The Writing on the Wall

what does wal-mart have to do with homeschooling?

This may seem to be somewhat of an interesting question. But, nevertheless, I pose it today. What does wal-mart have to do with homeschooling?

As a homeschooler of 14 years, I have often been asked the one question. You know the one. The social question. "What do you do about socialization?" I like to smile when they ask that question. The first thing that comes to my mind at this time is "do I strike you as a socially inept person? Of course not!" You have all heard the expression "you could talk the hind legs of a mule", well I got it beat. you show me a mule without hind legs, and I will talk him into growing some before I talk 'em off!

But in all seriousness, it is a good question. A question that is asked because of a flaw in the perspective of the people asking. They ask because they don't really understand. I like to refocus the situation for them with a story that kinda helps them to see the issue in the proper light.

I work at wal-mart. In wal-mart we are very often having to hire new people. I like to pose a question to people, "which method would be the best method to train people for a new position that they have no clue about: place them with experienced associates who know how to do the job well, or place them all together in a group and say sink or swim?" As of yet, nobody has picked the sink or swim answer. Well, here is how wal-mart correlates to homeschooling. You can take a bunch of children who know nothing instinctively about socializing properly and place them with people who do (ie parents) or put them together and say sink or swim, figure it out on your own. Which method is going to foster the most socially adept group of people?

You know, you don't have to train people how to be mean and vulger, that comes naturally, just look around. You have to train people to be polite. We, all people, spend most of our lives as adults, why should we not train our kids to be well-adjusted adults.

see my brothers short essay on homeschooling
anyway, tayl

Posted by GodzScout at May 16, 2003 01:26 PM