Wow! We have a lot in common! I'm a homeschooler too (well, I go to a resource center), and I'm doing a University Model class which is pretty tough. I do 4-H too! We have chickens and rabbits and my two little goaties! Taking resource center highschool classes has been pretty hard (my mom says I lock myself in my room all day, which is mostly true), but at least I get to sleep in a little longer then some kids! I love my resource center SO MUCH! We do formal debates, which are very fun and exciting. It's a standard thing for a lot of kids, but it's a HUGE DEAL for me, especially when I get to be the spokesperson or a judge. We have these cards with all the fallacies on them, and I nicknamed them furbles. 

I do not like it when people assume that homeschoolers have less work to do than people who chose other options. I once heard someone say, "my brother's homeschooled, and all he has to do is a page of work before he's done, so I do way more work than you and you're not so busy." That's not true. Sometimes, I have so much work that I hardly get time to exercise, hang out with my fam and the animals, or help out on the farm on a difficult week. We have just as 9much work as kids who go to public or private school. After all, we wouldn't be allowed to homeschool if it wasn't a legit ammount of work.

School is school. We all just have different ways of learning.  

Oh I know! Along with people hearing that I am Home Schooled, they, even my wonderful piano teacher, have said, "You don't go anywhere at all in the week, so you can do this and this and this, and oh why not this. I expect you to be there." I have a life, people, like I already said. That last sentance you wrote is so true.

I have pets, too! Lots of chickens, a fluffy cocker spaniel dog, and my old, old cat named Kitty! (She is currently snuggled in the laundryroom, trying not to freeze to death.)

Agatha says 'tthx'. Thanks for what?

I'm homeschooled too! i have never actually met anyone with that prejudice (i think) but i know it exists. what i find more annoying is the (Rant alert!) "homeschoolers don't have any friends" thing. the truth is, i have a ton. really i only have a few close friends (about four), but i have about 50 others that i can think of, and others that i don't know quite as well. and then there's the CB!

and then there's the "homeschoolers aren't as smart as public schoolers" thing. SO. TOTALLY. NOT. TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *out of breath from yelling*   we just aren't submitted to the tortures of public school. like, for example: Detention.  Bullys. Lockers. Locker rooms (they've always horrified me.). END RANT! *starts hyperventilating because i let the entire rant out with one breath* 

~Catsclaw 

I can't write much right now. Because of time and mental stability, but here is my two cents on the subject.

I've been homeschooled all my life and totally love it. I strongly believe that there isn't just one way to learn, but many. Lots of kids don't learn well in school. There are so many ways to learn and often times teachers don't explore other ways to teach. They give you tests and huge stacks of paperwork (which I get plenty of anyway, but that isn't the point), and lots of kids learn better with hands on classes. 

Another thing about homeschooling that I love is that I can build my own curriculum and structure my life around my other things. (Such as work and life). Also, on another note, homeschooling has offered me SO MANY opportunities. I had a part time job as a manager in a miniature horse breeding farm when i was eleven! And I learned SO MUCH! I could NEVER have learned all that I learned sitting at a desk while a teacher jabbered on about things that I didn't care about. Also, people learn much better when they care about what they are learning about and homeschooling gives you a lot more room for that, which means that we can learn just as well if not BETTER than public schoolers. 

Oh. My. Gosh! I know people like that too, and they always say 'Homeschoolers are so stupid.' 'Homeschoolers can't learn right.' 'Ewww, they must be homeschooled because something is wrong with them.' I hate it! First off they have no right to say that. And second off, how the heck do they know? Granted, I shouldn't be saying that because I've never gone to school. However this will change. In 10th grade I plan to take a class at public school. (Part of me is dreading it, the other part is really looking forward to it). A few months ago, I had a lady (who I love to pieces I might add) say to my face. 'The difference between homeschoolers and public schoolers is public schoolers are taught to care about school and homeschoolers aren't taught anything.' (I don't remember word for word, but that is pretty much it.) 

One thing I don't like about homeschooling is that I don't have a ton of friends, and it is hard to find friends. However, I have been lucky. I have some really amazing homeschooled friends who I love to peices. I also know a few annoying people...which is why I said earlier that about my mental stability. Nah, they're cool. Just annoying. And then I have all you wonderful CBers! :D 

Anyway, that was such a confusing rant. 

Yes, I love homeschooling. No, I'm not going to talk your ear off any more than I have. ;)  

OH! Before I go, one more thing to rant about -- My friend/person I know/cousin who isn't related to me.../i don't know what to call him... Anyway, this dude I know is always teasing me about how I must 'Do school in my PJs' IT IS SO ANNOYING! 

Ah. Moving on. 

I love that homeschooling gives you more freedom to be who you want to be and to do what you want. Where as public school (switching to parents view here) you're letting your kid be taught by people who you hardly know and who you don't know if you believe what they do, so therefor you're letting your kids be taught somehtings you may (or may not,) want them to believe. Public shcoolers minds could be warped from a parent's point of view! 

Anyway, I really don't mean to offend anyone or hurt anyones feelings. This is a subject I'm very passionate about. I hope ya'll understand. :) Love ya! <3 

Homeschooler here! I have been homeschooled all my life, and loving it. I don’t know about y’all, but it’s absolutely amazing waking up at nine or ten every morning, except of corse, science class. I have any real struggles, and as to my future, well, I don’t know. Id love to be a artist, or maybe an archeologist. I’m hopefully going to LU (Liberty University) for art. But, plans can change. As for homeschooler stereotypes and prejudice, I’ve never ran into prejudice, and I love homeschooling stereotypes. Their awesome. Sometimes, I even make my own homeschooler jokes up! But yeah, being homeschooled is awesome. 

I love being homeschooled! It gives me more time to read, athough I have had several threats saying to take away my reading time, because that's what I do all day. 

Hoiya!

WARNING: extremely long Icy-style post ahead 

I've been homeschooled all my life, excluding preschool. I love the freedom and time spent with my family, and it also gives me opportunities to pursue my dreams (acting and singing). I get more time on Cricket, and I wouldn't have won NaNoWriMo if I weren't homeschooled. It's awesome, and I get to chase more of my goals. 

I enjoy history, and I get to do more History lessons and learn more about history than just one class each day (I understand this may not be the case for a few public schooled people, and apologize for generalizing. However, I might be right when I say the majority takes only one history class per day).

However, I'm going to be a bit of a bad cop here.

Before you read on, you're going to have to understand that I'm not writing these things about homeschooling simply to condemn it. I'm not writing this to say that public school is better than homeschooling. Both methods of schooling have their ups and downs.

I'm writing this to point out that, while homeschooling has it's amazing advantages, it's also a little crushing.

I act with a community youth theater full of incredibly talented kids and teens in an age range of 8-18. I take no other enrichment classes (not since they sent my brother to Highschool). My friends are there, since I don't leave the house other than to take those classes, and for the occasional trip to the park. But I digress. 

During the periods of time where I choose not to audition for plays (the auditions are right after the shows of a previous season, giving me no time to rest, or a show attracts too large of an audition crowd for my liking), I'm practically alone in the universe. I spend my time with online friends. I'm at home alone for about three hours each schoolday when my mom drives to pick up my brother from highschool.

I began to develop some sort of odd Anxiety/social anxiety (I'm assuming the cause is my homeschooled and antisocial past), and panic. I took quizzes on a safe site online to see if I have anxiety, but half/most of the questions all involved School scenarios, so I still have no idea if I really have social anxiety or not, even though I experience the sensations and symptoms constantly.

I found myself friendless. When my online friends have to log off, or when I'm going through a rough patch or two with them where I'm terrified to say the wrong thing and distance myself from them, I'm left utterly alone in the house, no theater friends to go to.

So homeschooling does leave some people friendless, and others with odd phobias and social anxiety. It's not perfect.

However, I wouldn't be able to fit in in a public-school element. I'm not good at the whole 'social' thing and turn to the community of lovely, amazing, talented, creative, and so kind CBers when I feel I need to vent or just chat.

This is the part where I admit I'm graduating Homeschooling this year. I'm turning fourteen in August, and then I'll be heading off to 'real' highschool in fall and plunge into the unknown world of socializing. 

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Homeschooling has its many quirks (I've personally experienced no discrimination, except for one comment of "You poor thing" just once) and small issues, and so does school. But Homeschooling is the best option for me, and I would recommend it to people who feel that they aren't fitting in with the public school scene or want to go at their own pace.

End overly-long-rant-post! 

I'm homeschooled. I've heard of many of these prejudices, and are and have been many as well. Beware. This post may be long.

"Homeschoolers aren't as smart."--I have never met anyone who said that. I feel I've been pretty lucky. But I know it's around. Honestly, if anyone ever said that, I'd say: "Oh yeah? Well did YOU know (insert my random obscure fact of the day)?"

"Homeschoolers do schoolwork in their pajamas."--Oh my Chatterbox, I get this one so much! I go to a dance studio, and no one else there is homeschooled.. So their constantly having conversations about school, and I just won't say anything until the conversation is over. Then I'll say, "Wow, whiners much?" (It's a tease me and my friends do, I'm not being mean ;) The thing that annoys me though is normally they'll give me a look back and be like, "Well yeah, except you do schoolwork in your pajamas and don't wake up til noon." NOT TRUE. I have a friend who is homeschooled. They live on a farm. My friend wakes up at 5. Daily. And starts school at 7. So...get over yourselves. XD

"Well, you're homeschooled, so you can do anything you want, since you don't have that much work."--I get this and all the variations of it ALL. THE. TIME. This is NOT true. At my house we don't start school until 10:30, 11:00, although we are trying to start closer to 9. But there are some days where we  start at 9:30 and I'm STILL not finished all my schoolwork by 5!! Plus add in: Violin classes, dance classes, performances, competitions, volunteering at the library, and my for fun stuff (drawing, sewing, gaming) there is NO WAY THAT IS TRUE.

"Homeschoolers all switch at high school" and/or "Homeschoolers don't go to college."-Absolutely not true. I'm about to go into freshman year and I'm not switching to a public school. And of course I plan on going to college! One of the biggest things that annoys me about this bias is that everyone is always like "Yeah, but you're switching to public for high, right?" And I have to tell them "No, actually, I'm not going anywhere public until college." THEN they'll give me the down-the-nose Vyolette mentioned.

"Homeschoolers don't have (and/or) aren't in enough extras to have friends."--No one has ever said this to me. But unfortunately, I fit it. Not the second, but the first. One of my best friends recently left the dance school, I don't have a "best friend" and I have 3 other friends my age that I am desperate inside to keep as long as possible. One of them has already broken off. We didn't fight or anything, but I can tell. It is almost like she thinks lowly of me, although I don't know why. The other two are fine with me right now, but they...well... I don't mean any of this to sound mean or like I'm talking behind they're backs, by the way. I'm very appriciative. But, most of the time, I will be..."left out" or "forgotten". This happens everywhere, not just with my friends. That leads me right into:

"Homeschoolers are quiet" and/or "Homeschoolers aren't assertive."--True for me, heh heh... I defiently have problems with that, and honestly (this is going to sound super weird, and I don't have any backing evidence yet, but), I think that might come from not having many friends. Not having a true support system could influence that, because I'm constantly finding myself not saying this or overlooking that just to "fit in." Really, I'm a very observant and trustworthy person, but I feel other kids (not so much adults, but kids especially ones my age) have trouble seeing that and/or are taught that is bad. But my brother is extremely talkative and assertive, and sometimes we have to tell him. "(Insert his name,) STOP TALKING AND BREATHE." XD Or "This isn't your conversation!"

"Homeschoolers are all mathematical."--Absolutely NOT TRUE. I absolutely despise math, just as many others who are in public schools. For some reason though, when I tell people I'm homeschooled, the first question they ask is normally "What's your favorite subject?" And I'll say, "Hmm, that's a tricky question! I like almost everything creative. Art, writing..." and I'll trail off to yet another dtn (down-the-nose) look. I intend to at least minor in creative writing in college, if not major.

"Homeschoolers all know exactly what they want to do in life, and it's science/mathematical."--Similar to the question above, this is absolutely not true. I do actually have a...well, I'm not sure what you would call it, but I'm going to call it a disorder, even though that's probably clinically incorrect. So I do actually have a disorder called Multipotentiality. This means I'm...drawn to and are very talented in many areas of life. (Disclaimer: not meant to sound like bragging) With my case, there's: Gaming, dance, violin, art, reading, writing, och! The list goes on and on. But the fact that I'm not...well, not talented in any of these areas doesn't help me with college. For example, I know I want to go for some degree in creative writing, but I can't make a living off of that. That's a large problem with me: I like too many things that don't...bring in the dough, as it were.

I really dislike many of the homeschooler biases that have somehow been thrust upon homeschoolers. Honestly, it's hard enough to make friends nowadays, we don't need the biases too.

None of this was meant to sound discouraging to ANYONE--homeschoolers NOR the multiple people I've talked about here. Sorry I ranted for so long lol. Sorry to you too admins xD. 

-Inktail 

YES! I knew there were more of us out their! Yeah, I also sometimes experience that whole 'Oh my gawsh you must be, like, sooooo innocent/dum/sheltered, wow, like, get a life maaan' AND I REALLY dislike it. Seriously.

I mean, just because I/we don't swear (Seriously I meet a lot of people who are schooled who swear-but I've also met a lot of people who go to school who are really nice, so I'm not sure if I just meet a lot of people who like swearing) and are marginally polite doesn't mean I'm 'innocent' also, by the way people, Innocent does not always mean that we don't know the 'ways of the world' it just means that we may not necessarily participate in the sometimes-rether-ugly 'ways of the world'. Really. 

I also really dislike it when people are..... how shall I put it delicately? When people are condescending. Like they think I'm dum just because I'm homeschooled. It's like they're trying to be nice but think that I am five years old and cannot read the dictionary. (Actually I do read it, but you know how much of a PAIN it is to look in a foot-thick Oxford Dictionary and take an HOUR to find what 'surrsurus' means? Wait, not sure if I spelled that right. One moment. *Starts thumbing through the Dictionary*)

Also, Fun Fact, did you know that if you combine two Oxford Dictionaries into one book, it's big enough to kill someone? And it's literally two feet thick? Just a small pointer for those of us likely to try to murder someone and is on short supply of murderous weapons.

... 

Just kidding! I hope you knew that. Sorry that turned into a rant and then turned into a rather dark Fun Fact.