Homeschooling: Education not confined to school walls

By Bryan Marshall
Register News Writer

February 25, 2008 10:03 am

— Editor’s note: This is the second part of a three-part series chronicling the experiences of Madison County homeschool students. Tuesday’s stories will focus on how home schooling affects public schools and getting into college.

Aaron Jones can’t say for sure if he would have enjoyed going to private school.
But, he is certain that he never wished he had attended a public school.
“When I was in high school, I had some friends who went to a public high school,” Jones said. “They told me about it, and I don’t feel like I really missed out on anything.”
Now a 20-year-old sophomore studying computer science at the University of Kentucky, Jones was homeschooled growing up in Richmond.
“I think what I like best is that it integrated learning into my everyday life,” he said. “It wasn’t something I had to go to on weekdays or got out of on the weekend. It was flexible.”
Like most homeschoolers, Jones said his experience boosted his self-motivation skills and helped him build good study habits.
However, being able to learn in a home environment also provided another important lesson, he said.
“I think one thing that has been more valuable to me is that I tend to focus more on understanding the material rather than just learning how to solve certain problems and getting past the next test,” Jones said. “I think that’s a habit characteristic of homeschooling.”
“I’m not saying that I think I was necessarily better prepared for college than any student who attended private or public school, but judging from what others say, I was better prepared on average,” he said. “The transition was smooth.”
Ethan Kilgore, who has been homeschooled his entire life, soon will be attending Eastern Kentucky University after graduating.
The 17-year-old Berea resident watched as his brother, Matthew, made the transition two years ago from a homeschool student to an EKU student studying botany.
“I like the range of classes I have been able to take and the different activities I was able be involved in,” Kilgore said.
Because of the flexibility of being homeschooled, Kilgore was able to travel to New Orleans for more than a week in November to help rebuild a church and two houses with members of the Berea Baptist Church through the Noah Rebuild Project.
He was the youngest of 10 people to make the trip.
“It was really incredible,” Kilgore said. “You got to see how their lives still are different than they used to be and how much work still needs to be done.”
“I’m very grateful,” he said. “The opportunity was something I probably won’t be able to do again the rest of my life. It was a blessing.”
One of the biggest stereotypes people have about homeschool is the lack of socialization that the students receive.
However, Kilgore said there are plenty of activities, if homeschoolers look.
“It could be easy not to go anywhere and not do anything, but you can find different events,” he said while attending a Valentine Day party for homeschool students at Galaxy Bowling and Entertainment Center in Richmond.
“Most of the time when you think of homeschooling, you might think of either nerds or something else,” Kilgore said. “But, we actually have social events and that sort of thing. We’re quite active in the community.”
Katie Silver, a 14-year-old from Richmond, said she can’t think of one thing she does not like about homeschooling.
“It’s really nice to be able to do my schoolwork without having to worry about other people around me and what they think about me,” she said.
“It’s not like we get to lay around in our pajamas all day,” Silver said. “We do have to work. It’s just an easier environment to be in.”
A member of a homeschool volleyball team and Girl Scout troop, Silver does have close friends and neighbors who attend public school.
“They are very curious,” she said. “They love to hear about what we get to do. They’re very jealous. They say, ‘We have to get up at like 5 a.m.’ I don’t have to get up quite that early.”
“But, I start school, even if it is a snow day, because I’m at home anyway,” said Silver, who added that her friends’ description of their school day sounds stressful.
If she was in a public or private school, Silver said she also probably would not have as good of a relationship with her parents and two siblings, who also are homeschooled.
“I would be away from them for so long,” she said. “I wouldn’t have that experience. With my mom being my teacher, she knows what I need to work on.”
While some students are homeschooled from the beginning of their educational lives, others have experienced what it is like on the other side of the learning pendulum.
Lekey Leidecker, 13, attended Berea Community School through fifth grade before going the homeschool route as she was about to enter middle school.
“Middle school is intimidating,” she said. “So, I thought, this would be a good time to try homeschooling. I didn’t think at first I would stay for all of middle school.”
“I think my first year (of homeschooling), I didn’t do anything but read books,” Leidecker said. “It was pretty difficult. I think going from school, where you’re told what to study, to focusing on your interests is really hard even though you’d think you’d like it.”
Now in her third year away from public school, Leidecker said she believes she is getting better at guiding herself and knowing exactly what her interests are.
“I really like dance,” she said. “I didn’t get to try it until I was out of school. I just had more time.”
Unfortunately, the ability to find time in her schedule for ballet may be over soon, Leidecker said.
She plans on going back to Berea Community School in the fall for high school.
“I don’t know if I’ll have the energy to do as many extra things being in school,” she said. “I’m kind of nervous about it. I think I’ll like it, but I think I’m different now from when I went to school before.
“I’m excited and nervous,” Leidecker said. “Before, I was so used to school. I don’t know how well I’m going to get along when I go back when everybody’s telling me what to do. I hope I’m not arguing with teachers and stuff.”
One thing she is certain of, however, is the impact her homeschool experience has had on her.
“I think I’ll be able to function better in all aspects of my life, not just in school,” Leidecker said. “In homeschooling, it seems like your school and your learning is tied into the rest of your life.”
Bryan Marshall can be reached at bmarshall@richmondregister.com or 624-6691.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.