5 Things Public School Taught Me

Hi guys!

Sorry this is a day late, my parents are in Mexico this week (jealous!), and I'm helping my Aunt Arielle watch my siblings and her kids. Its been super busy.

So, this past week alone, I spent all day learning songs for the District Honor Choir and then performing them the next day. We did five fantastic songs, the first of which was called "Alfred". It was a cute little vocal warm up song that we decided to open with. The second was called "Zion's Walls", that was an epic song. I really enjoyed it. Third up was "Set Me As a Seal", based upon the famous verses in Song of Songs. It was a truly gorgeous song. Fourth was "Veniki" a classic Russian tongue-twister about Brooms. And last, but certainly not least, was "Letter From a Girl To The World". I definitely recommend listening to all of these, but especially "Letter". I also quit school. I've had some anxiety, issues with friends, and, well, it's really time consuming. So I pulled out. Plus, we love to travel and the powers that be at RRHS probably wouldn't be happy if I was gone for a few days every other week.

So, in light of the past few months, I thought I'd share a few things Public School taught me.

1. True Christian teenagers are a dying breed.
This is a little sad, but it's true. Most of the people who I met that claimed to be Christians didn't live that out. Sometimes, that included me. When everyone around you is different, its hard to stay strong. I still held on to the big things, like refusing to take part in crude humor, or dating, and things like that, but the small things quickly evaporated. I've heard all my life about ways to reach out and show Jesus to my school friends, but as soon as I began to go, it all disappeared from my head. And, its sad to say, the very girl who I thought could be a good Christian friend to me, turned into a drama-prone friend who refused to be there for me.

2. Real friends will care if you're uncomfortable.
Most people, even my "friends", really enjoyed making me uncomfortable with their crude humor and other subjects that shouldn't be discussed in public. But the people who were really my friends- even if those things didn't bother them- would refrain from those subjects and ask others to stop on my behalf when I was to embarrassed to show my face, much less say anything. There were only two, maybe three, people who would do that for me, and I know I'll keep in touch with them because they were real friends.

3. School Dances are NOT the place for Christian Homeschoolers.
I  went to homecoming, and while I had a good time, it was NOT the dance that provided it. First off, I can't dance AT ALL, much less dirty dance. I should've thought it through, OF COURSE there would be dirty music and dirty dancing. OF COURSE. I happened to make a friend and hang out with him at the dance, but that dance was an experience I could've lived without. There, I learned exactly why I didn't fit in, and for about 20 minutes I was lonely and miserable. Thankfully there was a half-decent guy there willing to talk to me, so I had a nice time, but I'm never going to another Public School dance as long as I live.

4. It is a blessing to be so sheltered.
I was BY FAR the most sheltered kid in school and boy am I proud of it. I have my pride, innocence, sanity, and dignity (mostly) in tact. I never made an enemy, not even a person who slightly disliked me, and nearly everyone loved me (not to be prideful). But I owe all of that to the kind person my parents raised (and sheltered) me to be. I haven't lived a life totally free of hardship, but those experiences helped me grow into a person that I am proud to be. I have been sheltered, more than most I know, but I have also had experiences (with and without my parents' blessing) that have helped me know that my parents' rules and decisions were for my good. I can live without watching R rated movies- gore, blood, ghosts, demons, and the like I am much, much, better without- and the other reason movies are rated R, everyone can live without (just to be clear, I have NEVER seen an R rated movie). This applies to everything from not going to Public School to not dating until I'm 16. My parents know what they're doing, even when I don't.

5. A one-size fits all learning system is not the best way to grow intelligent, productive members of society.
Time is so wasted in public schools. They spend too long in a class that does not have time for the teacher to focus only on them and help them. There is little time left for socializing, growing skills schools do not teach, and figuring out what you want to do, after the long school days and endless mounds of homework. Students have to wake up at 6:30 in the morning at the absolute latest, be in 1st period by 7:15, end school at 2:30, do extra curricular activities for hours, go home, eat dinner, and do homework until midnight. And some people do more extra curricular activities BEFORE school. I don't know about you, but I think time is wasted at school big-time. And I, personally, enjoy having time for hobbies and social activities on weekdays.

I learned so much at school, much more than I can think of to put here. I would do it again, but I am glad its over. I kind of need those five hours back.

Love, Kate!

P.S. In case you were wondering, I really am a teacher's pet :)