Homeschooled and Proud: A Teen's Tale

by Jamie Stevens

My name's Jamie Stevens, and I've been home-educated all my life (16 years). A lot of people ask me, "How do you find friends?" or "What about college or getting a job?" I'll tell you some things about how my life differs from millions of other kids out there, and how I see it in comparison.

Making New Friends
Before I was a teenager, I met my friends through home-schooling activities sponsored by our support group, such as weekly baseball games, craft fairs, and contra dances (an old-fashioned country dance that's a little like square dancing). Lately, more of my friends aren't home-educated. In fact, many of my friends are in their twenties or older. I met all of them simply by going out into the community and interacting with people on a day-to-day basis. At first, my friends used to be worried about me and criticize me about my future and my way of schooling, but after a while they became envious of me and my lifestyle.

Learning faster
I've been learning things all my life because I was interested in them. My parents read to me as long as I can remember, and because of their help I taught myself to read -- using Garfield and Archie comic books -- at the age of five. I started by looking at the drawings and then wanting to know what the characters were saying, so I'd ask my parents and they'd tell me the meaning, and eventually I could read on my own.

While most teens my age are in high school every day, I'm taking college courses, which are a lot of fun. I've taken Latin, American History, Art, and Psychology courses at the University of Southern Maine, and I am maintaining a B average.

I've found that some subjects don't need to be learned until you need them. Latin was my first classroom experience at age 14, and it was hard for a week, trying to adjust. But I soon found out that the high-school graduates in the class knew as little grammar as I did. I was able to pick it up while others were relearning it.

This year, through the university's local radio station, I am planning to air a biweekly show called the Midnight Review, featuring interesting people, comedy skits, funny chatter, and free-form music. I work part-time in a hotel gift shop, and I volunteer for a local telephone help line for teens. It's pretty rewarding.

Lifelong Goals
People always ask me about what I want to do with my life. To tell you the truth, I have no idea, but I'm not too worried about it. Computers interest me. After all, in 20 years, everything is going to have a chip in it – probably ourselves included – so that's an idea. I also love writing and art. Other than that, the thing that interests me right now as a career choice is theater.

People ask me about socialization. I get out a lot. I do everything with my friends, including sports. I love to write. I started almost as soon as I could read, imitating styles of different authors until I came up with one of my own. I'm currently working on an illustrated role-playing book using computer graphics.

I Recommend
Overall, I think I live a pretty broad and healthy life without school. Most kids could do the same if they wanted to, and a good way to start is by contacting a local home-education support group. They're all over the place, and are full of kids and parents who love to talk about home education and help people get started learning on their own. I also recommend Grace Llewellyn's book, The Teenage Liberation Handbook, whether or not you are a teenager.

Talking with others and reading Llewellyn's handbook will keep you from feeling radical or isolated if you decide to learn on your own, and will help you to see that you are capable of managing your own life.

More on: Making the Decision to Homeschool