By Alifia Afflatus Zahra, 14, homeschooler from Indonesia
Month by month, day by day, more and more people are interested to know about homeschooling. Now I am fourteen; I did acceleration so I am a 10th grader (in homeschool) now, when I actually should be in 9th grade still. And I am still choosing to homeschool myself. As time elapsed, more questions about the homeschooling education system were given to me. And here I am – after one month of vacuum from the writing world because of examinations and more – I am going to continue the Q&A which I wrote two months ago. Enjoy!
Q : Homeschooling does not fit with me because I am an outdoor person. I see that homeschoolers spend most of their times at home. I won’t meet people, I won’t move myself, it’ll be worse. But on some sides homeschooling is good. How is it?
A : You are an outdoor person and you think homeschooling is not fit for an outdoor person. Well, in fact, I am an outdoor person too. It is not true what people think about homeschoolers spending most of their times at home. Some homeschoolers do, but many homeschoolers are extroverts and outdoor persons. Homeschoolers can get themselves outdoors by searching for activities. Routine sports, courses, traveling, and others won’t make you be incarcerated… it is just our personal choice. I am a homeschooler, I spend my time learning academic lessons at home. But I do sports, join workshops, seminaries, and other things outside my home – meeting new people and experiences.
Q : Is there any lag in academic lessons for being a homeschooler? Because as we know, there is no control in managing a schedule.
A : There can be. But don’t be concerned about it because it will only occur when there is no commitment. In homeschool, you are not demanded to be like other students. You can be yourself in sharpening your skill and talent, focusing on learning what you have passion for. What I see instead in real life is, many homeschoolers are accelerated. They reach higher grades in a younger age. Being homeschooled also won’t erase the probability to have proud achievements. Fantastic!
Q : Homeschool means no friends … you can’t have cliques, bestfriend groups and things like that like at school.
A : This is so funny, guys, if people refuse to homeschool – when actually they know they fit with the homeschool method – but they cancel because they believe this. Well, certainly, there is 100% possibility to have vast friendship for homeschoolers. And for having cliques? Do you consider it is good? Dear friends, having a vast friendship, or bestfriend group … there is no problem with it. But remember most homeschoolers choose homeschooling with one of these reasons: they want to avoid promiscuity and bullying. Cliques are identical with differentiating students – sometimes close with bullying and discrimination. So what is the difference between school and homeschool – if you cannot filter your friendship, avoiding bullying, discriminating others and promiscuity? Believe that homeschool is one of the way you can learn to relate with people in better, more secure way.
Q : Don’t homeschoolers have a high egoism?
A : Egoism is not dependent on someone’s education. Doing school alone or only with few people doesn’t mean homeschoolers will be selfish. Homeschoolers are taught to be empathetic and sympathetic through homeschool, from the foundation. What is the basic means of homeschoolers to learn about socialization? Definitely family. Family is the main thing, the main teacher of every person in the world to shape their character.
Q : Is it important to follow a particular curriculum when we are homeschooled?
A : Important but not a must. When you want to use a standard curriculum and “its kin,” it is legitimate. But if you want to arrange your own curriculum or even not have any structured curriculum, there is no problem as long as you commit to learning and having a certain purpose for doing homeschool.
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