Writing assignment: 500 words on major turning points in your life. What changed? Why were they turning points? How did they take place?
My major turning point in life was significant: transitioning from public school to homeschooling. Back in public school, each day was basically Groundhog Day. I would wake up, eat breakfast, shower, and brush my teeth. Then my mom would drop me off, and I’d endure classes until the bell rang. I often got home feeling like I had learned nothing and wasted my day. Eventually, I just felt burned out and tired of public school.
By the time summer came around, I wasn’t thinking much about school, but my parents definitely were. Toward the end of summer, we talked about trying homeschooling, and it sounded like a promising idea. My parents wanted me to learn more than what public school offered and to build a strong foundation for life. They decided to file the paperwork and get me ready for homeschooling. We chose the Ron Paul curriculum because of its approach to education and beliefs about how schooling should be done.
I love the switch, especially being around my family while learning. At first, homeschooling felt strange not having to rush out the door for something that felt meaningless. But within a few weeks, I loved it. I could get up at the same time and finish all my work in about half the time it took in public school. I loved being able to learn at my own pace without feeling rushed. If I didn’t understand something, I could re-watch the videos as many times as I needed or ask my parents for help. I found I was able to learn much faster and more effectively with this curriculum.
It is about 50% video, 25% reading, and 25% writing. The only class that is different is math. It is usually a combination of video lessons, daily homework, and marking period tests. This gave me a lot of extra time after school to focus on things like gym, art, music, and other hobbies.
Switching from public school taught me a lot. I learned that learning doesn’t have to happen in a classroom; it can happen right at home. I am growing so much more than I ever could in public school. Homeschooling is teaching me not only the subjects I need to learn but also important real-life skills like public speaking, basic economics, and, most importantly, time management. I’ve learned that this curriculum really helps academically. My brother followed this curriculum from 9th grade to 12th grade. He earned honors in his first semester of college and made the president’s list, showing that this change was one of the most important not only in my life but also in my brother’s.
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