years. Adults have frequently expressed surprise at how well my siblings and I interact with grown-ups. I've had people think I'm three to five years older then I am, and I've gotten amazed comments of "but you're so social" when I've said I home school.
I think while public schools provide more continous opportunities for socialization, home schooling provides better, healthier opportunities to socialize.
Public schools expect you to always be able to learn while you socialize. If you home school, some of your learning time is separate from your social time, so you can work without the distraction of other people.
Public schools require that you spend long streches of your day surounded(sp?) by people that you may or may not like. This could be very unhealthy for someone who is naturally introverted and needs time to him/herself.
Also public schools provide many people to interact with, but few older role models to demonstrate good social skills. Since home school families are more likely to interact with people of varying ages, they are more likely to learn good social skills from the examples older friends who have had more time to develope their social skills.
I don't know the home school kids you've interacted with, but most, if not all, of the home schooled kids I've met have better social skills then a lot of the public school kids I know.
Also I have to point out that there's no such thing as a "normal home-schoolers situation". Every family who home schools does it for different reasons. Some home school their whole life, some home school until high school then go to a public or private school, other's don't start home schooling until high school, so I think the original poster's situation is as normal as any other home schooler's.
That is another one I forgot to mention-the adults. I have come to so many adults who tell me the same thing-they think I am years older than I really am, and when I tell them I am homeschooled they are like 'no way...' Yes, I was in public school before-but homeschooling made me the way I am.
Something else I have noticed too--homeschooled kids have manners.
I went to the paper store in our mall the other day with my mom to buy papers for my graduation announcements. There were girls coming into the store in groups of 2 or 3, and they disgusted me. You could tell they were in high school, the way they walked, dressed, and talked. They would walk in front of us and then just stop while we were looking at things, or they would walk down an aisle-when I was walking down it, I would say excuse me, and go to the side, while they didn't move and ran into me.
I'm not saying this is true for all of them--but any homeschool student I have ever met ALWAYS has manners.
I have homeschooled my entire life, and for the past 3 semesters have taken free college courses as a (homeschooled) high-school student at the local public university.
I certainly hear the stereotype that homeschoolers lack social skills: Many people fail to recognize that there are two different classes of homeschooolers.
I, and my friends, homeschool because we believe that school is not a good place to learn.
The other group homeschools because they believe that some things taught in school are "evil": Evolution, sex ed, etc. These religious homeschoolers generally are less socially prepared, but that does not implicate the same for all of us.
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." -- Gandhi
My blog:
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/Poliwop
Another point that is true. Religious homeschoolers tend to be extremely into their religion-which in turn only leads them to correspond with other extremeists in their religion as well. This is not true about all of them-but it is about a lot. And honestly...I don't think their social skills they recieve from the homeschooling are because they ARE homeschooled, it is because of their religious beliefs.
Glad to see that you added "This is not true about all of them." I was one of those "religious homeschoolers" and am extremely into my faith, but thankfully my parents were careful to raise me and my sibs in such a way that we aren't socially inept. I have met some homeschoolers who find socializing very difficult, but I find this to be the exception rather than the norm.
Soli Deo Gloria! ~Gracenotes
It definately is the exception-not the norm.
I think that was kind of rude...
have you read any of the comments? Or even the entire blog? Homeschooled kids don't just sit around all day, they go out and join things. They are parts of clubs or groups, or local sports. Learning to interact in public schools is extremely harsh and negative-if you are homeschooled you have more freedom and you get more choice to who you see.
Think of this-in public school, you wake up, get on a bus, go to the school and are around the exact same people, every day. then you get back on the bus and go home. do your homework. go to bed. minor exceptions every day.
Say you aren't liked by people at your school. The girl with the locker next to you is extremely stuck up and snotty and is always commenting negativly on something about you. What can you do? Nothing. You have to stay there, next to her and her crap. With homeschooling-if you come across people you don't like, it is MUCH easier to get away from them.
Yes, there will be people you won't like in life-but it is different for high school. In high school-people don't like others for the wrong reasons (money, looks, social status). It is pathetic.
How was I reading into that? First of all-your comment "I don't think homeschooling is the way to go, though....no way." right there says you clearly don't know much about the topic. and then your little piece about a 'safety bubble.' How does that not say that homeschoolers don't get out? You also say you need to interact and be around people-I just proved the point that they are.
Your going back on your words now.
"it's about learning to interact with people who are different from yourself"
Most homeschooler I know regularly interact with with people of all ages. They know people not only from their own neighborhoods, but from other neighborhoods, states, and even countries. They have more freedom to be themselves, without as much pressure to conform to a group.
Public school students primarily interact with kids in the same grade as them (which means within a year or two of being the same age as them), and rarely if ever are encourage to interact with anyone who isn't within four years of their age. They go to the school nearest to them, so they aren't interacting with people from other places. Peer pressure usually dictates that you only talk to the people who are the same as you in certain ways (like the same music, dress the same, etc.), so if you actually try to interact with people who are different from yourself you end up excluded.
Private schools are a little different, but often have many of the same limitations I mentioned for public schools. If they are religious schools they also limit you to interacting with people of the same religion. Some private schools also limit you to interacting with people of the same gender.
Considering all this, I think home schooling provides better opportunities to interact with people who are different from you then public and private schools.
Your numbers are off as well as your opinion--there are more than a 'handful' of homeschooled students out there. Actually, there was just a report on the news about it the other day-how many, MANY more parents are choosing to homeschool their children because the public school systems constantly fail.
And homeschooling does provide better oppurtunities to interact with different people. Public and private schools jam you in with a bunch of people that are in the same mind set as you. With homeschooling you get the chance to be around many different types of people, who most definately do not have the same mind set as you. Not to mention most of the people you come across are older than you--and more often than not, they are surprised by your ability to communicate with them in a proper manner.
I have "skewed notions about public and private schools"? What did I ever say to imply that? I think the only things wrong with the schools are the fact that you do not learn as well, and they are mainly about socialization-not learning. Just because people are 'different than you' doesn't mean they are DIFFERENT. It is all the same age, everyone knows around the same amount, you don't have as much of a chance to meet older people that know more as people who don't spend 8 hours a day in a building jam packed with people just like you does.
And no-it is not unique to homeschoolers, but it is definately more apparent.
You know, all your accusations of me are the exact same thing you are showing about yourself.
Based on the title? "Why homeschooling is better than public school" how does that even say that 100% home school beats public school, and that every homeschooled kid ends up better? Think about that-"WHY" homeschooling is better than public school. There are many ideas listed in the article about why it is better. It does not say 100% that it IS better and IS the only way to go. You are making things up.
Class discussions were never that interesting, when the teachers favor students and the teachers are one sided. You DO socialize in homeschooling-as I have told you multiple times now. And "going to lunch to talk about what happened that morning" wow.You go to some school. When I was in public school we NEVER talked about school or what happened that morning.
"It seems like you ASSUME traditional schooling is all about..."
Well for one-I do not ASSUME anything. Try re-reading my post again. I went to public school all my life, from pre-school to 9th grade. But when you step outside of it and look at it-more kids are teased than not, everyone is the same mind set, and most of the teachers are terrible. They don't care about students the way they did back in the old days.
And another thing. You would NEVER hear me say "dude"-homeschooled students have better more mature vocabulary than the typical public school student. -That has been proven in studies too.
And one more-I am not GUESSING anything. I've BEEN THERE. Try reading something before you comment on it.
You know, all your accusations of me are the exact same thing you are showing about yourself.
Based on the title? "Why homeschooling is better than public school" how does that even say that 100% home school beats public school, and that every homeschooled kid ends up better? Think about that-"WHY" homeschooling is better than public school. There are many ideas listed in the article about why it is better. It does not say 100% that it IS better and IS the only way to go. You are making things up.
Class discussions were never that interesting, when the teachers favor students and the teachers are one sided. You DO socialize in homeschooling-as I have told you multiple times now. And "going to lunch to talk about what happened that morning" wow.You go to some school. When I was in public school we NEVER talked about school or what happened that morning.
"It seems like you ASSUME traditional schooling is all about..."
Well for one-I do not ASSUME anything. Try re-reading my post again. I went to public school all my life, from pre-school to 9th grade. But when you step outside of it and look at it-more kids are teased than not, everyone is the same mind set, and most of the teachers are terrible. They don't care about students the way they did back in the old days.
And another thing. You would NEVER hear me say "dude"-homeschooled students have better more mature vocabulary than the typical public school student. -That has been proven in studies too.
And one more-I am not GUESSING anything. I've BEEN THERE. Try reading something before you comment on it.
You really are a character.
I actually did not have a negative experience in public school from 6th grade and up. I just had the chance to experience something better.
I never claimed to know anything about you-and just for the record-hillary clinton would be just as bad as a prosititute. I did not assume that you were immature and uneducated. I was simply stating something, you took it the way you did-by choice.
And take my own advice? I was talking about my blog. You were saying stuff that did not work with the blog. Claiming I never went to public school-when I clearly state, first thing, that I did.
Although, by the way you speak and are acting about this whole issue, I am starting to believe you are quite immature.
Yet again you are accusing me of assuming things-when I have assumed nothing.
By the fact that you kept claiming I was "assuming" everything-one would take on the very assumption that YOU hadn't read the post.
It was showing in your words, perhaps word things differently next time?
And the same to you. I'm already on my way, more than a year early.
I couldn't have said that better myself! Good job :D
That's a very interesting article you wrote. I was never home-schooled, but I have two parents who are both public school teachers. I've given thought to possibly home-schooling my children... when I have children, which isn't at the moment. My parents are staunchly against it... mostly using the "they won't be socialized" argument. Ah well... I have a lot of time to decide.
RaeSofSunshine
facere quod in se est
Naturally they would be against it.
The sociolization argument has more than out worn itself..I have NEVER met another homeschooled student that doesn't do exceptionally well in social situations.
I loved your article on homeschooling. It really sums up all my thoughts on how homeschooling really is. I am 12 right now and I'm doing 8th grade (Homeschooling). It is because of this that I am a grade ahead. After being educated in public school and private school, I realize that the choice my parents made for me was very reasonable and full of advantages. Thank You for this article....I think people should really read and reflect upon this....this blog pretty much summarizes it.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Ghandi
Sorry for the repetetion of comment!!1
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Ghandi