Homeschooling: An Insider’s Perspective
By Eve Scolari
When I tell people that I was homeschooled all my life up until college, the first thing people always tell me is, "I could never do that." It is a common misconception that homeschooling has to be difficult and lackluster. My experiences with homeschooling have been nothing less than amazing, and I would not change it for anything.
Growing up, I had always heard about the schooling system from my father, as he worked as a teacher for more than 15 years. His experiences in the classroom ultimately led to him homeschooling me and my siblings. He told me that the schools had only become worse as time went on, and I understood what he meant by observing the other individuals around my age in the neighborhood.
I believe that homeschooling is a blessing. This is because one does not have to leave the comfort of their own home in order to receive an education. One is able to take breaks whenever they need it because not every person learns the same way and in the same manner. This is an aspect that I saw as a flaw within the public schooling system. Everyone had to sit in class and learn at a set time, regardless of their way of learning.
In my own homeschooling experience, I was grateful to know that I could work on an assignment for half an hour, and then take a break if I needed one. This fact is something that I believe allows students to grow. Homeschooled students are able to wrestle through problems with the help of homeschool teachers, parents, and siblings instead of learning with a teacher who is unable to provide personalized advice and assistance.
Growing up, I never had any experiences in a normal brick-and-mortar classroom other than school meetups for the required state testing. I instead learned everything I know now from the comfort of my own home. However, it was not always easy. I had to learn discipline, patience and perseverance in order to succeed.
If a child does not put in the effort required, they are destined to fail. Yet I believe homeschooling allows the student to learn at their own pace, ultimately setting them up for success.
Although it can be easy to push aside homework assignments, every homeschooled student has learned that there is success in simply sitting down and doing that assignment. Discipline is not always easy. It takes effort for one to discover that they simply need to sit down and work to the best of their abilities.
Unbeknownst to many, homeschooling has been linked to having better-than-average comprehension in almost all subjects. This, I believe, is because one is able to have a more personalized learning experience compared to a classroom of 30 people. It is simply impossible for the teacher to give each and every student the support they need.
As many people believe that since you are homeschooled, you are "isolated" from the rest of the world, the "social" aspect of schooling is always brought up. I believe this is an incorrect idea, as many homeschools host field trips, class gatherings and park days for students to meet their peers and make new friends. It is simply a question of whether or not one chooses to attend. Most homeschool students do not feel isolated, they instead feel as if they are able to receive all of the “social moments” needed.
Homeschooling can be significantly easier for the parents as well. Depending on the curriculums that are chosen, the parents may not need to be as involved in their student’s education as compared to others. Parents do not have to worry about their children being influenced by others in a school setting.
Instead, homeschooled children will be surrounded by like-minded people: friends, family, teachers and other homeschooled children, ultimately impacting their behavior in a positive way. This is an aspect of homeschooling that I have personally seen as well, when examining my younger siblings’ lives with children of their ages. The behavior difference is very prominent, and I believe it is due to the way they are schooled.
Ultimately, homeschooling is one of the aspects of my life that I believe has left the biggest impact on me. I have been given time, assistance and care that I needed to grow and properly learn in every aspect of academia. My experience with homeschooling has been amazing, yet it is not for everyone.
I urge people to look deeper into homeschooling before brushing it off as a “waste of time.” I personally feel as if my education has shaped me to be who I am today, and the guidance offered to me during those years has prepared me for Chaffey College, and for what happens next in my life once I graduate.