As many of my friends were off at school learning how to read, write, and manage bullies, I spent my time doing something a little bit different. I was homeschooled, spending my days doing things that many of my friends could never understand. What they did not know was that I was learning some of the same things as them. My classes covered math, history, English, and the like. I even had physical education time, though mine did not take place in a disgusting locker room at the local hospital. I often heard from friends who claimed that my education was not real, but after going through it, I understand that my education was more than just real. It was useful, giving me the critical skills that I needed in order to get ahead in life and prepare for the future.
Homeschooling gave me the ability to learn under teachers who understood my needs. Though I am not sure what happened in other skills, I assume that it would be difficult for public and private school teachers to truly get to know every one of their students. After all, the numbers make it very tough on teachers who are already stretched far too thin. Because I was homeschooled, my teacher understood precisely what things I could do and what things I needed help with. More than that, my teacher understood how to get across the different messages that were necessary for my successful education.
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In my experience, homeschooling allowed for a curriculum that was geared toward my future. While students in typical schools have to put up with a curriculum that is determined either by the state or by individuals within the school board, my educational track was set based upon the things that I hope to accomplish. Typically high school does not give students the chance to specialize in different courses. Students have to wait until college to engage in this kind of creative learning. I was lucky, though, as I was able to take courses that both interested me and gave me a chance to explore new areas.
In my homeschool experience, I did not have to deal with some of the clear negatives that go along with going to a typical high school. I often hear about the bullying that takes place in normal schools, and I feel sorry for the people who have to endure that kind of treatment. I was fortunately able to avoid that, as my environment was highly controlled and highly safe. Though one might think that this kind of experience might deprive me of the ability to experience the world, I did not feel as if my I missed out. Rather, I felt lucky to be able to focus on school without having to worry about whether some bigger person was going to push me around at the end of the day.
One of the ways that homeschooling prepared me for future success was by preparing me to be autonomous. People are constantly telling students where to be and when to be there when they are in high school. Often, students are more like cattle, herded to their classes and forced to jump when the bell rings. My experience was not like this at all. Though there were consequences when I did not make deadlines and when I did not show up on time, I was mostly expected to keep my own schedule. I was expected, at the very least, to get myself to my sessions at the appropriate hour. This is a highly useful skill for a person who is moving into the adult world. Even in college, no one is there to push a student out of bed to go to class. No one is there between classes to make sure that a student does not leave campus in order to hit the beach on a nice day. Because I had to deal with these significant challenges already, I am fully equipped to handle these issues now. I will not have to adjust significantly as a result of my homeschooling experience. Rather, my transitions into adulthood should be mostly seamless at this point.
Likewise, my homeschooling experience gave me a chance to figure out the things that are important to me. In typical schools, it seems as if students are constantly forced into after-school activities because of peer pressure or other similar forces. They may end up serving on boards or being in clubs when they really would rather be doing something else. The unique thing about homeschool is that I was forced to decide, for myself, whether something seemed like a good use of my time. Contrary to popular opinion, I did have the option of participating in science fairs or playing on local sports teams. If I wanted to do those things, I had to show some initiative, and ultimately that was a very good thing for me. It taught me to figure out the areas of interest where I would most enjoy spending my time.
Though homeschooling often gets a bad reputation, I found it to be a fulfilling and valuable experience. I was able to do my own thing, and I learned under teachers who understood my strengths. Perhaps better than that was the fact that in my experience, I did not have to put up with some of the distractions that go along with typical school. My experience was different, and it prepared me well to step into my future.
