My first exposure to the word "homeschooler" was in 1992 in San Antonio, Texas. A family from our church there had three school-aged children who did not go to school. One of them was 8 years old and still sucked his thumb, so needless to say my first impression was not altogether positive. Fast forward a few years and now my oldest sister has decided to "do preschool" at home. When the time comes for first grade, said sister's son, Andrew, is still at home. Andrew never did go to "school", and now he is a college graduate, a homeowner, and a full scholarship law student at a prestigious law school in Denver. No thumb sucking loser here...
Homeschooling was a fairly unknown practice in the 90s. When I told well-intentioned friends and neighbors that my son was not enrolled in the local public school, they barraged me with well meaning comments: "Is that legal?" "Does the government know?" "You mean, he never gets to ride a school bus?" One uncle in particular decided he was going to test Jonmark's educational progress. Every time we saw Uncle Dick he questioned my young lad. "What is 20 times 52?" "Tell me what you know about Picasso." "Where is Yugoslavia?" These questions were all well and good, except for the fact that Jonmark was still in preschool. Uncle Dick started to let up his interrogations, however, when Jonmark amazed him with his ability to read and correctly pronounce the word PENSKE on a yellow moving truck when he was three years old. I can't say we convinced Uncle Dick 100 percent, but at least he relaxed a little and saved the theory of relativity questions for middle school.
In the 21st century homeschooling has gained a place of recognition in mainstream society. People no longer ask, "What is that?" nor are they itching to pick up the phone and contact the local truancy officer or the department of family services. Homeschooling has arrived into the public consciousness; however, the impression of homeschoolers could use a little adjusting. Somehow the whole media presentation of homeschoolers has lumped us all as backward, nerdy, uncoordinated, too smart for our own good, weird, nerdy, socially inept, nerdy (did I say nerdy already?), out of touch with reality and nerdy. Just today my daughter, Hannah, was speaking with a man at church. Once he heard the word "homeschooler", bells and recognition whistles sounded in his brain and he commented, "I have never known a homeschooler who liked sports." Really? Have you met Matt Segrist?
Attempting to shun the negative image, several teenagers who do not attend public or private school refuse to identify themselves as homeschoolers. "I am not a homeschooler; I am just a dude who does school at my house." Really? Really? And how does that differentiation make you not a homeschooler? Just what hair are you splitting? A homeschooler is a person who completes their school requirements at home. Sorry to break it to you, dude, but you is a homeschooler; you be learning at home (my attempt to overcome the nerdy "knows all the grammar rules" stereotype); your desk may be your couch and your lunchroom may be the kitchen table, your principal may be your father and your mascot may be your dog, you may be too cool for school, but anyway you slice it you are a homeschooler. If you don't like the label, I suggest you shift the paradigm. Rather than exclude yourself from the select group of individuals who are quickly becoming the cream of the crop in the hallowed halls of higher learning and the new golden boys in the economic marketplace, why don't you just admit the truth - YOU are a homeschooler. Wear the label with pride, and show the world exactly what an individual can be when they have the freedom to develop according to their God given talents. Apply the sage advice of some nerdy intellectual before you, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Welcome to the club, dude.
Mrs. Musick you spiked my day. :) I am a proud homeschooler!
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