Bike Zone: Watching Homeschooling Change

Posted by Elizabeth Curry | 2 comments

Perhaps it is a function of where I live, but much of the time it seems to me that homeschooling has gone fairly mainstream. This is not to say it is the majority choice for parents for how to educate their children; I am still the only homeschooler on my block after all. But during the course of life, I just don?t run into that many people who find it odd. This is certainly a change from when my oldest child began kindergarten 15+ years ago. Then it seemed I was asked to explain our decision to homeschool fairly frequently. Now, if we are even asked, most people don?t think twice about it and if they say anything at all it is along the lines of, ?Oh, my sister [aunt, neighbor, etc] homeschools.?

At the beginning of our homeschooling journey, I would brace myself for encounters when we were out in public. I had polite answers to the anticipated comments and at least once had to reply in a place of business that I wasn?t there to discuss my educational choices with whoever behind the counter wanted to take me to task. I even practiced with my children so they would have responses to nosy adults? questions.

Life feels a bit different now. I don?t even think about having to respond to questions or comments and I realize as I write this that I have never had to have the conversation with my younger children about how to respond to ignorant questions. I?m certainly not complaining, but I will admit I?m a bit out of practice in my ?homeschool ambassador? role.

This was brought home to me recently when making idle conversation while waiting for the house to open at one of my children?s recent play performances. A friend of mine had brought along another friend whom I knew just enough to say hello to, but had never really spoken with. Since we were waiting for a homeschool theater production to open, the conversation naturally turned to homeschooling. As the friend of the friend looked around she asked, ?How many of these kids are homeschooled?? I looked around and noted that nearly every teen in the waiting area was homeschooled and replied, ?Just about all of them.?

And from there the conversation continued with me fielding questions along the lines of: ?Do they have any friends?? ?Who tells you what to teach?? ?Do they get to go to the high school?? ?How will they be prepared for college?? ?Is living on campus away from home difficult for them?? I?ve never been so glad for a play to start in my life.

The whole conversation caught me off guard, and I was reminded again that our chosen educational path is more outside of normal than I often think. I?m pretty sure that my answers to her questions convinced her that all would be well with these children, but perhaps I got her to thinking about some of her presuppositions.

But then to counter the rare run-in with ignorance, I have had other conversations which show me the face of homeschooling really is changing. I have now met two couples who plan on homeschooling their future children. For both couples one person was homeschooled and the other attended a traditional school, yet the decision has been made purposefully and early to homeschool.

This, too, is different from when I first started. The generation of homeschooled children from the early days was just graduating and becoming adults. It was rare to meet an adult who was homeschooled and even rarer to meet a second generation homeschooler. But in the past several years I have begun to meet both. To me this is the ultimate validation of homeschooling? that adults who were homeschooled as children are purposefully choosing that educational path for their own children.

I don?t know about you, but the fact I could be influencing my future grandchildren?s education never entered my mind when we just didn?t send our daughter to kindergarten. It felt like a big enough decision at the time, and I?m glad that I didn?t have that added into the equation as well. To hear the question, ?Are you sure you aren?t going to ruin your children?? or some variation of it multiple times is bad enough. I?m mightily relieved that no one thought to ask about the possible ruination of my grandchildren as well.

I am now in the dead center of my homeschooling career, with 15 years down and still 15 years to go. (Depending on the day, I try not to dwell on that thought.) It will be interesting to see how homeschooling and the public?s perception of it continue to change.

And I?m curious. I wonder if my perception of general public acceptance is due to that fact I live in a major metropolitan area or because I live in a bubble. Do you find your choice to homeschool generally supported? Or do you still field on a regular basis the somewhat trying questions of socialization, validity, etc.?

Elizabeth Curry is on year 15 of homeschooling. Nine are still at home and her oldest is off to college. Devoted bookworms all, it?s not surprising that much of the learning that happens centers around whatever chapter book is being read. When she isn?t taking care of children or reading, she enjoys sewing, cooking, and writing. Her life of following Jesus with many children in the Big, Ugly House is chronicled at www.ordinary-time.blogspot.com .