Navigating Education Choices throughout Life

I’ve spent considerable time thinking about the different types of education and their benefits, and I believe that no single system is perfect; each brings unique strengths and challenges. My experience includes both homeschooling and the public school system: I was homeschooled from kindergarten through the start of sixth grade, then transitioned to public schools. After attending my local middle and high school, I went on to a public state university. Public school introduced me to diverse literature, cultures, and opportunities that would have been harder to find in a homeschool setting. The academic rigor of my high school prepared me well for college and for self-directed learning beyond graduation. Importantly, meeting students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and practicing different religions also prepared me for the real world.

Reflecting on my journey, I feel strongly that I got the best of both worlds. Early on, I spent more time with my parents, learning independently and nurturing a love of learning in subjects I enjoyed. I fondly remember roaming the library and reading stacks of books about different eras of history. I first learned about the boarding school era in Native American history from a book I checked out at the local library. When I went through a period of fascination with whales, I watched every available documentary on the subject through an educational streaming service my mom had found, which was free for homeschoolers. We visited museums during the week and saw where historical events had occurred. Learning came to life in ways that I never could have from a textbook. As I matured, I attended schools better suited to older students, preparing me for adulthood. I interacted with teachers and students I didn’t like, which taught me to navigate difficult relationships—an important life skill. Now, as I consider future options for my own children, I don’t see a perfect model and notice issues with each approach.

Continuing through public school, I remember fondly the books in middle and high school that opened my imagination. In seventh grade, we read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, which introduced me to short stories in a new way. Words began to make me feel more deeply. In eighth grade, we studied the play based on Anne Frank’s diary and watched the movie, experiences that seemed a rite of passage in the American education system. High school included works like The Crucible, one of my favorite pieces of fiction, as well as advanced history and civics courses. In Comparative Government, we explored how countries structure governments differently from ours. Throughout my time as a student, my teachers were masters at their craft and wonderful to behold.

Private school always seemed like a way to avoid real-world problems. While I never attended one, I occasionally visited for state meetings and always noticed how clean and beautiful the facilities were compared to my high school. Despite feeling envious of their environment and opportunities, I also believed private schools sheltered students from certain realities. This raised questions about their exposure to challenges like fights or lockdown drills. Over time, however, I recognized that privilege offers only so much protection, and I grew frustrated by their apparent ease in gaining admission to universities. I also wondered if students at such institutions had to confront the complex realities highlighted in public education. For example, in seventh grade, a classmate of mine was in foster care, a situation I didn’t understand at the time, as he often failed his classes. Experiences like this made me aware of the economic and social realities I encountered because public education serves everyone. Later, when speaking with college peers from private schools, I often wondered whether they had witnessed the same suffering among classmates.

The dark side of homeschooling concerned me even more. While many families were wonderful, some used homeschooling to hide abusive behaviors. I support recent measures to regulate it and prevent abuse. However, my early social experiences—interacting mainly with highly religious families—fed my childhood anxiety because I came from a nonreligious background. Some families provided well-rounded education, but not all did. Books like An Education by Tara Westover show homeschooling’s risks when abuse and extremism go unchecked. Another complexity is that homeschooling often requires a parent to leave the workforce. I now enjoy my work, and I know that continuing to work after motherhood will be stabilizing for my mental health. Weighing these perspectives, I now sit with each model, unsure which has fewer problems or will be the better choice when the time comes. Yet, I do know that even having any choice is a privilege—a privilege that the majority do not have.

I feel torn about many aspects of the public school system. I know that keeping large classrooms full of children orderly and calm is a large task. At the same time, I wish there were more time for free play. The average public school recess is only about half an hour, yet it’s often said that humans need at least an hour of exercise a day. Many children need more physical activity, and sitting still so much is not conducive to learning. One of my favorite parts of being homeschooled through elementary school was being able to be physically active and play outside as much as I wanted. Being able to explore creeks at nature centers and swinging in the backyard without a time limit brought me immense joy. When I entered public school at the beginning of sixth grade, I was either on grade level or slightly ahead in all subject areas. Just because I had spent less time inside sitting still with school books didn’t mean I hadn’t learned what was necessary to be ready for middle school.

While I did love my high school, the emphasis it placed on doing well on standardized tests bothered me. We were taught how to write essays so we could pass a state writing test, and then the administrators could brag about how well the school did compared to other schools in the district. Uniformity was the goal, and fitting one mold of success was praised. The model of success was being a state-winning athlete in some sport, taking an AP course, and earning excellent test scores. I found it demoralizing that even though I worked hard academically and was involved in extracurricular activities at school that I enjoyed, administrators didn’t seem to care that I existed. It felt like they only cared about the students who made them look good. If you weren’t going to be a jewel in their crown, they weren’t interested in you.  It would have been nice if the trades had been elevated and other non-college post-secondary pathways. Seeing only one kind of success praised as a teenager was depressing. I felt that if I didn’t fit that mold, my life wasn’t going to be enjoyable. The fears I had as a teenager that the assistant principals and administrators could see things about my future that I couldn’t have turned out to be unfounded. I would have liked more versions of success to have been celebrated and shown, so that everyone could find a role model.

The goal of education is to prepare a child to become a successful adult and, in my opinion, to be a lifelong learner. I’m still trying to dive into new subjects and keep my mind sharp. I have been learning about Cahokia and the pre-Columbian Native American civilizations. The artwork, pottery, architecture, and legends of these people have fascinated me since childhood. I’ve been slowly learning about archaeology, and recently learned about the city of the jaguar, which was found in rural Honduras. I still consider myself a student, and I hope to always be one. As a child, I spent a lot of time learning about history, marine biology, and reading books that interested me. As an adult, I still enjoy history, but I’ve tried to learn more about world history and about cultures that are not so male and white-dominant. Learning about cultures that are different from the one in which I’ve grown up is more interesting. I also spend a lot of time learning about healthcare management, healthcare informatics, and how AI will impact these areas. I am often overwhelmed by the amount of information and subjects I want to learn. I have often thought that I could go to college forever and never learn everything I wanted. I would love to have the time to take history courses and social work courses. Since there is no such thing as limitless time, I can only do my best to learn new things with the time I have. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what I want from the rest of my formal and informal education. I plan to attend graduate school in the fall and am weighing different options, balancing professional goals with personal ones. This balancing act is similar to the one I know my parents had to do when it came to making educational decisions for my siblings and me. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks. Making an informed decision is the best one can hope for. I know that no matter what I do, I will always love learning.