As many of my readers are aware, I have attended three different "types" of schools. I was homeschooled from Pre-K-8, attended a private school from 9-11, and am currently attending a public school for my senior year.
All of these schools are different, all of these schools have different pros and cons, as illustrated in these posts:
Pros and Cons of Homeschooling and Private Schooling,
Pros and Cons of Public Vs. Private Schools. Of course, these schools have all benefited me in different ways, and
that is what I am going to talk about now.
Homeschooling
While I was homeschooled, my mother also worked a part time job. As I mentioned in my previous post, "My Hero", my mom is indeed my hero. She homeschooled me and spent time with me, so I wouldn't be raised by teachers and daycare workers. I don't know if any of you are familiar with the phrase, "Children who are loved at home go to school to learn, but children who are not, go to school to be loved". It's not that my mother wouldn't have loved me...but I would have probably been able to spend three hours...if that...with my mother, instead, I got to spend my days with her.
I was able to learn in methods that I learned from easily and I was able to do this without the distraction of other children. I was able to learn without being picked on constantly (which, there was a family we would visit, whose children did typically pick on me....) or being tempted to talk to my neighbor instead of listening to the teacher.
Basically, I was able to focus on my learning and, when I went to the private school, the only thing I was behind in was math. But math has always been a struggle for me...so.... I was able to learn who I was on my own, without constantly feeling the need to fit in with those my own age...as a result...I rarely fit in with those my own age.
Private Schooling
While I attended the private school, I was introduced to a brick-and-mortar school, on a smaller scale. While I can teach myself many things, this school gave me the teachers to
help me. Without this school, I would not have had a wonderful choir teacher who managed to teach me how to project and sing loudly and helped me discover my nice sized range.
While I was homeschooled, I didn't have grades, at this school, I got my first grades and felt the thrill of getting As...now it's a bit of a requirement and if I don't get an A, I flip out and do everything I can to get my grade up, which of course, should be a natural thing for all students to aspire to...but alas is not. Of course, I understand that some people just aren't
book smart...some people are
hand smart. They can do amazing things with their hands, but just can't pass tests...and they aren't any more smart or stupid than someone who can ace tests no problem.
Public School
While I currently attend my public school, I've learned how to navigate an iPad (I hate them with a burning passion), how many things you can actually do without paper (I still prefer paper). I have
so many more options here than I had in any of my previous schools. There is an in school counselor--two, actually, but I believe that one is in training--I was in a musical, which has been one of my dreams ever since I was little, the choir is
huge and I can audition for solos, instead of them just being assigned to me or someone else.
There are so many more options for me and I love it. It is, of course, a smaller public school, but it's still a public school. There are clubs and classes that we couldn't have at the private school and of course can't have in a homeschool consisting of one.
Quite frankly, each of these schools have been a stepping stone or stairway for the next school, and honestly, each time I've changed schools, it has been for the better, for one reason or another. I am a staunch supporter of homeschooling...whether I support a private school depends on the private school, but they are a good idea...and not all public schools are bad.
~Katie
