Being used to live in two different countries, I have spent most of my primary and high-school life as a homeschooled student. Here are some answers to the frequently asked questions I have been hearing for quite a while now.
"Why were you homeschooled?"
As the result of a French-Filipino union, I had the occasion to travel between Europe and Asia. I have been in ordinary schools before, whether they were in France or in the Philippines. The main problem was the language as I often needed to switch from French to English, which might be confusing for a child. My father kept in mind to give my siblings and I the French education. The most hassle-free solution was to homeschool us.
"Did you have any friends?"
Yes, I have heard that question being countlessly asked to me before, especially during my teenage years. I have met 2 of my dearest and closest friends through the homeschool online forum when I was 11 years old. We occasionally see each other but have been entertaining a long distance friendship most of the time, due to geographical constraints. Aside from that, yes, I still had friends who lived close to me, some I have met when I was at school, others during summer holidays or even just neighbours. One thing to keep in mind is that the fact that I was studying at home did not mean that I was alone.
"Did your education fit the requirements?"
My school was a national French program that had been approved by the government. I bascially had the same subjects as my little compatriots, except that I was just thousands of miles away from them. Plus, I had to read a lot more, which was a bonus for grammar and spelling.
"So you can study whenever you want to?"
It all depends on how you define "whenever you want to". Homeschooling requires discipline. I used to wake up from Monday to Friday at the same time and start my lecture at 8 or 9 in the morning. I then had lunch at noon, went back to work at 2:00 and finished around 4 or 5 in the afternoon.
If I needed to summarise my homeschool experience, I would consider myself satisfied with my education. It allowed me to be more independent and focused on my work. There were some moments when it was really hard for me. I would like to mention that my parents were very much involved in my homeschooling. Everything I have achieved was mostly due to their hard work. Homeschooling requires constant sacrifice, discipline and support. You cannot leave a child in front of a textbook and expect them to learn that way. Homeschooling demands a lot of hard work from students and parents (or tutors).
There is no secret for success, a time to sow and a time to reap !
