Elevator Speech
June 2nd, 2006
There’s much I need to be doing to prepare for the next year of homeschooling, but it is not going to happen until next week. But in the meantime…
Yesterday I ran into an old LLL friend. She asked my youngest (almost 4) where she goes to school. I remarked that we are still homeschooling. She said, “Well, I’m starting a new Montessori school!” I’m sure she’s probably just excited about her new venture, but I had the feeling that she was implying that I was homeschooling because I hadn’t yet found the right school.
How perfect would a school have to be for me to consider school over homeschool? I can’t even imagine. Though I’m exhausted by the end of the day, I love spending my days with my kids. Perhaps if there were a local (no drive) part-time school with awesome teachers and great kids, I would consider it. I bet if I thought long enough, I’d figure out a huge lists of cons for it though.
This brought me to the question “WHY am I homeschooling?” I have a huge list of reasons, but I’d like to condense it and have a little speech at the ready instead of stumbling and mumbling through my list. This is my challenge for the weekend. I can spend time next week looking up supporting facts for my surely bulletproof reasons.
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5 Comments Add your own
1. COD | June 2nd, 2006 at 9:31 am
I’ve thought about coming up with an elevator speech several times, and always return to the central point that I really don’t owe anybody an explanation. When I occasionally get pressed, I go with something snarky like “Because I can,” which makes it clear that I’m not getting into a debate about my choices.
2.
moonshadows | June 2nd, 2006 at 9:45 am
I’m not talking about explaining my choice to those who are hostile regarding homeschooling. I want something concise to say to those people who are truly interested in learning something more about it. I don’t need to defend my choice, but I do see a benefit in “evangelizing”. The more homeschooling is understood and respected by those who have not yet formed a definite opinion, the better!
If this friend thought that people homeschool only for lack of school choice and I let her know other reasons, perhaps she would then have a broader outlook on why people homeschool.
3. John Thomas | June 3rd, 2006 at 11:35 am
Possibly you could refer to statistics showing that before compulsary governmental schooling, literacy rates in America were vastly higher than now. Or you could refer to other relevant information about how homeschooling is so far superior, both in terms of education and learning, but also in terms of social development, independent-thinking skills, etc. If you haven’t read it, John Taylor Gatto has a book you can read online at his site (http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/) that gives a lot of compelling information as to why an enforced-structure school “system” is bad for kids.
(Sorry if I’m telling you things you already know. This is my first time reading your blog.
- John
4. Imperfect Genius » &hellip | June 19th, 2006 at 2:21 am
[…] Moonshadows welcomes pointers on conjuring up an Elevator Speech and seethes over a blogger who adds fuel to the Mommy Wars. […]
5. Stephanie | June 19th, 2006 at 10:16 am
My elevator speech is “Because I love the freedom”. This encompasses just about everything for me. The freedom to let my kids learn on a timetable that is right for them, freedom from the school schedule…we can wake up on our own schedule, eat on our own schedule, take vacations when we want. I have the freedom to decide what and when my kids will learn and the freedom to let them follow their own interests. And if something is not working, I have the freedom to change what we are doing without having to get teachers, principals and specialists to approve it.
The freedom homeschooling brings really is why we do this.
~Steph
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