Why I'm doing it

I have been told multiple times that I am crazy for wanting to home school. The other kids at school would ask what classes I am taking for the next year and I would tell them I'm not coming back and I will be home schooled. They would give me a weird look and just ask 'Why?' then proceed to tell me why I shouldn't and that I am crazy. This happened many times and even happened with some teachers. I don't care what any of them think. They probably won't even remember me in a few months anyway. I want the best education I can get. I knew I wasn't getting it at that school, so I decided to not go back for another year.

Growing up I always went to highly academic schools. I had a uniform and was taught well by teachers who cared. My parents always searched hard and thoroughly for a good school. I was always happy with my school, my teachers, and the students around me. When we moved to a different town hours away my parents didn't have the time to look for a new school while trying to move. They figured we would just go to the public schools and try it out. This would be my first time attending a public school. When my first day rolled around I was terrified. I was even more terrified as the day went on. I wasn't used to the environment that a normal public school has. I wasn't used to hearing curse words in every sentence, seeing people dressed so inappropriately, and seeing the rude behaviors off all the other students. I was mortified my first day and did not want to go back ever again. Unfortunately, I had to. I felt unsafe as I didn't trust the students around me. There were fights (which would have gotten an expulsion as my old schools) all the time like it was nothing. I eventually had to start carrying around a defense mechanism in my pocket as I found out some other kids carried around tasers.

 Later on, once I had gotten a bit comfortable, I realized that for the first time I had gotten a crappy teacher. We all know those teachers that clearly don't care and really couldn't care less about you or your grade. They teach in a bland way and just try to get the lesson done quickly so they can sit down. I didn't know what to do with this kind of teacher and I had no idea how to handle it. I payed attention carefully and took plenty of notes so I could reteach myself later. I had my share of bad teachers and I had my share of exceptionally good ones. The entire school year I just kept telling myself that if I stuck it out I wouldn't have to come back. The one thing that really irked me and really made me want to home school was a comment from one of my teachers. It was the end of the year and we were about to take the finals over the whole year. I am trusting that my teacher has taught me everything and has prepared me to study well and ace the test. Then the teacher says, "We haven't covered everything this year so there will some stuff on the final that you haven't been taught. Your education is your own doing so..." I was livid. I was so close to arguing with the teacher right there. I almost yelled out 'Then why are we here?'. I'm sure that would have gone well.

That comment right there is why I am doing this. That was the teacher. The person I spent an hour of my time with every day and even more when I came for some extra clarification during my own lunch break. If the person who is supposed to teach me basically says that my education is my own doing and technically not his job, then fine. I will make my education my own doing. I will teach myself at my own pace and in the very best way I can. I won't take your crappy lessons that no one understands anymore. I will give myself a better education.

I started hunting around for online schools. I looked at reviews and watched intro videos trying to decide which one I liked the best. I asked my sister what she thought of the online school she took a summer course from last summer. When she told me that she wasn't fond of it I crossed it off my list. I looked for a school that would let me go as fast as or as slow as I wanted and where I would teach myself everything. A school that may even offer some get togethers so I wouldn't start to get awkward. When I finally found  the school my dad and I liked the best i was excited and wished I could just start right away. Once the next school year started to approach I signed up for K12 and withdrew the crappy public high school.

This will be my first year home schooling and learning how to do it. I know it might take some time and personal disicpline to get used to. I know I may get bored and want to do something else. I know for a fact that I will be getting a better education and I will enjoy school a lot more. I do know that this will be better for me and for my education. I don't care if I have no social life or if I don't have many friends. After high school they won't matter to me anymore anyway. All that matters is my education and I will make it a good one. I know I will get a good education this way, where a teacher is just back up and I don't have to count on them to teach me what I need to know. People still think I am crazy, but I know I doing what is best for my education. I think they are crazy for staying at a school that doesn't teach properly and they constantly complain about the sucky teachers. I know this is the right choice and I'm not going to let anyone change my mind.