Homeschooling was the norm centuries ago, and in the past twenty years, it has been making a comeback. The percentage of kids who learned mainly at home has nearly doubled since 2000 from 1.7% to 3.1% in 2019. Since then, most people got a taste of homeschooling through virtual learning during the COVID-19 crisis.
Just as many more workers prefer to continue to pursue their careers remotely, parents are adopting homeschooling as a long-term alternative to the classroom. But can kids learn as much at home as they do at school? What about social interaction? Will they succeed as adults after having been educated entirely at home?
Homeschooling used to be much more common. Public schooling has only become the norm in the last 100 years. Given the era they were living in, it is not surprising that Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Leonardo Da Vinci were homeschooled. Still, more recently, Condoleeza Rice, Serena and Venus Williams, and Sandra Day O’Connor also learned at home.
The following are some true homeschool stories that will inspire you.
- Condoleezza Rice
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Venus and Serena Williams
- Sandra Day OConnor
- Christine Aguilera
Condoleezza Rice was the 66th Secretary State in the Administration of former President George W Bush and has since served as a foreign security advisor. Currently, Rice is the director of the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Condoleezza Rice eventually went to regular elementary school, but her first introduction to learning was through her mother.
Instead of attending regular first-grade classes, Condoleezza was homeschooled. She is an inspiring story because, at the age of 6, she tested at a third-grade math level and a fifth-grade reading level.
Whoopi Goldberg is a favorite comedian, actress, and now a co-host of The View. She has won a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony, and an Emmy and has been honored by a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Given that Whoopi can talk to just about anyone and is relatable and fun, she is the best counter-argument to those who worry that homeschooling will affect social skills.
Serena and Venus Williams are top tennis athletes and are an example of many homeschooled athletes. It is not unusual for Olympians and young professional athletes to learn at home to accommodate their demanding training schedules. Fortunately, homeschooled kids tend to master their studies faster than kids who go to school.
Sandra Day O’Connor was the first female Supreme Court justice appointed by President Ronald Reagan. She was born into a ranching family in Colorado, and like many rural children, available schools were far away. In her first years, Sandra Day O’Connor learned at home and was able to excel in her studies enough to be accepted into an elite academy for young girls in El Paso, Texas, where she completed her education.
Christine Aguilera has won many awards and has millions of fans worldwide. After beginning as a Disney star, she had many hits and was a guest judge on The Voice. But, like many celebrity kids, Christine learned at home because a career in show business is not very conducive to classroom learning.
These are a few of the most famous examples of homeschooling success. Of course, a few of the people on this list were successful first and then homeschooled to accommodate showbiz careers and athletic training. Still, plenty of others achieved success after a full or partial homeschooling educational background.
However, you don’t have to be extremely rich and famous to succeed. Chances are, you can find many other homeschooling success stories among people you know. According to some surveys, homeschooled students perform an average of 80% to 90% on subjects regardless of their parent’s education level. Therefore, there is little surprise that homeschoolers have high levels of educational success.
Leave a Reply