Homeschool vs. Public School

If I told you I was homeschooled, how would you respond? Would you criticize me, or would you simply ask me questions and want to know what it was like? What if I told you I went to public school? You probably wouldn't think any differently of me, would you? If I told you that homeschoolers and public schoolers were actually a lot alike you would probably say I was crazy. Well, go ahead and call me crazy because that is exactly what I am saying: homeschoolers and those in public school really aren't all that different. Yes, there are differences, such as, how and where we do school; but even then we are still studying the same subjects and we’re both learning. We also have a lot in common; both public and homeschool students have social lives, participate in sports, have jobs, and both graduate and receive diplomas. How we go about doing all these things are slightly different though.

            Let’s start with school; both learn, study and use books. Homeschoolers have the ability to do their schoolwork whenever and wherever they want; whereas, those in public school have to be at school for a certain amount of time and they have to follow a set schedule. Those in public school have to be at school for eight hours; whereas homeschoolers can work at their own pace and be finished with school for the day in as little as an hour depending on how they work their school schedule. Homeschool students generally chose what they want to study and are usually interested in what they are studying in school as a result. Those in public school are typically told what they have to study and as a result, they aren't that interested in all their subjects. We all graduate and receive diplomas also! A lot of people think that homeschoolers have to get a GED in order to go to college, but homeschool students graduate and receive diplomas just like those in public school. Both homeschool and public school students attend school; it’s just more flexible and personalized for homeschoolers than it is for public school students.

            Sports are extremely important to quite a few people. A lot of my public school friends were involved in almost every sport the school offered. I also know quite a few homeschoolers who are extremely involved in sports. Public school students have the advantage when it comes to sports. “Why?” you ask? Because public schools have sports programs that they have available to their students. Homeschool students don’t have the same accessibility to sports as public school students. Homeschool students usually have to do a lot of research to find a team they want to play for if they are just starting out and don’t know somebody who is already playing for a team. It takes less effort for a public school student to get involved in sports than it does a homeschool student.

            I think both homeschool and public school students can agree that their social lives are extremely important to them. Some of my best friends went to public school and they had it pretty easy when it came to the social aspect of their lives because the school always had some activity going on and my friends were surrounded by other people their age. Homeschool students typically have to put forth a little bit more effort to have a social life. “Wait, homeschoolers have friends?!? How is that even possible!?” Yes, homeschoolers have friends. Most homeschoolers meet their friends through church, sports, homeschool group or other activity involving others their age. I met all my friends at church and they all went to public school, so if I wanted to get together with any of them we typically had to work it around their school schedule, then once I got a job we had to work it around their school schedules and my work schedule. Public school students can usually plan their fun activities around school functions; whereas homeschool students have to come up with a plan of what they’re going to do and when they’re going to get together.

            While homeschool and public school students are different from one another in many ways; they aren't as different as most people believe. They actually have a lot in common! Such as: both homeschool and public school students have social lives, participate in sports and attend school. It’s the execution of all those activities that are slightly different. I was homeschooled, and I loved it. I had so much more freedom in my studies and social life than my public schooled friends did in high school. Most people tend to think that homeschoolers are socially awkward, unintelligent (or smarter than everyone else) individuals who still dress like they’re living in the 1990’s and they spend all their time at home with their families and don’t have any friends. While that is true for some homeschoolers, that is certainly not the case for the majority of the homeschool population. I would challenge you to talk to a few homeschoolers and see how normal homeschool students really are. I think you might be surprised by what you would find!

I realize that most of you know that I was homeschooled and that a lot of you don't think this way about homeschoolers. This is what the pubic in general believes homeschoolers to be. This is the compare and contrast essay I wrote for my composition class!

Being able to decide how you want to school your kids is a Beautiful Thing that Americans have the freedom to do and I'm thankful that my parents chose to homeschool me! It has prepared me wonderfully for college! 

            

Summers in Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee is absolutely beautiful. I have spent the summers of 2011 and 2012 working in a housing project with underprivileged, inner-city elementary, middle, and high school aged kids. “Why on earth would you want to work with a bunch of kids like that?” you might ask. My answer; because every child, no matter how terrible you might think they are, should be loved, and if they aren't getting that love at home, then they’re getting that from myself and the other summer staff at a place called Western Heights Baptist Center. I have worked at Western Heights Baptist Center for the summers of 2011 and 2012, and I am going back the summer of 2013. Both summers I have been blessed with amazing co-workers and my bosses are spectacular! The kids I have worked with both summers have been wonderful and they all challenged me in different ways. Some were extremely hard to love because they refused to open up and talk, and others were hard to love because they were just so needy. Both summers were wonderful but each summer was different; each provided me with its own set of challenges, victories and opportunities.

        My first summer in Knoxville I didn't really make any friends; the family I lived with had to drive me everywhere because I didn't have a vehicle so I went to church with them where everyone my age had their own group of friends and weren't very welcoming to a newcomer, and the people that were welcoming always seemed to be out of town.  I also didn't get to know my coworkers very well because I was several years younger than them and we were all extremely task-oriented and as a result, we didn't work on building the relationships we had with one another. Whereas my second summer in Tennessee was very different; I had a vehicle, therefore I was able to go to the church that I wanted to go to, and hang out with the people I met. My co-workers that summer were great also; we were all task oriented, but we meshed so well together, knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and genuinely enjoyed spending time with one another.

Both summers my job was to work with the kids and teens at Western Heights Baptist Center. The first summer my primary job was to work with the elementary kids and lead craft time. I spent a lot of time getting craft supplies together, and testing crafts to make sure that it was something all the kids would be able to do with minimal help. Then I would supervise, help and fix the crafts that the kids were making. In contrast, the second summer I had two primary jobs; Bible time for the elementary kids, and the middle school girls program. Getting Bible time ready wasn't too difficult; I had everything I needed, it was just reviewing the materials my boss gave me. The middle school girls program was a little more difficult for me to plan. One of my co-workers and I lead the program together under the supervision of our boss, she gave us the Bible curriculum to use, but we had to figure out how to make things run smooth, and activities to do with the girls.

        I worked with most of the same kids both summer; I worked with inner-city and underprivileged kids and teens and most of the same kids were there both summers. The first summer I spent a lot of time getting to know the kids and figuring out how to respond and react to them. I also helped with the middle/high school boys occasionally and had to figure out how to work with them. I had to figure out how to respond and react to kids who didn't trust me at all and come up with a solution to gain their trust and respect. Whereas my second summer, all of those things were set in place because I was working with most of the same kids and they all knew me from the previous year. The second summer was spent deepening the relationships with the elementary kids and middle/high school boys, but I also had to decide how to communicate with middle school aged girls who were obsessed with boys. (I was not like that at their age and had a hard time relating to them.)

          Both summers were spectacular and I loved every second I was there, despite the many challenges I faced. I learned a lot and value the time that went into developing the relationships with my bosses and the kids the first summer, and all the first experiences I had that year. One of the biggest things I learned my first year is that every child, despite how incredibly difficult they may be; needs to be loved. They may be unlovable and act like they don’t want you around and say they hate you. (I experienced that a lot my first year) They don’t mean it; they’re just trying to protect themselves from getting hurt. I had to relearn that lesson a little my second year as well. The biggest lesson I learned my second year was how to converse and relate to middle school girls. I don’t have any sisters, I have never been boy crazy and I have never been one of those girls who enjoy traveling in packs and giggles all the time. The middle school girls that I worked with were very sweet girls; but they were the exact opposite of me when I was that age. I had to learn how to converse with girls younger than me because I had only ever spent time with girls my age or older. Once I learned how to communicate with them everything went very well and I developed fairly good relationships with them.

           I would say that my second year was much better than my first. The main reason is because I knew what to expect; I had a vehicle, friends and the relationships with the kids was already there and I didn't have to work to regain their trust. I will be returning there the summer of 2013 and I hope to deepen the relationships with all of the elementary, middle and high school kids, as well as strengthen the relationships with my bosses. I can’t wait to go back for my third year and work with all of the wonderful people of Knoxville Tennessee again.

I am needing to raise roughly $700 for my trip this year. That money goes toward my travel there, gas and living in Tennessee and my trip back. Please be prayerfully considering the part God may have you play in my trip. I would greatly appreciate anything you would be able to contribute to my trip.

    God is going to use me to do Beautiful things in Tennessee for the summer of 2013, please consider helping me get there!