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Home-schooled

Source:  Asbury Park Press
By: Gary Gellman
May 10, 2012
 
When we homeschool, we take real life experiences and make them learning moments.

Claire and I (Gary Gellman) took two of our daughters to see a Broadway show last night and as we waited on The Helix ( the circle in Weekhawken going in to the Lincoln Tunnel) for almost an hour the girls asked, "I wonder why all of these buses are on this highway and they are all empty going to NY City. They are causing a lot of traffic and using up a ton of space and energy at 5:30 in the afternoon."

Ironically I was at a New Jersey Chamber of Commerce meeting where the Commissioner of the DOT Jim Simpson and Chairman of the NY/NJ Port Authority Dave Samson were speaking today, so I in front of the group I asked my daughters' question and attributed it to them.

I told my daughters the answer and we plan to have them send a thank you note to the government officials with a drawing of some kind of a bus or roadway.

This shows them government is closer than we think.

Home-schooling: What I BelieveBy Alyssa Jackson, 14

I’m homeschooled. I have been homeschooled since the age of four as a preschooler, all the way up until now—age fourteen and a freshman in high school. There have been ups and downs, times when I wondered about school and times when I realized how blessed I am to be homeschooled. There are many benefits to homeschooling and I definitely appreciate them.

First off, I love being able to go at my own pace. There is no pressure, as in a class setting, to wait for others, or to not hold anyone up. I can finish by 12:00pm while teens my age are only halfway done with their school day.

Comfort-wise, homeschooling rocks. I don’t need to wake up at 6 a.m. to catch the bus. I get to sit on comfy couches to do my work—not hard, plastic chairs. I can wear pajamas all day long!

My favorite aspect of homeschooling is the lack of peer pressure. The need to have the right clothes, or the latest phone model, isn’t as great at home. I am not being compared to anyone, and there’s no pressure to perform better or worse. I can just be myself! My home is a place where I know I’m loved and accepted, and I work better knowing that.

The one thing that I miss by being homeschooled is the social aspect of public school. I love being around people. Sometimes it gets a little lonely, surrounded by three little brothers. I attend a gym class on Friday mornings with other homeschoolers, and a public speaking class on Thursday, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like to see people my age every day.

Homeschooling has its benefits and its deficits. Fortunately, the benefits outweigh the deficits by a lot. As I approached high school, my parents gave me a choice as to whether I wanted to attend public high school or remain homeschooled. I thought about it, prayed about it, and finally made my decision. The reason I decided to stay homeschooled is because that is what I believe God has called me to do. Being a Christian, my life is all about Christ and following his call. Home is where He has called and that is where I’ll stay until He calls me to a different place. College, perhaps?

On Home-schooling

Ethan Rice, 14

I don't feel like I am socially isolated because my Mom lets me join many clubs and events. I am in Boy Scouts, square dancing, gym, and I volunteer at Longstreet Farm. I have made many friends of all different ages through these activities.

Homeschooling also lets me have more time for these activities. In Boy Scouts, I have been able to do more camping trips, events, and service projects because I was able to adjust my school schedule.

Homeschooling lets my Mom see how much I am learning and be able to assist me if I don't understand something.

In public schools there are thirty plus kids who all need help who can't get it because the teacher is too busy. Because I can get help when I need it, it teaches me to find information for myself. I can work independently if Mom needs to go somewhere.

Homeschooling has also brought me closer to my parents and siblings. If Mom was gone and I needed help,one of my sisters could help me. Having your Mom as your teacher lets you do more with her. When school's over, we don't do our own thing; we get together and play a game or watch a DVD.
 





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