I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but I’ve been rather shy about talking about my intention to home-educate Fisher with people I know or just meet. I realize that I’m worried about being discouraged in the face of my own slight uncertainty about taking on as huge a responsibility as educating my own kid. I’m also worried that I’m too radical in my opinions of modern schooling, even though I know this insecurity stems mostly from my own “follow the rules” kind of upbringing. And I can’t even imagine what my parents, who have already started an RESP for Fisher (which will come in handy if he chooses to go to university, and I hope he does), will have to say about yet another unexpected and unsubstantiated (in their minds) decision I’ve made about my life, and about Fisher’s.
But I have found bits of courage here and there, and when pressed about where I hope to send Fisher for school, I have been honest and told many people the truth about my plans for unschooling my son. And I am very happy and relieved to report that the support (after the awe has waned) for my choice has been quite overwhelmingly positive. I mean, we’re not living in the mid-20th century where the very idea of learning at home would have been far more foreign to mainstream, institution-fearing parents and leaders. And I’m fortunate enough to be taking part in an ever-expanding movement that is at the very least tolerated by my government and public school system. So, as it turns out, I may not be so crazy after all, given the feedback I’ve gotten from the people with whom I discussed the issue.
Even friends who don’t have children have thought my decision to be wise. Even friends who are professional teachers (a group I’ve been especially hesitant to speak with about home-education because of their chosen career) have been very encouraging, acknowledging that the system they work in is far from ideal.
So today, after having discussed Fisher’s likely future course of self-education with another group of people, I decided that in order to infuse some confidence in my choices, I needed to talk about it with a lot less reserve and apprehension. I now know whom I can turn to when I’m unsure about my intention to unschool Fisher, but I also can gain confidence in myself by explaining my perspective to others. With practice I’ll also be able to find the best answers to the questions I’m asked, which will in turn re-affirm the feelings that brought me to this position in the first place.
So now I’m coming out of the unschooling closet, and I’m set to really put the wheels in motion for Fisher’s “unusual” education.
