Some Thoughts Concerning Homeschooling, on Olivia's Graduation

I & L,

J'ellen Yeatts asked how the graduation was. I dropped a few 'tea-time' words and then thought that some more thought would be in place. I share the following just now. (See my letter to her, below.) If you can agree, fine; if you do not, correction will be welcome for my own edification. In all, it is a condensation of my personal views. I started out with a negative disposition to homeschooling, way back, when it all started. You may read in and between the lines my present disposition towards your kind of homeschooling. Laurie, I have not here mentioned the schooling you actually gave to all four of yours / ours before they reached KEYS. Consider the compliment to extend to all of you: "No house can stand on a week foundation, oh no! Oh no!" (Harry Belafonte?)

Hope your vacation was grand and your recollected energy will be boundless.
Opa

 

Hi, Ellen!

I owe you more than the few assorted words I granted to you in my remarks about Olivia's graduation.  Here is a tad more.

Iivo and Laurie had their kids home-schooled. That you knew already. Evie was the first to graduate, and she is now settled in her professional life and married. Philip was the next to graduate, and he captured a National Scholarship award. You know that also. Olivia was not so lucky as that, but she got an invitation from VA Tech—the Hokies, in the medical school. She aims to be a surgeon! I see so many high school kids around here clamoring for the high position of greeter at Walmart. And Rosewood High is listed as a national high achievement school.

Just looking at the scores of these of my grandchildren, this is not small potatoes! My hat is off to what the homeschoolers have done in VA Beach. For the ceremony, each student had a spot to articulate his/hers experiences and his plans and how he/she expects to support those endeavors with previous experiences, current qualifications, and upcoming efforts. There were some very impressive articles in the graduation pamphlet. 

And the thing is, having experienced this with Evie and Philip first, and having the scheme and results duplicated with Olivia, the thing is impressive. This is not having homeschool. This is private academy standard with not only teachers and students,  but also parents and families involved throughout.

As each student was called up to receive his papers, he was met by parents and siblings on the stage. One or the other of the parents would present a more or less cutting speech of recognition and expectation, and, usually the father, would hand the diploma to the son or daughter, and then the mother would move the tassel on the pancake. They'd do the hugging stuff on the stage and then move off to make room for the next graduate. On an overhead screen, selected pictures of the student's life were projected during this ceremony. 

It was not the oration that impressed me, but the absolute proof that this stage was not achieved by teachers guarding the temporarily forgotten kids of parents and siblings busy elsewhere during this schooling period. It was the fact that whole families had worked together with the teachers.

Hope this helps to transmit my impressions worthily! 

Rich

I&L,

If you want to protest my thoughts, you know where to plant your objections.

Impressive work! All of you! Really! 

Carry on! Only one more to go!

Love, 

Opa