Starting a Homeschool club at College

[happycc]

I know many many college students are busy but it would be great if all homeschool students started or became a member of a Student club at their college specifically for students who have EVER been homeschooled. This would provide support and encouragement to those who have been homeschooled and give them their own community as well. Plus it would be great outreach to new incoming homeschooled students.

 

We all know that many homeschooled students are bit different than those who have attended public/private school and their needs are also different. Some may not have experienced a lot of "schooled" experiences such as Prom and what not while many have experienced more richer learning environments than other schooled schools such as traveling to other countries and many field trips. This would be a place for homeschooled college students to get together and just be understood.

 

 

Some of the activities could be: Once a week/month dinner with fellow homeschooled students, movie night, game nights, field trips, club can lead math and science or whatever subject clubs for local elementary, middle and high school homeschooled kids as part of the outreach and even recruitment, helping new homeschooled college students transition into the college environment, having Susan Wise Bauer come speak at their events etc (Hee hee).

 

When in college I started a few clubs but each college is different in how clubs are begun. They would have to go to their student life and sometimes petition for a club (fill out a bunch of forms stating the intentions of the group) and/or make flyers to post to let others know what is going on to recruit members. Sometimes you do need to have a professor be of support too. At my college we started a Single Parents Club and Special Needs Club, which led to a lot of collegiate changes to that school such as accessible buildings and trails and an affordable babysitting coop.

 

You never know where this Homeschool club to lead.

[regentrude]

Reading the experiences of some homeschooled college students that had been recently shared in another thread, I would imagine that many might be reluctant to openly advertise that they are homeschooled. I would certainly not advise my student to start a "homeschool club" at her school - at least not until she has positioned herself firmly and unquestionably as one of the top students of the institution and is thus immune from stereotypes and discrimination.

ETA: A highly successful formerly homeschooled alumn would be in a much better position to sponsor such a club.

[happycc]

Oh wow. I didn;t realize that homeschooled students were discriminated against in college. I thought it was always understood that they were always more advanced academically than the schooled community. Can you guys please fill me in about this? Bring me up to date?

What are the statistics of this happening? At what schools? Are they not accepted into colleges? I am hoping that as more and more students are homeschooled that there will be more acceptance of this. I take it not?

[regentrude]

Oh wow. I didn;t realize that homeschooled students were discriminated against in college. I thought it was always understood that they were always more advanced academically than the schooled community. Can you guys please fill me in about this? Bring me up to date?

What are the statistics of this happening? At what schools? Are they not accepted into colleges? I am hoping that as more and more students are homeschooled that there will be more acceptance of this. I take it not?

 

Read this thread.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/464506-grr-profs-who-are-homeschool-bigots-vent/

[SarahW]

Maybe they could start a secret club. You know, secret handshakes to identify potential members, meetings held in the field hockey clubhouse at midnight, "hazing" new members by grilling them with questions like "Where is A Beka published?" and "What college was started by the president of HSLDA?"

 

I'm pretty sure there were other previously-homeschooled students at the college I went to. But I didn't really feel the need to seek them out. Though at that point I was pretty done with all my previous subculture experiences, and wasn't looking to reminisce on them.

[8filltheheart]

Honestly, my homeschool grads wouldn't have been interested. They don't see themselves as different from any other college student. They sought out friendships based on real interests and through study groups.

[quark]

One more reason I wonder if this will be a successful endeavor...homeschoolers are such a diverse bunch! If you take into account the reasons why some people homeschool and the values they may have I think my child might actually have more in common with some ps or private school kids than homeschoolers. I don't think it's a bad idea, quite an interesting one actually, just that every family uses different curricula (my son would have no idea what BJU or Abeka is for example), different methods and so on kwim?

[happycc]

I don;t think the club should be based on what curriculum you have used or not but based on the fact that you were taught at home by your parents. I believe that is what homeschooling is rather than what particular curriculum you subscribe to...

 

A homeschooled person would have values and beliefs that are held more closely to their family rather than to their peers or whatever is on TV shows etc. instead of pop culture. That would be the commonality.

 

 

I just read the U of Rochester post and yes...he was ONE professor and HIS opinion. But there are many more professors now who may have different views or may even be considering homeschooling their own children.

 

Times are a changing! More and more people are homeschooling--professionals, professors, doctors, nurses, lawyers etc.

 

This professor who was bigoted probably should have been exposed. We have different kinds of discrimnation and the ACLU helps those. Why can;t they help in our cause? The homeschooled kid discrimination cause...hmmm...

something to think about!

 

 

Perhaps we should write to the college about this professor's attitude and perhaps inform and change the prevailing view of homeschoolers.

 

 

Again when I was in college (back in early 90's) special needs and single parents were discriminated against. Our needs were not met. NOw at my college, the building and roads are wheelchaired accessible. There is a disabilities dept in our school that helps students get notetakers, books on tape etc and I was able to get our school in the newspaper for not providing affordable childcare considering I went to Mills College--an all women's college. And when I went back to the college for another degree, there was more options available. Plus our college was able to keep guys enrolled in the undergraduate program.

 

Things won;t change if we hide and don;t come out! The discrimination will just continue. We have to fight back and get heard.

[regentrude]

I just asked my daughter whether she would join something like this.

Her response (she allowed me to share it):

"Why would I want to join an homeschool club? Clubs are for people who have a common interest. Just being homeschooled does not guarantee a common interest. I do not define myself through being homeschooled. Most likely, I won't have anything in common with the others - I am FOR schools."

 

This pretty much sums up our experience with IRL homeschoolers: we don't have anything in common with them either, except for homeschooling. Which, for us, is accidental and born from necessity (i.e. lack of great school)- it is not something that defines us or our lifestyle.

[regentrude]

A homeschooled person would have values and beliefs that are held more closely to their family rather than to their peers or whatever is on TV shows etc. instead of pop culture. That would be the commonality.

 

Huh?

The families themselves have extremely different values and beliefs (and, btw, some families are quite in line with pop culture).

If anything, this would make homeschoolers MORE diverse - and make it harder to find common ground.

[MomatHWTK]

I think you may be making some assumptions of how and why folks homeschool (and the end results) that may not hold out to be true in the long run.

 

I would be a little concerned actually if my child gravitated toward a "homeschooled" in college, to me it would indicate a hesitancy to leave the nest.

[happycc]

It would be more of "I am proud to be homeschooled and not ashamed and I am thankful for my parents for giving me that opportunity and making whatever sacrifices for that to happen."

 

My girls begged me to homeschool them (They were in school from K-3rd grade) and after meeting more homeschoolers my kids have said that in general "the homeschoolers were nicer and gentle and more polite." My girls were bullied in school and being among other homeschoolers have been a safe haven for them. They feel accepted by other homeschoolers. They WANT to meet more homeschoolers. They are hoping that in college there will be more like them.

 

Do you think this attitude may change when they become teenagers? They are only 11yrs old now.

 

With my older set of kids( who were homeschooled to ten years), they help(ed) out the new kids who came/come to school that were homeschooled. My son has taken many homeschoolers under his wings to "help" them with the latest pop culture stuff and explain all the "bad words" etc. He tries to protect them because when he went to school he was teased for not learning "certain" things like in 3rd grade he was teased not knowing that the middle finger was a bad word and not know what the word "fag" meant. (It just wasn't in the curriculum/standards) With my next set of kids I make certain to expose them to these things just in case.

My son (who is now 18yrs old) told me he could basically spot those who were homeschooled. It was really easy to find/pinpoint he says...it was the way they acted, talked, dressed, ate etc. The kids have told me that the ones who were homeschooled are "better friends" in the long run but many of the other kids (not homeschooled) thought of the homeschooled kids as "wierd". My younger two girls were only homeschooled for K-1st grade and they were more apt to describe the homeschooled kids as wierd whereas my son who was homeschooled longer was more understanding and wanted to help them transition into school easier.

 

I didn;t realize how different it was until my kids started going to school. I regret my decision sending mine to school but oh well. When my 2nd set of kids started homeschooling, I felt an instant relief. Given the climate of homeschoolers right now maybe it is too early to considering starting a homeschooled club in college but the group is getting larger.

 

Some might not want to be a part of such a group just because they didn;t enjoy the homeschooling experience. I have a friend whose high school son was homeschooled up to 5-6th grade or so and is very very adamant that homeschooling him "ruined" him. He could just be a regular teen just being oppositional about the way he was brought up or there is something more.

[regentrude]

My girls begged me to homeschool them (They were in school from K-3rd grade) and after meeting more homeschoolers my kids have said that in general "the homeschoolers were nicer and gentle and more polite." My girls were bullied in school and being among other homeschoolers have been a safe haven for them. They feel accepted by other homeschoolers. They WANT to meet more homeschoolers. They are hoping that in college there will be more like them.

 

Do you think this attitude may change when they become teenagers? They are only 11yrs old now.

 

 

Depends on the other homeschoolers.

For the longest time, I was convinced that homeschooling was changing group dynamics favorably and would do away with bullying... until the large group of girls in our local group hit the pre-teens/early teens. The social interactions, name calling and bullying I can observe are on par with what happens in public school; it is only slightly worse because the mothers get involved and threaten each other.

One of the girls whom I really like is bullied by the entire group; only my son and another boy are her friends.

 

 

My son told me he could basically spot those who were homeschooled. It was really to find/pinpoint he says...it was the way they acted, talked, dressed, ate etc. The kids have told me that the ones who were homeschooled are "better friends" in the long run.

 

 

Some can be spotted, some can not. I have seen homeschoolers who advertise "I am homeschooled" through their demeanor and appearance, and I have seen homeschoolers who appear to emulate everything about popular culture that I disagree with. And my own kids would blend in nicely with the "nerds"; on our university campus, nobody could tell that DD is a.) younger and b.) homeschooled - she looks and acts like a regular student.

 

ETA: Can it be that you are thinking of a particular segment of the homeschooling community, so that you identify homeschooling with values close to yours? In that case, your kids' statement would make sense to me.

My DD has not encountered any homeschooler she would have much in common with,

[Lilaclady]

Oh wow. I didn;t realize that homeschooled students were discriminated against in college. I thought it was always understood that they were always more advanced academically than the schooled community. Can you guys please fill me in about this? Bring me up to date?

What are the statistics of this happening? At what schools? Are they not accepted into colleges? I am hoping that as more and more students are homeschooled that there will be more acceptance of this. I take it not?

 

I don't think it is also true to assume that all homeschoolers are academically more advanced than their schooled peers. Not all are and some teachers bias against homeschoolers is more because they have had kids that were educationally behind because they were homeschooled.

 

I wouldn't think my kids when they get there will want to join but it's still a while for them .

[regentrude]

I don't think it is also true to assume that all homeschoolers are academically more advanced than their schooled peers.

 

:iagree:

Of the IRL homeschoolers I know, a large portion is significantly behind their ps peers. Of the high school age students in our group, mine are the only ones doing high school level math or science.

[happycc]

For the longest time, I was convinced that homeschooling was changing group dynamics favorably and would do away with bullying... until the large group of girls in our local group hit the pre-teens/early teens. The social interactions, name calling and bullying I can observe are on par with what happens in public school; it is only slightly worse because the mothers get involved and threaten each other.

One of the girls whom I really like is bullied by the entire group; only my son and another boy are her friends.

 

 

Oh my goodness I am so sorry. I had no idea this could happen even in the homeschool community. I thought we could be immune to it. I guess in some ways I have seen this happen here and there in our current homeschool group but in general everyone (parents included) and a lot of the kids have been really accepting of my girls who are considered basic newcomers to homeschooling (their second year). A lot of the girls in this local group have been homeschooling for a long time so the parents knew each other since Pre-K/early elementary school. The boys have also been especially sweet.

[stripe]

I don't think it is also true to assume that all homeschoolers are academically more advanced than their schooled peers. Not all are and some teachers bias against homeschoolers is more because they have had kids that were educationally behind because they were homeschooled.

Indeed. And there are quite a few homeschooled kids who are behind, have special needs, have physical handicaps or difficult illness, and so forth, that may mean they are not geniuses or academic superstars. I had relatives who was pulled from school due to bullying; they became quite behind and ended up back at school, but enrolled in a private school.

Of the IRL homeschoolers I know, a large portion is significantly behind their ps peers. Of the high school age students in our group, mine are the only ones doing high school level math or science.

Scary. A large portion of the homeschoolers locally appear to be unschoolers. But I don't really meet many hs'ed kids in real life.

For the longest time, I was convinced that homeschooling was changing group dynamics favorably and would do away with bullying... until the large group of girls in our local group hit the pre-teens/early teens. The social interactions, name calling and bullying I can observe are on par with what happens in public school; it is only slightly worse because the mothers get involved and threaten each other.

Some neighbor kids of ours were alternately harassing my kids to go to school (saying how fun school is, how they can't learn at home, and so forth) and to go to church with them (not very veiled evangelizing). The parents are immigrants. My husband finally went to discuss things with their mother. Turns out the mother really wants to homeschool the kids and knows many members of her church who homeschool. That struck me as so funny. Anyway the kids have been somewhat improved since then and just play now. I did find it funny to have evangelical Christians making fun of my kids for being homeschooled. It isn't the stereotype, anyhow.

[happycc]

ETA: Can it be that you are thinking of a particular segment of the homeschooling community, so that you identify homeschooling with values close to yours? In that case, your kids' statement would make sense to me.

My DD has not encountered any homeschooler she would have much in common with,

 

 

My kids have gotten along with kids whose parents are fundamental Christians, light Christians, Unschoolers, Secular, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Well trained Miners etc. They play with anyone willing to play with them. I belong to a secular group and the kids play fine even though my kids go to church and Awanas. They play well with Christian kids whose parents refuses to place their kids in a charter school and allow gays in Boys Scouts. My experience has been the parent issues not the kids. The parents of these kids are the ones not allowing their kids to make friends with a variety of homeschoolers. My kids also play with schooled kids as well and they have access to these as well. I don;t stick with one group per se. I roam for my kids' sakes. I want them to meet all kinds of people and learn not to judge others and the way they do things. I explain to them the possibilities of why some parents may believe a certain way and to those people their beliefs are right to them. I also explain that a lot of these kids may believe the same as their parents but their beliefs may change. Goodness even my beliefs have change over the years about many things.(Ask my teens) So I tell them that a person may believe something now but who knows maybe in a few years they may believe something else or have a different opinion.

 

Rengentrue: Thank you so much for sharing with me about what you have experienced and seen. I learn something new everyday. Everyone else keep enlightening me. I really want to know what it is like to be homeschooled for homeschoolers and the teen/adult kids' views and such. What can homeschoolers offer to society that is different and special?

 

 

By the way can someone tell me how to quote other people? I have been copying and pasting but it doesn;t look as good as the way you guys do it.

[happycc]

What does IRL stand for? I am sorry postpartum is killing my brain.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

With MomatHWTK, I would be concerned if my children continued to see themselves as "homeschoolers" when they leave home for college or jobs. I'd be asking myself if this was some kind of a cry for help; if they needed a gap year to get more comfortable in the world before going out into it alone. Part of raising children is helping them to feel comfortable and at home in the diverse greater society, which process, in my opinion, should be mostly complete by the time high school is over. They should already have had lots of opportunities to be part of groups and play various roles in society before leaving home.

 

In young adulthood they should be navigating life as individuals and not retreating into artificial groups, ideally. I also agree with regentrude that any sort of "formerly homeschooled" college society would be a very artificial group, as homeschoolers are very, very different and individual. All it would be is an "I've never been to school before and I'm scared to death" group which unnecessarily assigns a helpless, vulnerable status or quality to former homeschoolers that might not prove helpful as they try to establish their maturity and competence on campus.

[Melissa B]

It would certainly be worth pursuing. I think the students that would join would be those that see 'homeschooler' as part of their identity. I doubt any of my children would be interested in joining. I know the older two would not. But, they don't look at themselves and see a 'homeschooler.' We don't have any negative school experiences. We don't relate all that well to the homeschool groups, although they are nice people. We are all about pop culture and my kids find their identities in other areas. Those are the areas in which they pursue friendships and group activities. For those that do identify as homeschoolers, a college group would likely be a good chance at friendship and support. I don't think it would be a cause for concern anymore than my kids joining a college group for Star Wars fans, left-handed athletes, etc. :)

[quark]

I don;t think the club should be based on what curriculum you have used or not but based on the fact that you were taught at home by your parents. I believe that is what homeschooling is rather than what particular curriculum you subscribe to...

 

I would never suggest a club in a college based on curricula they used as homeschoolers lol...sorry for not making that obvious. :laugh:

 

IRL stands for In Real Life.

 

You can quote others by clicking on the Quote button. The reply box will pop up with the person you are quoting's response already there and you can delete parts of their response that are not relevant to your reply.

[regentrude]

My kids have gotten along with kids whose parents are fundamental Christians, light Christians, Unschoolers, Secular, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Well trained Miners etc. They play with anyone willing to play with them. I belong to a secular group and the kids play fine even though my kids go to church and Awanas. They play well with Christian kids whose parents refuses to place their kids in a charter school and allow gays in Boys Scouts. My experience has been the parent issues not the kids.

 

 

I did not say my DD could not get along fine with other homeschoolers. I said she did not have anything in common that would make her seek them out above other people. (That, again, has nothing to do with homescholing per se, but more with the motivations of the families who choose to homeschool in our community.)

Being profoundly gifted and interested in intellectual pursuits beyond her age left her with no same age peers to share common interests. All her friends are 5+ years older, college students or graduates. She simply has never encountered a homeschooled teen with similar interests ("playing" is really not the thing anymore at age 15)

 

I really want to know what it is like to be homeschooled for homeschoolers and the teen/adult kids' views and such. What can homeschoolers offer to society that is different and special?

 

 

They can offer the same as publicly or privately schooled individuals: their individual gifts, interests, strengths.

I do not think that being hoemschooled per se makes them different or special.

 

By the way can someone tell me how to quote other people? I have been copying and pasting but it doesn;t look as good as the way you guys do it.

 

 

you need to hit the "Quote" button below the post you are replying to. This will paste the entire post into a window, and you can cut, or insert extra quote-marks to separate the text.

[happycc]

Yes I agree. Some of the unschoolers (Christians and not) are probably not giving their kids the best education possible in terms of the criteria of the standards and such. When my kids went to ps they said they were behind in somethings but ahead in other things. They told me that in terms of maturity of basic street smarts they were smarter but yet they didn;t know what the middle finger or fag meant. I remember one of the teachers said that your child(ren) really knows how to think through a (social) problem or something like that. My kids told me that the kids in school fought over some really petty stuff and that they were missing the bigger pictures of things.

 

Basic street smarts- I think when my son was about 9yrs old. My ex husband's house caught on fire and my son remembered something he watched on TV and ran and shoved the hose into the window to put out the fire while my ex husband who was a police officer was carrying buckets of water to the fire source and got smoke damaged lungs from doing that. I guess it is called Common sense rather than street smarts.

 

The older kids told me that they felt "dumber and lazier" after starting school even though they were catching up standards wise in some subject areas.

 

 

But I am HOPING that there are more parents who truly do care about their kids doing well academically in the future and try to keep them on par with the standards and expectations of society.

 

Otherwise then why would they want to homeschool? Just to be lazy?

[happycc]

I went to the Cal State East Bay Hayward site and they have some interesting groups...http://www20.csueast...tions/list.html...;bread and butter skateboarding club etc, Muslim club.

 

I know many people belonging to several clubs and met all kinds of people.

 

So why not a Homeschooled Club then?

[Jane in NC]

 

So why not a Homeschooled Club then?

Perhaps because it is a thing of the past. Most college students are not reliving high school. They are pushing onward and outward to a wider world of new ideas.

[regentrude]

I went to the Cal State East Bay Hayward site and they have some interesting groups...http://www20.csueast...tions/list.html...;bread and butter skateboarding club etc, Muslim club.

 

I know many people belonging to several clubs and met all kinds of people.

 

So why not a Homeschooled Club then?

 

Looking through the list of clubs, they seem to fall into two different basic types:

1.clubs for common interests and activities they do together: skateboarding, anthropology, dance etc.

2.clubs where the member share a deep, long lasting common identity: religion, or race. you don't "do" African American or Muslim, it is something at the core of your identity (if not, you would not use this as an indentifying feature to join a club)

 

For a student whose identity is strongly influenced by "having been homeschooled", maybe it is a good club.

But for many, their former schooling form is not the source of their identity. And those would have less of a desire.

Also, "having been homeschooled" is in the past. It is not current, it is not forward-looking. Is it good to draw one's identity from something that is no longer relevant? (yes, I assume there are also clubs for things from the past - victims of abuse etc- but they use the group as a help to overcome this identity.)

[regentrude]

But I am HOPING that there are more parents who truly do care about their kids doing well academically in the future and try to keep them on par with the standards and expectations of society.

 

Otherwise then why would they want to homeschool? Just to be lazy?

 

Lots of motivations for homeschooling I have encountered, that have nothing to do with academics:

dislike of institution "school"

belief in free learning/unschooling

special needs child

child with ADHD

bullying in school

desire to shield child from other world views

not seeing the need of a rigorous academic education for girls

 

None of those are lazy. All of them probably love their kids and truly care.

It just does not make academics their top priority.

[happycc]

Oh Regentrude....ok I get what is happening. Your child is profoundly gifted and that could affect how kids play.

 

My kids are just average. Two of them are pretty bright but average. One was in the county spelling bee but did not win first place.

They are 11yrs old and they like to play with blocks, pretend play and make homemade video on their video camera and write scripts.

They love to watch the show Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Journeymen, Chicago Fire etc. We also watch this Korean show with subtitles called The Virus. These shows we watch together and I explain a lot of the vocab and such to them. For example the word PE came up and they asked what that meant and I told them pulmonary embolism and explained it was a blood clot in the lungs and why it is dangerous and the type of treatment needed.

They also asked why this particular fire fighter was shunned for a bit and I explained that the truck crews thought he felt he was too good for them etc.

They also like to watch typical Disney show stuff as well. I don;t watch these very much because I just can;t stand them and I often don;t need to explain the vocab and such.

 

With friends, they just play pretend games (they are pretend they might be Native Americans or Pioneers-with walkied talkies hahah) and make homemade videos.

[Jane in NC]

When my son attended his first club fair on campus, I think he may have signed email lists for a dozen groups. Of course he did not have time to participate in that many! He was a fairly active member of the board game club as a first year college student. This was a social group--one night a week and one Saturday a month. But by the time the year was over, he found his true home with the Archaeology Colloquium (an academic club with some social events) and the Classics folks in general. He lives in the Classics suite, has lunch with Classics students and professors on a weekly or biweekly basis, etc. Several of his friends participate in the student run coffee house on campus. This is a service club of sorts but offers socialization.

 

Participants in the Classics or Archaeology group have a common academic interest. A lot of the board gamers were math/computer science people but the group consisted of a variety of people with a common social interest. This is also true of the coffee house group--wide variety of majors who seek a pleasant social setting.

 

Former homeschoolers might fit into any of these groups or not--depending on their personal interests. Again, this is living in the present and looking forward to the future. It has nothing to do with their former lives. Most college students want to leave high school behind them!

[happycc]

Hmmm but what about college recruitment. I remember our college was big in getting our little clubs helping in recruiting new college students. So the Asian American Club would go out and be involved with the Asian americans in the local high schools to get them become recruited etc. So wouldn;t a homeschool club want to help the local younger homeschoolers by providing a math/science club or something?

 

Ok I will try this out as an experiment...

I have been wanting to start a math and science club and I will make a flier to the local colleges nearby and see if any of the clubs would be interested in leading such a group for local homeschooled students.

Lets see what the response is. I emailed already and they said several groups would be interested and to make a flier to send to their student life and leadership dept. I wonder if any of the homeschooled students would come out of the woods.

 

I am dying to know. I will keep you posted if you are interested.

[Jane in NC]

Hmmm but what about college recruitment. I remember our college was big in getting our little clubs helping in recruiting new college students. So the Asian American Club would go out and be involved with the Asian americans in the local high schools to get them become recruited etc.

 

At my son's college, students volunteer to host prospective students during designated weekends. Anyone who wants to open his dorm room to a high school senior with a sleeping bag may do so. I don't know if any attempt is made to match students geographically or those with similar academic interests. When my son made the college rounds, he was hosted by young men from a variety of majors and places.

 

The WTM board has helped students network. One of our fellow posters has a son attending the same college as my son. When he and his mom visited the school, my son met up with them to answer any questions beyond the formal tour, admissions interview or faculty meetings they had. The connection between the two young men was made not so much because of the commonality of homeschooling but because of TWTM! Feeling a certain kinship with the other Mom, it was easy for me to ask a favor of my son and for my son to comply readily with an opportunity to sell the school he loves.

 

Sounds like you want to organize the homeschooling club. Most college clubs are organized by the students themselves. So if one of your gang wants to do it, they could try.

[stripe]

Former homeschoolers might fit into any of these groups or not--depending on their personal interests. Again, this is living in the present and looking forward to the future. It has nothing to do with their former lives. Most college students want to leave high school behind them!

 

Yeah, I've noticed a lot of joke threads on here about "You know you're a homeschooler when...." your kids quote stuff in Latin. Well, my dad studied Latin in school and so did I (for two years, no less! but all I remember is my teacher droning "amo-amas-amat" and "puela-puelae-puelae..."), but my homeschooled kids have learned nothing about Latin, so I don't even connect with that tiny assumption.

[Teachin'Mine]

I'm not understanding the need for a homeschool club ... in college. Homeschoolers are extremely diverse and I would think would more likely meet up with others "like them" more easily in other clubs. To me, college is the beginning of a new venture and homeschooling is in the past. No? College is the time for being in the present and looking forward and not living in the past.

 

If a homeschooled high school student is unsure about the transition to college, the time to best address that is while still in high school. Taking some college courses while in high school would definitely be helpful. Maybe the high school seniors in a homeschool group could get to know each other and stay in touch electronically while freshmen in university. Just some ideas.

 

ETA: I should have read some of the more recent posts as I see Jane has already expressed the same. I could have simply said "ditto". lol

[Belacqua]

Hmmm but what about college recruitment. I remember our college was big in getting our little clubs helping in recruiting new college students. So the Asian American Club would go out and be involved with the Asian americans in the local high schools to get them become recruited etc. So wouldn;t a homeschool club want to help the local younger homeschoolers by providing a math/science club or something?

 

 

 

Interesting thought. A young woman at a big state flagship did something similar to that. Having been homeschooled herself, she established a Homeschool Admissions Day at the college; homeschoolers (even those who don't plan to apply to that college) are invited to tour the campus, learn about writing essays, transcripts, etc.

 

But as for a group for former homeschoolers, I think I'm with the majority here. It seems to me that most college kids are eager to put their high school selves behind them. Hence the infamous Turkey Drop Syndrome (when high school couples who decided to stay together break up over Thanksgiving break, effectively ruining the holiday for everybody involved).

[happycc]

Wow ...my mind must think differently then...as all things I have studied in college was who you are presently and the future was formed from your past. How you got to the present was based on your past?

 

Maybe it was from all the Life span developmental psychology classes I took?

 

In my nursing classes, a person's habits was often based on what they watched and learned from their PAST.

 

People don;t learn more about themselves until they look at their pasts to understand their current choices and decisions.

 

In fact in one my kid's Kindergarten class was emphazing (spellng wrong I know) about making connections to what you read to something personal that happened to you in the past. I later learned the whole school was teaching something like this in personal response journals or something like that. I forget the word they used over and over again. Mind mapping or something like that.

 

Anyways my college professors also focused on the past too and making connections to help with learning and processing your experiences.

[Jane in NC]

Wow ...my mind must think differently then...as all things I have studied in college was who you are presently and the future was formed from your past. How you got to the present was based on your past?

 

Maybe it was from all the Life span developmental psychology classes I took?

 

In my nursing classes, a person's habits was often based on what they watched and learned from their PAST.

 

People don;t learn more about themselves until they look at their pasts to understand their current choices and decisions.

 

In fact in one my kid's Kindergarten class was emphazing (spellng wrong I know) about making connections to what you read to something personal that happened to you in the past. I later learned the whole school was teaching something like this in personal response journals or something like that. I forget the word they used over and over again. Mind mapping or something like that.

 

Anyways my college professors also focused on the past too and making connections to help with learning and processing your experiences.

 

Your insistence that we jump on the bandwagon with your idea is in itself fascinating.

 

Again, college club have two purposes: academic or social.

 

Yes, personal reflection is indeed part of growth, but personal reflection is not necessarily performed in an academic or social club. Personal reflection is not part of group think.

 

My son's homeschooling background is probably quite different from your college kid's background. If you asked him, he might say that homeschooling shaped him--as it certainly did. But off the cuff, my kid is more likely to tell you that he is a former 4-Her. In 4-H, kids learn by doing. This is his philosophy--he is a hands on kid. And while we incorporated hands-on in our homeschool, it is not a common denominator with all homeschoolers.

 

Further, my son did not seek out former 4-Hers at his college. Again, that is the past. Maybe over a cup of cocoa or a mug of beer, these things come out. But the common denominators now are his areas of study which does involve the Past. Not his personal past.

 

When he is old, gray and reflective, he can write his memoir on how homeschool shaped him. Now I'd rather he embrace life.

 

Have a good one.

[NCMom]

A homeschooled person would have values and beliefs that are held more closely to their family rather than to their peers or whatever is on TV shows etc. instead of pop culture. That would be the commonality.

 

But the values and beliefs held by their respective families would likely NOT be the same. People homeschool for a vast number of reasons, and from all races, religions, ethnicities and creeds. Homeschooling itself is accomplished in a myriad of ways, some so different than others that there is absolutely no comparison. If your college had any diversity at all then you would have a wide range of "homeschoolers" there.

 

I really don't see the commonality. I mean even within my tiny homeschool community here, once my kids hit a certain age they had as much in common with some ps kids as they did some hs kids. Friendships, once they moved out of the little kid stage, became based on interests and personalities (and to some extent proximity) but really not on educational choices, especially since most people don't homeschool high school here.

 

 

It would be more of "I am proud to be homeschooled and not ashamed and I am thankful for my parents for giving me that opportunity and making whatever sacrifices for that to happen."

 

My kids are not ashamed (and all would like to homeschool any children they have) but when polled all three were adamant that no way are they going to join a "homeschool" club in college. And my oldest is a die-hard homeschool fan, with a hs'ed best friend who attends the same school he does, lol.

 

 

Georgia

[Nan in Mass]

happycc- I don't have anything to offer to the discussion but I just wanted to tell you that you are living up to the happy part of your name. It makes me feel happy just to read your upbeat, optimistic posts. : )

 

Nan