I find this conversation both revealing and perplexing and annoying:
Relative: Ohhhh, you're still homeschooling?
Child: Yes
(Me, silently): still?
Relative: Do you just home-school or do you ever get to be with other kids?
Child: Oh we do lots of other stuff with other kids -- book club, co-op classes, basketball . . .
(Me, silently): just? and is education supposed to be about being with other kids?
Relative: Oh good. Is that just once-in-awhile, or every week?
Child: It varies.
(Me, silently): Why don't you ask them what they are learning?
Relative -- to me: How long will you do this? Will you let them go to high-school?
Me: As long as we think it is appropriate.
(Me, silently): let them? Here they are, getting a great education, and you speak as if I am depriving them of something.
It's revealing in that it shows the relative's assumption that school is about socializing. It's perplexing in that I've always thought that school was about education. It's annoying in that it introduces to my child this rather skewed view of school and home-schooling.
2 comments:
I followed you on Twitter .
I was looking up homeschooling in Khabarovsk and found your site! We have been homeschooling (in the states, planning to move to Khabarovsk) for several years and your post is right on point. It's a whole different perspective on school/education and it is hard to really communicate with relatives/etc. who are on a totally different page. While trying to keep the peace I sometimes feel like I am either on the defensive or giving in.
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