The Homeschooled Hedgehog

purple-shadow-fox asked: Oh, hey, how about any homeschoolers in the Ohio area? Like, around Columbus?

Alrighty, I’m going to post this one, but no more tonight, haha.  I’m going to limit the “are there any homeschoolers here?” questions to 1-2 per day to avoid being spammy. :)

unnecessaryfundamentals asked: Oh sweet, alright. Since this is a place for homeschoolers to connect. Anyone in Ontario? Specifically the GTA region?

other-world-woman asked: Hi :P Um, I'm a socially-awkward homeschooler from Nova Scotia, and I was just wondering if anyone who follows this blog are fellow Nova Scotians?

Anyone?

Anonymous asked: how do you think i could convince my dad to let me be homeschooled? ):

I’ve answered similar questions here and here.  Hope that helps! :)  And if any other hedgehogs have tips for this lovely anon, please feel free to send them my way!

  • My mom: "Will there be boooyyys there?"
  • Me: "...Boys from homeschool co-op."
  • My mom: "lol you can go."

sevenimprobablethingsbeforetea asked: I was homeschooled from preschool to graduation from highschool. Now I'm attended one of the toughest public colleges in my home state, and keeping my GPA above a 3.5 (also, I'm a senior). Hey, ignorant people! Don't tell me that homeschooling didn't prepare me for college!

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “’You’re going nowhere in life because you’re homsechooled.’” Bottom text: “Ten years later, you’re their boss.”]

ashleymulder-deactivated2012060 asked: I don't remember when I found out about homeschooling. I've been homeschooled since preschool, so being homeschooled has always just been a natural part of life :).

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “person uses ‘she’s homeschooled’ as an insult” Bottom text: “cooly smile and pretend to take it as a compliment”]

This happens to me all the time. People imply that I’m homeschooled because I’m dumb (or vice versa) or homeschooled because I’m socially awkward (or vice versa) or immature and sheltered because I’m homeschooled. 

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “So, like, you don’t have an actual diploma?” Bottom text: “Sigh. Has nobody heard of accredited homeschool programs?”] People can’t seem to wrap their mind around the fact that there are accredited home school programs complete with teachers who grade tests, keep records, mail report cards, set up graduations and field trips, etc. 

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “So, like, you don’t have an actual diploma?” Bottom text: “Sigh. Has nobody heard of accredited homeschool programs?”]

People can’t seem to wrap their mind around the fact that there are accredited home school programs complete with teachers who grade tests, keep records, mail report cards, set up graduations and field trips, etc. 

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “What high school did you go to?” Bottom text: “To answer or not to answer…”]

[Picture: Background - twelve sections like a pie, alternating pink and orange. Foreground - adorable hedgehog. Top text: “What high school did you go to?” Bottom text: “To answer or not to answer…”]

prophylacticparanoia asked: I'm from MA and I know of Homeschooling Together. A bit of a hike but worth it for some Boston events!

superpandakiku asked: To cherri-soda (The person looking for homeschooling groups in RI): I don't personally belong to or know of any homeschooling groups here, but I'm a RI homeschooler and since this is my first year homeschooling, I don't have many other homeschooler friends either and I would love to meet some!!

RI homeschoolers represent! :D

Semi-related question- would anyone like to submit posts on how to start/run a homeschool group, or how to plan homeschool events?  I have lots of experience in this area, but I’d love to hear from others.

  1. olivethebreloom answered: Perhaps a “homeschool confessions” type of thing?
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  2. radicallane answered: Post some user-submitted posts on homeschooling and unschooling? Specifically about teens & grown home & unschoolers?

Re: Homeschool confessions-

I’d be up for it!  Confessions aren’t really my thing, but if people want to submit them, I’ll be happy to post them.  Just like the hedgehogs, people would be required to make their own images and supply their own image descriptions.

Re: User-submitted posts-

Send ‘em on in, hedgehogs!

I’m open to pretty much any hedgehog-submitted content, as long as it’s somehow relevant to the blog, it isn’t massively offensive, any images and links in the submission work, and any images have descriptions.  So submit, submit, submit! :D

niallhorans-nandos-deactivated2 asked: i recently moved to rhode island, and i started home schooling before really making any friends. i'm a REALLY social person, and I'm just wondering if you know where I can find a home schooling group with teens in the area? like a website would be awesome. i'm going into depressions because of this.

Let me start by saying that I found my own homeschool group through the friend who convinced my family to start homeschooling in the first place, so I didn’t actually do any digging to find a group.  Before I found my group, I was really involved in my church/youth group and these art classes that were mostly made of public schoolers.  So I don’t have a lot of experience in seeking out a group.

The HSLDA has a resource for local homeschool groups, and there is a page for Rhode Island.  You may want to check out the pages for Massachusetts and Connecticut as well, if your parents are cool with that.  I would email and call any groups in your area and ask about teen groups and activities, and see what you can find out.  Homeschoolers, especially the ones that lead groups you’ll find listed on the HSLDA, tend to be well-networked, and should be able to get you in touch with social, academic, and athletic groups for people your age.

Any Rhode Island/surrounding area homeschoolers have any other tips?