My First Real Experience With Public School

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

from JoeUser Forums
I haven't posted in a month. I want to come back. I'm back.

I feel as though I'm suffocating. I feel as though my freedom has been taken away and I was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion and rules. I didn't realize it would feel so restricting. It didn't register to my brain, until the first day of school was over, that this is a completely inflexible choice I have made. I can't just say, "Fuck this," and leave, because first of all, if I do that too late, I'll get a failing grade on my transcript, and second, it would be quitting on myself, and I'm not about to do that. It's just so restricting and the lines are so defined. Everyday, five days a week, for the next 4 and a half months, I'm bound to leaving the house at exactly 11:49, arriving at school, going to the same two classes, and only between those two classes, for an hour, will I have freedom. It's taking away from my flexibility and pace of self-educating myself. In a way, I feel like I'm betraying myself by going to public school, because I am no longer in charge of most of my educating. I feel claustrophobic.

On the other side of the spectrum, I really like photography, so far. To my satisfaction, my APwriting class is more challenging then I first thought it would be. The teacher, who I know, and who encouraged me to sign up for her class, might I put bluntly is an awful teacher, though. After three days of school, I realize she's not going to teach us. She's going to let us sit there, with no instruction, hand out work, and let us do it through the whole period. I'm extremely disappointed, from that angle. If I wanted to sit at my desk and do this shitty work, I could have done it myself. I came to school to be taught. That's not happening in this class.

My commons class will soon be whatever I want it to be. Studying whatever I please, going on the internet, playing piano, talking to friends, going to the library. I played piano yesterday and today, and it really helped. Knowing I was alone, in a sound-proof room. It gives me time to think, when I'm alone, and relaxes me to let my fingers tell my feelings.

One thing I have noticed is that a lot of homeschoolers (parents and children alike) underrate these kids in public school. Granted, the maturity level isn't way up there, but it's not hell like some homeschooling parents want others to think. I haven't seen any making out, fights or sassing back to teachers. I'm sure in a couple weeks I'll have seen a lot of it, but really, they're not as immature as some would like to think. Of course, some have the "I-don't-give-a-shit,do-I-look-like-I-give-a-shit?" attitude, but all in all I notice a lot of individuals just trying to be themselves, have fun, and maybe even try to learn a little.

As for me, having a hard time "fitting in" because I've been homeschooled most of my life, give me a break. Get a clue, people. I know tons of people... I wear jeans and flip flops, earrings and lip ring(okay, maybe not, but it's only 'cuz of my parents), hoodies and vans. I'm not saying I'm trying to "fit in," because by no means am I. I think it's all about finding a place where you belong enough to be confident sticking out. I don't wear my hair up in a bun, I don't wear huge navy skirts and way over-sized t-shirts. That's what you picture your average homeschooler to look like, right? Just like that, and quiet and reserved. I'm not trying to be anything I'm not. In fact, I'm not trying to be anything. Jock, prep, punk, skater, poser (who tries to be a poser? lol), nerd. No, I'm just being me. Wearing what I want on any given day could be tons of hemp necklaces with a tie-die shirt and oversized pants. Could be my scooby-doo shirt and tight jeans. Could be cords and a vintage shirt. Don't tell me who to be... The only thing is: I am a bit "anti-prep".

"And if I never find a place that I can call my own, I would have tried, I would've been free, I'll be alive as long as I'm still tryin' to be me. As long as I'm still tryin' to be me."

I'm so delighted that I'm not there ALL day, at least. I'm happy to know that I'm only tied down for a semester. I'm encouraged that I am so confident in who I am, that I know, public school isn't going to influence me, like it once could have.

If I could go back a month, and make the decision over to go or not to go, I'm really not sure what I would do. That's not the point. The point is that I decided to do it, so I will.

~Sarah
1,294 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
How ironic, i will not even bother to read under the 3rd period . I chose to go to public schools to learn. The governament has established the public schools. In order for the governament to work, WE HAVE TO GIVE AWAY OUR "freedoms" or u can move to cuba and elect Castro over and over again and thorw one big banging party after that.


The other simple thing is that none judges you, you let people judge you and u take that in, or u replay "im an individual" crap than go on to say things like you wear flipflops and u dont wear *unpopular clothes, even though you are an "individual", you just told everyone that there is something wrong with not wearing something that everyone else wears. The other thing is that when and if u get a job, and more correct, a career, i highly doubtit that you will even come to enjoyit as someone who took 13 grades along with the thousands of his/her peers, since u cannot handle a couple months, witch others managed to addapt to a VERRY big portion of their life to. And yes, all the homeschooled people are not prepy, punks, or what not, they are what their parents make them, and 100% of EXACTLY what they want them to make them.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
As a homeschool lobbyist/public speaker, I have often advised parents that if they're homeschooling their children solely to shelter them from the dangers of public schools, they may be doing it for the wrong reasons. We educate our children at home because we truly believe it to be the best way to give them a quality education and nurture them in the way they need to be nurtured. Excellent post!
DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Good to see you again.

I'm positive that you'll be able to gain something from public school that you wouldn't be able to gain without the experience. Perhaps it's dealing with the binding that might make an encore in the workplace. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll strengthen you in some way. You might even learn to like it. I miss high school.


One thing I have noticed is that a lot of homeschoolers (parents and children alike) underrate these kids in public school. Granted, the maturity level isn't way up there, but it's not hell like some homeschooling parents want others to think. I haven't seen any making out, fights or sassing back to teachers. I'm sure in a couple weeks I'll have seen a lot of it, but really, they're not as immature as some would like to think. Of course, some have the "I-don't-give-a-shit,do-I-look-like-I-give-a-shit?" attitude, but all in all I notice a lot of individuals just trying to be themselves, have fun, and maybe even try to learn a little.


I never knew that homeschoolers had that idea of public school students. It's hard to beat the odds with hundreds of students in the same place though, so it's only a matter of time.

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
you just told everyone that there is something wrong with not wearing something that everyone else wears.


No, not at... I'm just saying that I know a lot of people have the image of what a homeschooler looks/acts like, and a lot of times it's completely wrong.

The other thing is that when and if u get a job, and more correct, a career, i highly doubtit that you will even come to enjoyit as someone who took 13 grades along with the thousands of his/her peers


First of all, you make the assumption that I don't already have a job. For the past two summers I've had a job 2 hours a day/4-5 days a week. No problem with it. But that may be just because I don't see it as much a waste of time as public school can be sometimes. I enjoy it very much, to be honest. Granted, it's not a "career," but I'm confident that after high school when I do land a "career," I will enjoy it as much, if not more than the average public schooler. Take a look at where people in their twenties are today, who have been homeschooled, and then talk.

they are what their parents make them, and 100% of EXACTLY what they want them to make them.


I don't know where you got that from, but whatever blows your skirt up. If we're following this sequential logic, we could say that public schoolers are "100% of EXACTLY what they want them to make them."

Look outside the box. I did.

As a homeschool lobbyist/public speaker, I have often advised parents that if they're homeschooling their children solely to shelter them from the dangers of public schools, they may be doing it for the wrong reasons. We educate our children at home because we truly believe it to be the best way to give them a quality education and nurture them in the way they need to be nurtured. Excellent post!


Gideon, I agree, and thank you. What organization are you with?

I'm positive that you'll be able to gain something from public school that you wouldn't be able to gain without the experience. Perhaps it's dealing with the binding that might make an encore in the workplace. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll strengthen you in some way. You might even learn to like it. I miss high school.


Messy Buu, I do like it, in many ways. Also, I think a lot of the "learning" done in public school is done outside of the classroom. During lunch, study period and in the halls, learning to communicate and relate to ones peers. Thanks for commenting.

~Sarah
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gideon, I agree, and thank you. What organization are you with?


For 9 years, I was with Wisconsin Parents Association, but then we moved. I am currently unaffiliated with the state homeschool groups here in Nevada, as I have had to concentrate on work most heavily, but the agenda is very prominent in my work with the Libertarian Party.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
telu,

there are so many errors in your post that you serve as a frightening representative of the public school system, frankly. I truly hope that you know such things as the proper use of "to, too and two", and that when you fill out job applications and college essays, you're smart enough not to substitute "u" for "you", but in the context of your attack on homeschooling, it looks silly and diminishes your already weak argument significantly.

Just my two cents.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
there are so many errors in your post that you serve as a frightening representative of the public school system, frankly.


As I first read his/her post, I was thinking of correcting them all, but decided against it.

I must tell you, Gideon, you have gotten me very interested in the views of the Libertarian Party, and researching it in my "spare" time. I want to thank you. I'm still not sure where I am, but I know I'm not a democrat.

~Sarah