Follow-Up To Ask A Homeschooled High Schooler

Q: I would love to know what helped her to make the decision to continue to homeschool instead of going to “regular school”.

A: Well, I guess the biggest thing is that I can work and learn at my own pace unlike “regular school”. I have always excelled in language, writing and reading and have almost always struggled with math. Being homeschooled gives me the opportunity to learn and understand at my own level. That was the number one thing that helped me to make my decision to stay homeschooled.

Q: Do you have a co-op or group like that for your age group?

A: We don’t go to a co-op, but I do go to Youth Group at my church and my mom does run a homeschool group. At Youth Group they have all high school ages so I interact teh same as I would in high school (well, maybe not quiet like high school) and we do so many things in the group like socialize, learn about our faith, play games, activities, community projects and we even go on various trips (we went to Florida to the beach, we went on a ski trip, etc). At the homeschool group we socialize ALOT there, go on field trips, and we have various other activities we do there. The only drawback to this is that I have always been the oldest in the group so there has never really been anyone my exact age. I have, however, met some really good friends through homeschool group who are near my age. In fact, I even met my very best friend through homeschool group.

Q: What do you like the most about homeschooling?

A: As I answered in the first question I really like learning at my own pace, but, what I really love also is the flexibility. What homeschooling offers in the way of flexibility is amazing. We can go visit our family up North during November when everyone else is in school because we don’t have a set schedule that has to be followed. I can always do my schoolwork at night or on the weekends, unlike kids who go to “regular school”. We can do so much more because of the flexibility. If my mom has to take one of my brothers or sisters to the doctors, go to the store for something that we need right then and there, if there’s a family emergency where we have to travel, or if we simply don’t have the energy to do it in the morning or later in the day we can save it for later when we are ready. I can also do my work in gigantic heaps or little by little. The flexibility is something I love about homeschooling.

Q: What do you like least about homeschooling?

A: Hmm, I guess it would be that I wish I had a bit more socialization. Being at home I don’t get to see my friends in class, pass them in the hallways, or converse with them at lunch or anything like that. Most of the time it’s hanging out with my brothers and sisters. It’s not that I lack socialization, but I wish I had more of it.

Q: What would you have changed, if anything?

A: I wish that when I was younger I would have asked to be in more sports or after-school activities. Looking back, I kind of regret that fact. I probably would have made even more friends and would have more to talk about with my friends (as my “regular school” friends mostly talk about their school or their sports/activities). I definitely encourage homeschooled kids to have those kind of things in their lives but it should be done in moderation. I don’t think they need to be going to soccer, tap, softball, gymnastics and piano three times a day for four days a week. I don’t think that’s a healthy lifestyle. I think a lot of my “regular schooled” friends are overscheduled. Kids need to just be kids. I think sports and activities will benefit them greatly but should be done in moderation.

Thank you for your questions and I hope my answers help you understand homeschooled high schoolers better. I would be happy to answer any other questions if you have them.

Much love,
Kaylie

You can read more about Michelle, her daughter Kaylie and all her siblings over at Pass The Flu Bug Please.