I read this article from the Washington Post hoping for a comment from the parent that she was waiting to homeschool because, perhaps, that in later life a dedicated musician’s life can be lonely on the road, that practice hours are long, or maybe that the child was in a specialized music school and the benefits were not worth whatever trade-off would be made. But no, the ‘homeschool comment’ was about the importance of school socialization, an importance belied by the lack of understanding by classmates.
A String of Triumphs For Violinist, 13, 6 April 2008, Washington Post, Washington, D.C.
Every other day, her school orchestra holds practice, but Jessica says those sessions are not as serious as the ones she attends elsewhere. She tries to tell her classmates about her adventures as an aspiring violinist, or at least explain to them why she listens to so much classical music in the car, rather than top 40 on the radio.
“They don’t get it,” she said.
Her mom adds, “They don’t understand why she doesn’t go to the mall or watch ‘American Idol.’ ”
Jessica loves school, especially the modern history she is studying in social studies. She keeps her grades high, but teachers become frustrated with her schedule and frequent absences. Her mother is getting frustrated, too, and plans to home-school Jessica when she starts high school.
“I’ve held off for as long as I can, because I know how important the social aspects of school are for kids,” her mother said. “But she’s so dedicated to this. She needs to be practicing four hours a day and have a more flexible schedule.”
It is not surprising that ‘average citizens’ do not have an in-depth understanding about homeschooling, but newshounds are supposed to be nosy information-miners. With all the information available online, surely reporters would pick up enough understanding to select different quotes than are usually chosen for articles.