Home-schooling Doesn’t Always Mean Hermit
The Difference Between Stereotypes and The Truth
Examples of stereotypes are…
Native Americans, for their whooping yells and fancy headdresses.
Saint Patrick, for green and leprechauns.
Ballerinas, for tutus and spinning.
The list goes on and on. I myself have been accustomed to having to live with being stereotyped. That is because I am home-schooled. Home-school is one of the many stereotyped groups in our society today. Home-school advocates are stereotyped for spelling bees, un-socialization, long skirts, protégés, the list is endless.
It drives me crazy when I am asked stereotypical questions about my home-school experience. Some of the most commonly asked questions asked are…
“Who teaches you?”
“Do you spend hours a day at school?”
“Do you listen to music?”
“How come your wearing jeans?”
The most notorious question is “What About Socialization?”
Can we say, “UGHHHHHH?” I swear, the next time I hear that question, I may just answer, “I am talking to you, aren’t I?”
I can’t get on people too much for stereotyping home-school. I did myself for a while, and I am home-schooled. When I entered our home-school co-op for the first time three years ago, I had become used to the idea that all home-schooled kids didn’t listen to music, didn’t speak much, wore long skirts and hated you if Harry Potter was your favorite book series. When I met the kids in the co-op, I realized they were relatively normal. They wore jeans, listened to popular music, watched modern movies, and best of all, WERE NOT SOCIAL HERMITS! I realized that there wasn’t just the “hermits of home-school” out there.
Home-school is only the choice of families to take their education into their own hands because of personal reasons. It does not define the way a parent raises their children. It is personal raising that defines the children‘s manor.
Home-school is most likely stereotyped because of some families specific choice in raising that created the stereotypical home-school child. We can respect their decision, we just don’t have to do it ourselves.
The way our family home-schools is definitely different from many other families we know. We don’t fill out the stereotypes in home-school. My mother has even confided to me her struggle with finding home-school material that is not stereotypical in education. My mother is known for boycotting many home-school educational resources.
Still, the minute I say I am home-schooled, on comes the regular questions!
“Who teaches you?”
“Do you spend hours a day at school?”
“Do you listen to music?”
“How come your wearing jeans?”
“What about socialization?”
Even if I sometimes loath answering stereotypical home-school questions, I have confidence in my answers.
“We teach ourselves and our mother tutors us.”
“Our study-work depends upon the day.”
“I love music and I enjoy all kinds!”
“My jeans are comfortable and I look good in them!”
The socialization question is never too hard to seriously answer.
“I don’t have a problem with socialization. I have friends of many age groups. I often have more opportunities to socialize than most kids who go to school. I am able to take field trips and meet new faces on a weekly/daily basis. I hang out with different people in my community. I go to a home-school co-op. I belong to a youth group. My best friend is my brother so if I do need someone, he is there as well. I have absolutely no problem being socialized.”
If you are a non-stereotypical home-school student/parent/graduate, you understand the struggle. There does seem to be a large amount of home-school stereotype people out there. That doesn’t mean there aren’t more normal home-school people out there. Don’t give up!
If you are not a home-school student/parent/graduate, you may not understand our struggle, but please understand that stereotypes are not always true.
Native Americans usually don’t wear headdresses or yell loudly.
Saint Patrick was the green bishop, but he had nothing to do with leprechauns.
Ballerinas only sometimes wear tutus and they don’t just spin!
Home-school advocates don’t always win spelling bees, they have friends, wear normal clothes, and are not always protégés.
The next time you meet someone in the home-school world, take a good look at them, then ask them, “Do you enjoy being home-schooled?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQoSRfu5z_4&feature=player_embedded#at=343
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