This is the shirt I wore to the last day of school


How I got this bewildering idea:

I sat down and tryed to remember what I learned in school last year , and to my surprise, I couldn't remember anything? Then I started to do some research on my own into the things I find interesting. Before I knew it (within a few weeks) of researching I realized I had learned more than in my whole school year. I was flabbergasted. So I began to look into alternatives to public school.

Alternative:

As I began my journey researching these new and more educational ways to learn I stumbled across stories from hundreds of other kids who were also questioning the system. I found out there are tons of alternatives; home schooling, learning camps, internship, study abroad programs, private free-schools, and unschoolers. This opened up a whole new world. I could finally get the chance to really learn, not sit in a classroom for 6 hours a day memorizing facts I would forget in a few weeks.

Plan:

I decide that if I was to fully take charge of my own life and start to really experience learning I would have to not deal with any sort of premeditative curriculum. The only way to do that is to not be involed with any sort of government schooling system so I decided to totally quit school and begin my real education.

First of all, if I quit school, I did not want to get trapped just sitting around at home. So I researched alternative learning camps that offered experience in things I was interested in and could enhance my first hand knowledge. I found a camp in Mexico called beyond boarders where I will learn Spanish, regional ecology, organic farming, and racial issues. I also found a camp called coyotecommons where I will learn to build houses and learn to harvest crops. Hopefully, after those experiences I will feel comfortable enough to move out and start my life with a full and ready education on how to survive in the world.

Action:

Before my last day of school I wrote an essay on the negative effects of the WASL negative effects of the WASL. I got 300 copies made and got three of my friends to help me post them up all over our school an hour before school started.

The moment kids started rolling in they picked them up and read them with interest. They were enthused by the idea that they wouldn't have to take a (three month?) long standardized test and I don't blame them!

I went to my first class and told my teacher that I wasn't going to come to school anymore. At first she thought I was joking. When she finally realized I was serious she asked my why I would want to do such thing. I responded saying I wanted to get a real education. She really didn't like that! Though in the end she did say that as long as I was learning one way or another it was fine. Later that class period she announced to the class that I wouldn't be coming to school anymore. She even allowed me to stand up and say more about what I was doing and why.

I announced to the class that "I am going to get I real education by becoming an unschooler because in order to learn you need three things; freedom, curiosity, and privacy. The public school system eliminates all three"

As soon as I had finished the class erupted in applause! I was deeply confused by the response. Its not that kids don't want to look at alternatives to school - its just that they think it is unrealistic for them to do so with their surroundings.

Conclusion:

I have realized that many young people think it is unrealistic for any student to quit school and study be themselves, because they might lose those jobs in the high corporate world and not be able to make the absurd amount of money like their parents want them to. Its not your teachers or some sort of test that is preventing you from learning - its the whole system! Educational System Maybe if you don't take that test or the WASL - and than when you apply for college and get rejected, will you understand that the system is corrupt. I hope to show students that if you don't conform to the system - you can still get an education and a real life.

Websites:
unschooling family network
learn in freedom
National Home Educational Network
Growing Without Schooling
Educational Hotlist