Being Homeschooled

I'm realizing more and more how fortunate I am to be homeschooled. It's pretty school stuff.

Socially, homeschooling has advantages. Because there is so much interaction with students of all age groups, we have a broader spectrum of social interaction. My friend group is comprised of highschoolers of all grades (and even some junior highers too). In addition, I am pleased to say that I have many friends who happen to be ten or more years younger than me. Little kids, who other high schoolers might scoff at. Being in a particular "class" has less meaning. In addition to that, the way that homeschooling deals with socializing avoids many pitfalls that happen all the time in the public school system. From what I've heard, the majority of schools have a tier system. The "cool" kids. The kids who are friends with the cool kids. The nerds. And then there are the rejects, the kids who don't have any friends at all. For many highschoolers, school is a living nightmare. Yet I don't see that in homeschooling. Sure, there are the kids who are more shy, but I really don't know anyone who has no friends. I mean, I know they have to be somewhere. I just don't see them. Perhaps that means something.

Then there is the issue of such things as drugs and alcohol. I know that not every highschooler in public school drinks all the time or is addicted to every drug imaginable, but I know that it happens. In homeschooling, at least where I live, that it virtually impossible. Even private school suffers from this. I have one friend who goes to a private christian school. To quote her, "The only difference between my school and a public school is that there is maybe less drugs. Maybe". Call me sheltered to be happy that I don't have to deal with that stuff, but things like that only make me more glad that I am homeschooled.

You probably are aware that homeschoolers score significantly higher than either public schoolers or private schoolers on the ACT, and many other standardized tests. So obviously there is the educational advantage of being homeschooled. The education is often just a step above.

Now much of this is assuming that you are in a Homeschool Assistance Program, or HSAP. This takes care of many of the initial drawbacks of hoemschooling (not being around other students except for siblings, learning subjects that your parents aren't very good at, and participating in such things as drama or band that require a sizable amount of people).

Just because you are homeschooled does not guarantee that you necessarily will be socially nonawkward, or really smart. After all, much of that differs from person to person. But the thing is, in my (humble) opinion homeschooling offers a better environment for nurturing those traits then the public (or private) school system.