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From Homeschool, to College

3/15/2016

1 Comment

 
Many people would agree that homeschooling provides the student with a great academic experience. However, some people also argue that homeschooling does injustice to the student by failing in preparing him for the social scenes of the world. I would argue that when a student is homeschooled, the independent nature of study and the forced one-on-one situations he has with his teachers (parents) help him mature at the same or even quicker pace than he would have had he had been just another student in the crowd of students in the classroom.

​As a homeschooler who now attends a four-year college, I greatly appreciate the education I received. Throughout my homeschool years, I studied very independently. I had specific tasks which had to be accomplished for each day. I read my lesson from my math book, and proceeded to practice my newly learned lesson with homework problems. I had similar lessons from other subjects. In history, I was assigned pages to read from a history textbook, with the task of looking for information which would help me address a specific question or questions. In this way, I was much like the historian, evaluating information in history and creating my own stance on the subject based on my studies. My other studies were carried out in much the same way. Through the independent nature of study in homeschooling, I developed more as an individual than as just another student in a classroom full of many students.  

In addition to the individuality and confidence I gained from my independent studies, I also matured quicker due to a 1:5, or in some cases, a 1:1 teacher-student ratio. This forced me to articulate my ideas and explain myself much more often than students in a larger classroom setting. Although students-at public and private schools-who are self-motivated can gain confidence through their participation in class, it is much easier to speak more often if there are less students.

In college, much of the schoolwork and learning is done independently of the classroom. Students get out of their education what they are willing to put into it. Much of the homework involves teaching oneself a part of a lesson, or reading a literary work before the class discussion. Those who excel in these classes are ones who are self-motivated and willing to prepare their studies on their own so as to prepare for each class. Homeschooling prepared me for the academic rigor of college by instilling a self-motivation in me that was directly proportional to my success in my classes.

Due to the fewer amount of classes, and the semester, trimester, or even quarter systems, another key element to success at the collegiate level is the ability and willingness to represent oneself well to the professor and to participate in class. The college student has to have the speaking skills required to hold a conversation with another adult, and in order to make a good impression, speak clearly and with respect. Coming from a homeschool background gave me the experience of talking to many adults and presenting myself in a mature manner. This has aided me in my conversations with my professors both during office hours and just around campus.
1 Comment
Dina DeGree
3/14/2016 01:08:15 am

Great article, Jess!

Reply



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    Jessica De Gree

    Jessica teaches 5th grade English and History as well as 11th grade Spanish III at a Great Hearts Academy in Glendale, AZ. In addition to teaching, she  coaches JV girls basketball and is a writing tutor for The Classical Historian Online Academy. Jessica recently played basketball professionally in Tarragona, Spain, where she taught English ESL and tutored Classical Historian writing students. In 2018, she received her Bachelor's degree in English and Spanish from Hillsdale College, MI. 

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  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • A Socratic Approach to History
    • The Classical Historian Story
    • Our Perspective
    • Testimonials
    • The Socratic Way
    • Method
  • Store
    • Shop by Grade >
      • Materials - Grammar Stage
      • Materials - Logic Stage
      • Materials - Rhetoric Stage
      • Materials for Teachers
    • Shop by Subject >
      • Ancient History
      • Medieval History
      • American History for Jr. High
      • High School American History
      • High School World Histroy
      • American Government and Economics
      • American Civics
    • Shop All
    • Classical History Curriculum
    • History Games
    • History Resources - GHC
  • SUPPORT
    • Q and A
    • Free Primary Sources
    • John's Blog >
      • Jessica's Blog
    • Videos and PodCasts >
      • My Life under Communism Podcast
    • Mac
    • Teacher Training >
      • Teacher Newsletters
    • Teaching Tips
  • Dolphin Society
    • About the Society
  • Online Classes
    • About Our Courses
    • Samples & Testimonials
    • Meet Our Teacher
    • Register for Courses >
      • Ancient Civilizations
      • Medieval Civilizations
      • American History for JH
      • World History
      • American History for HS
      • Government and Economics
    • Literature Courses
    • Video Courses >
      • Middle School American History Video Course
      • High School American History Video Course
      • Medieval History Video Course
    • Schedule
    • Materials
    • Online Courses Blog
    • Login instructions