choice of home school
abjpolk
Choice of home school should be an easy one
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0804/17newatt.html
NEW ATTITUDES | GUEST COLUMN
Choice of home school should be an easy one
By I'NASAH CROCKETT
Published on: 08/17/04
When I graduated from high school this past spring, I did not wear a
cap and
gown. Nor did I walk down a crowded aisle of an auditorium to accept
my
diploma from a school official. Instead, I came home from my last
joint-enrollment class at Georgia Perimeter College, walked up to my
mom,
and said: "Hey Mom, I'm done!" My family later went out to eat and
celebrate.
I am a proud product of the nontraditional education method known as
home
schooling. Actually, calling it nontraditional is a bit of an
inaccuracy.
Before public schools were a reality, home school was pretty much the
only
way to get an education. But in today's world, it is often seen as an
anomaly.
I hope I don't offend anyone (although I probably will), but the
truth is,
Georgia's school system is terrible. Our SAT scores rank 50th in the
nation.
Our schools are overcrowded and understaffed, resulting in less one-
on-one
time between teachers and students. The teachers we do have are
usually
overworked, underpaid and stressed beyond reason.
Additionally, there's a whole mentality that comes with public
school - you
learn what the school tells you to learn, when and how they tell you
to
learn it.
If the school board decides the theory of evolution or the Civil War
should
not be a part of the curriculum, you may not learn about those
subjects
until college. Everyone is measured against a standard, and if you
fall
short of that standard, you're lost.
Once you've taken into account school violence, budget cuts, zero
tolerance
and, of course, the teen drama (such as cliques and gossip), school
isn't
always the ideal learning center it is meant to be.
Home schooling is one of the fastest-growing forms of education in the
United States. In 2003 there were an estimated 1.7 million to 2.1
million
children (grades k-12) receiving a home school education, according
to the
National Home Education Research Institute.
Compare that to 1973, when there were only 10,000 children home
schooling.
Georgia has a fair number of home schooled students - 31,732 as of
2002. And
contrary to popular belief, home schooled kids are not isolated, anti-
social
weirdos. We make up a large and diverse community.
As a home schooled student I didn't have to deal with unnecessary
distractions and I could focus on my education. I could also study
things
that interested me, so while most of my high-school-age buddies were
griping
about having to read "Great Expectations" (which I had read back in
middle
school after seeing the play) and having to write reports about the
Renaissance, I was happily reading "Beloved" and learning about the
Zapatista movement.
One question that I'm often asked is: "How do you make friends?"
Apparently
there's this assumption that since I'm taught at home, I never go
outside.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I was always superbusy, often doing things my peers couldn't do
because of
their school schedules. I've taught a creative writing class at Brown
Middle
School and traveled to Brazil and Germany.
My activities and hobbies - which include theater, dance, filmmaking
and
journalism - have ensured cool people surround me and that I usually
have
someone to hang out with on Friday nights.
This fall, I will continue my education at Sarah Lawrence College in
New
York. Though I'm somewhat anxious, I'm not intimidated. A home school
education has definitely given me the tools to succeed in college and
in
life.
Thanks to my learning environment, I'm independent, self-motivated,
focused
and ready to take on the world.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------
----
I'Nasah Crockett participated in a summer writing program at Vox, a
newspaper for Atlanta teens.
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0804/17newatt.html
NEW ATTITUDES | GUEST COLUMN
Choice of home school should be an easy one
By I'NASAH CROCKETT
Published on: 08/17/04
When I graduated from high school this past spring, I did not wear a
cap and
gown. Nor did I walk down a crowded aisle of an auditorium to accept
my
diploma from a school official. Instead, I came home from my last
joint-enrollment class at Georgia Perimeter College, walked up to my
mom,
and said: "Hey Mom, I'm done!" My family later went out to eat and
celebrate.
I am a proud product of the nontraditional education method known as
home
schooling. Actually, calling it nontraditional is a bit of an
inaccuracy.
Before public schools were a reality, home school was pretty much the
only
way to get an education. But in today's world, it is often seen as an
anomaly.
I hope I don't offend anyone (although I probably will), but the
truth is,
Georgia's school system is terrible. Our SAT scores rank 50th in the
nation.
Our schools are overcrowded and understaffed, resulting in less one-
on-one
time between teachers and students. The teachers we do have are
usually
overworked, underpaid and stressed beyond reason.
Additionally, there's a whole mentality that comes with public
school - you
learn what the school tells you to learn, when and how they tell you
to
learn it.
If the school board decides the theory of evolution or the Civil War
should
not be a part of the curriculum, you may not learn about those
subjects
until college. Everyone is measured against a standard, and if you
fall
short of that standard, you're lost.
Once you've taken into account school violence, budget cuts, zero
tolerance
and, of course, the teen drama (such as cliques and gossip), school
isn't
always the ideal learning center it is meant to be.
Home schooling is one of the fastest-growing forms of education in the
United States. In 2003 there were an estimated 1.7 million to 2.1
million
children (grades k-12) receiving a home school education, according
to the
National Home Education Research Institute.
Compare that to 1973, when there were only 10,000 children home
schooling.
Georgia has a fair number of home schooled students - 31,732 as of
2002. And
contrary to popular belief, home schooled kids are not isolated, anti-
social
weirdos. We make up a large and diverse community.
As a home schooled student I didn't have to deal with unnecessary
distractions and I could focus on my education. I could also study
things
that interested me, so while most of my high-school-age buddies were
griping
about having to read "Great Expectations" (which I had read back in
middle
school after seeing the play) and having to write reports about the
Renaissance, I was happily reading "Beloved" and learning about the
Zapatista movement.
One question that I'm often asked is: "How do you make friends?"
Apparently
there's this assumption that since I'm taught at home, I never go
outside.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I was always superbusy, often doing things my peers couldn't do
because of
their school schedules. I've taught a creative writing class at Brown
Middle
School and traveled to Brazil and Germany.
My activities and hobbies - which include theater, dance, filmmaking
and
journalism - have ensured cool people surround me and that I usually
have
someone to hang out with on Friday nights.
This fall, I will continue my education at Sarah Lawrence College in
New
York. Though I'm somewhat anxious, I'm not intimidated. A home school
education has definitely given me the tools to succeed in college and
in
life.
Thanks to my learning environment, I'm independent, self-motivated,
focused
and ready to take on the world.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------
----
I'Nasah Crockett participated in a summer writing program at Vox, a
newspaper for Atlanta teens.