What do public schoolers think of home schoolers:
They are weird
They are socially inept
I would not want to hang out with them
I would NEVER do THAT to my children!
And yet, some people choose to do that for their children. Why?
However that can be a big topic, so I split it in two: Home schoolers first.
Tyler, the man I interviewed (on camera, but that did not turn out so I blogged it.) is a student at George Fox University. Here is what he had to say.
Alexandra: Why did you or your parents choose homeschooling over public schooling?
Tyler: Originally we chose home schooling because there weren't any public schools, I mean I started home schooling when I was 5! And as I grew up it was more like "There isn't any good option." We ended up moving to a town where the high schools were really kind of gang based and it came to the point where, really, if I'd have gone to a public high school I probably would have gotten shot! That sort of thing! Um, at first it was more like my parents wanted to raise me in the church, but as time went on it was like I didn't feel comfortable with the public high schools.
Alexandra: Do you feel like you've gained anything being home schooled over going to public school?
Tyler: There is definitely a lot more individual attention. I get to do more things that I want to do. Like I got to do fencing for four years, which you don't see in most public high schools.
Alexandra: Not a popular sport.
Tyler: No! And people always ask me: "Oh, you're home schooled, you must not have any friends." No, I actually have quite a few friends because I got to go out and do things that were social that you might not otherwise think of, you know?
Alexandra: Do you feel like you have lost anything by being home schooled?
Tyler: The first dance I have ever been to was here at George Fox! Yeah, but other than that I don't feel like I've lost anything... that I would miss anyway.
Alexandra: What do you think of the rumor that home schoolers are socially inept, and cannot function in social settings?
Tyler: I'm on camera aren't I? {laughs} No, but I think that the rumor that home schoolers are being socially ostracized is total... bull, if I may say.
Alexandra: You may.
Tyler: I have a lot of home schooled friends and a lot of public schooled friends and I am able to interact with them just fine. Granted, there are really... "weird" home schooled kids. I am not going to say that they don't exist, but we're not as weird as people may think.
Alexandra: So describe how home schooling can go really wrong.
Tyler: A friend of mine comes to mind... Um, I mean I love this guy to death but he was raisedin a very sheltered household... didn't have a whole lot of friends and was just kind of a mama's boy, like all his life, like even now! I mean he is my age! I feel like there is a point where there can be too much sheltering, and when they're thrust into college they don't really know what to do with themselves. I have definitely seen it gone wrong, in that case at least. So its good to find a nice balance.
Alexandra: Some people think that home schooling is literally where a mom writes 1 + 1 = 2 on a chalk board. (Tyler begins to shake his head) How did you home school?
Tyler: I had a little bit of everything when I was home schooled. In Kindergarten-1st Grade my mom had Hooked On Phonics. Sesame Street was a big one, loved Sesame Street. But then we tried different curriculums where you could order books. My mom would give me a list of things to do, "Ok here is what you need to do this week." and I would get it done and turn it back into her. For high school we did a charter school. They would send me assignments and I would keep hours of what I did so I could get high school credits. So we have tried a little bit of the whole gamut.
Alexandra: For some home schoolers its difficult to get into college because some colleges don't recognize home school credits. Did you run into any of these sort of problems trying to get into George Fox?
Tyler: Yes and No. We realized early on that a lot of my high school credits would be interesting to figure out which is why we chose a charter school. Which means I studied at home but I had a curriculum which meant that I could still get accredited for high school hours. Then what ended up happening was I took the High School Proficiency Exam my Sophomore year so technically I graduated that year and started taking community college classes which I guess is where I stopped home schooling... kind of... but then I was able to get college credit and that's one of the biggest benefits of home schooling is that you're actually able to go and do that.
Alexandra: Do you think graduating early is easier/more of an option when you're home schooled?
Tyler: I think its easer to graduate early when you're home schooled; a lot of my friends did it just because it got to the point where our mom's can't teach us everything and we need to actually go and go to a professor, which is where public school is great. But all of my friends who are freshmen this year are like "Oh I hate this, this is just like a repeat of high school." But I am like "No, I love this!" But I think it is easier to graduate early when you're home schooled. It is an interesting experience though. I mean I was 16 going to community college, I had my own car, my job, I had a month where I lived off noodles. You definitely learn to grow up a little bit faster. I mean you're in a class with all 20-something-year-olds! And there was a guy even that I tutored who was 50! And I was 16-17 years old and I was like "Ok, this is a little weird! What am I doing here?" But in the long run I think it made for an easier transition into "real college." The benefit of doing community college is that I got all my General Education credits out of the way and now all I am doing the stuff in my major and I love it!
Alexandra: Was there any point when you got to college where you felt like "I already know this. I am too smart for this."
Tyler: Um... There have been a couple times, especially the first week of school, where they're telling you "Here is what its like to be independent. Here is where you go and buy food." and I'm like "Well I've already been independent for about two years now." So that was a little bit stupid in my opinion but that is just because of where I am coming from.
Alexandra: Was there any point when you got to college and felt lime "Oh my goodness I was not prepared for this!"
Tyler: Cafeteria eating. Living on a floor with 25 other guys, that was weird. As a home schooler I was always used to having my own bathroom! That was kind of a switch. But the cool thing about being at a nice private school is that it doesn't bother you as much, or at least makes the transition a little easier. Anything else I wasn't prepared about... I wasn't prepared for there to be a lot of people in a small space. I mean you get used to it; its a small school, but like Play Fair (The customary gathering of Freshmen during orientation) scared the crap out of me! There were tons of people in a small area and I'm like "Uuuhhhh... What's going on???" I mean I love people, that is just a little ridiculous! But other than that no. I feel like going from community college to "real" college was a nice and easy transition.
Alexandra: Was there anything you encountered at school that was like "Oh the horrors of the REAL world!"?
Tyler: There really wasn't anything that shocked me. I mean going to community college before this definitely helped 'cause the difference between community college and "real" college is here there is still sort of that clique mentality where everyone is just trying to fit in. Community college you all know you're losers. I learned so much about the "real world" in community college.
The end. :) Public School kid to come next!
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