Thursday, June 5, 2008

Chat Session

There seems to be this weird phenomenon where people think that because they are communicating via a somewhat anonymous source, it is OK to force their opinions upon me. Not that their opinions are wrong, but always with the attitude that I need them to help me out- almost as if I asked for their opinion. . .

The fact that this comes from a 14 year old boy* makes this one even funnier. And let's just pretend all of his spelling mistakes are typos, shall we?

*Names have been changed to protect the annoying boy who knows nothing about home schooling

10:10 pm Boy
what are you ding up so late on the computer

10:11pm Melissa
I don't have school tomorrow. What's your excuse?

10:12pm Boy
checking things

10:12pm Melissa:
are you ready for summer to be here already?

10:13pm Boy
YES

10:14pm Melissa
what day is school officially out?

10:16pm Boy
School's officially out next friday but my friend E graduated from middle school today and is done he keeps rubbing my face in it too and he's really making me mad

10:17pm Melissa
yeah, my kids were done last Thursday. are you in 9th?

10:17pm Boy
yeah and do you have to rub it in?

10:18pm Melissa
lol. sure. just another benefit of home school

10:18pm Boy
yeah well they don't get the social interaction of normal school though

10:21pm Melissa
nice try. They probably get more social time with all of the groups and activities they go to. The only thing they don't get is loads of busy work

10:22pm Boy
shut up

10:22pm Melissa
not if you're going to make false statements. . .

10:23pm Boy
They won't get to go to many high school activities which many people consider to be of vital importance to the development of the growing child

10:24pm Melissa
again, I laugh. What are we developing? the ability to consume large amounts of alcohol? Swearing? giving in to peer pressure? bumping and grinding at the school dances?

They have plenty of activities through their home school group which give them the experience they need while allowing them to do course work appropriate to their learning styles and levels. Last week, they went bowling with a group on Wednesday and to Disneyland with a different group on Friday. I think they're getting plenty of social development. But thanks for being concerned.

10:25 Boy
there's lots of other stuff. they can't be homeschooled through collage and they will lack the neccessary abilities needed to function in a classroom not of thier own choosing and through a method not tier own

10:27pm Melissa
Rebi is starting college in the fall, so I'm not too worried

And believe it or not, if you choose, you can indeed get a degree by doing entirely correspondence (from home) college courses. I could have done it when I was in college.

10:29pm Boy
she's 13 for goodness sake she doesn't belong in that kind of enviroment, she's growing up without a normal childhood. I know I had to make this choice myself I was going going to be tested like this but i said no because I wanted to be able to have a childhood

10:30pm Melissa
you should probably do more research before making those statements. She has a perfectly fine childhood and she's making the choices for herself. She's happy with her decision. And there's nothing wrong with a college environment. Why would you assume it's a bad idea?

10:31pm Boy
just you wait and see, there's plenty of examples of this if you look for it

10:31pm Melissa
my point is not that our way is right for you, but that you shouldn't assert that your way is the only way.

There are plenty of examples of kids who go through 4 years of high school and end up total losers who can't hold down jobs. Or they get addicted to drugs or go to prison.

10:32pm Boy
i'm not asseerting that myway is the only way but that my way seems like the more logical of the ways from the way i'm looking at it.

10:33pm Melissa
Because that's the only way you've ever known

10:33pm Boy
and albert einstien's teacher said he was going to be a janitor when he grew up but now he's the most renowned scientist in the world
(note from Melissa: I need someone to explain how that supports his assertion that school is best for all kids.)


10:33pm Melissa
but if you assert that failure is obvious for home schoolers in our situation, then it is also true that failure is obvious in traditional schoolers, if you look for it.

right. what did his teacher know? That he didn't focus on the stuff she thought he should?

10:35pm Boy
my mommy says I have to go to bed
bye

And I'm still giggling, not at his assumption that school is the only logical choice for him, but that he is so very sure that Rebi is ruined forever going to community college. I'm willing to bet our school choices have been discussed around their dinner table!

Thank goodness we still get to choose. . . I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

3 comments:

Jennifer Hale said...

This is something that bothers me...people don't accept there are different ways for different people?! Not only in schooling either.

Dave said...

Just... so... ignorant...

The Einstein stuff makes me laugh. Even when he was alive, there were rumors about him not doing well in school, which for the most part have never been substantiated. As a student, he didn't want to waste time on subjects that he felt were unimportant. While in Munich, he did well specifically because a teacher bucked the system and designed a program tailored for this student who was obviously far beyond the norm. Einstein is a great argument against the public school system.

frizzlefry said...

I've come to find out that any "non-traditional" approach is scary to people doing what their culture thinks is "normal".

I like the Primus lyrics that say, "To defy the laws of tradition, is a crusade only for the brave."

And I don't really mean to be brave, but I certainly miss most of the cultural norms, other than like wearing clothes and driving a mini van and such. . .