This basically happened to me.
It started in 8th-grade algebra and ended with me “dropping out” of high school.
It started in 8th-grade algebra and ended with me “dropping out” of high school.
In 8th grade my algebra class was extremely slow and started off with a lot of recap of material from previous years. At least, that's the way I remember it.
I complained, frequently and bitterly, to the teacher about how bored I was.
Finally she came up with a plan.
I complained, frequently and bitterly, to the teacher about how bored I was.
Finally she came up with a plan.
She told me that I didn't need to pay attention in class and could just read the textbook instead, at my own pace.
As long as I scored well on all the tests, I didn't even need to do the homework.
This was *amazing* to me. I never expected anything like this. I was thrilled.
As long as I scored well on all the tests, I didn't even need to do the homework.
This was *amazing* to me. I never expected anything like this. I was thrilled.
I read the whole textbook, did the exercises, and passed all the tests.
I still remember the excitement of *finally* finding out the mystery how you could ever get a *curved* line on a plot. (Of course, x *squared*!)
I still remember the excitement of *finally* finding out the mystery how you could ever get a *curved* line on a plot. (Of course, x *squared*!)
At the time I felt like I was being released from prison, and didn't give a second thought to the person who had unlocked the door for me.
In hindsight, I realize what an amazingly constructive response my algebra teacher had. I feel lucky, and I'm deeply grateful to her.
In hindsight, I realize what an amazingly constructive response my algebra teacher had. I feel lucky, and I'm deeply grateful to her.
A couple of years later I had similar experiences learning about computers. When I signed up for a summer program to learn how to use Unix, I read *Teach Yourself UNIX in a Week* before the program even started and knew my way around on day 1.
Soon after that, I found I was learning more by reading *Algorithms in C* by Sedgewick than by sitting in high school CS classes.
The summer after sophomore year of high school, at age 15, I was commiserating about school with two close friends, when one of us said, “We should just drop out and teach ourselves!”
The three of us looked at each other. It was a moment.
The three of us looked at each other. It was a moment.
It was one of those ideas that wasn't said seriously, but the moment it was out there, we all knew it was serious, and it was what we should do.
I told my parents I wanted to leave high school, and I that I thought I could learn more, faster, better on my own.
I told my parents I wanted to leave high school, and I that I thought I could learn more, faster, better on my own.
My parents, to their eternal credit, understood & supported me. (My friends weren't so lucky, and had to finish high school.)
My mother, with a far better sense than I for marketing and spin, gently suggested that instead of calling it “dropping out” we call it “homeschooling”.
My mother, with a far better sense than I for marketing and spin, gently suggested that instead of calling it “dropping out” we call it “homeschooling”.
Their only concern was whether I'd still be able to go to college (which I still wanted to do). But the universities we talked to seemed to welcome homeschoolers.
I didn't return to my high school that fall.
I didn't return to my high school that fall.
The next two years were a weird mix. I learned different subjects different ways. Math was easy: I just read textbooks and did the exercises, that easily took me through vector calculus and into differential equations before I got a bit bored. Computers, even easier.
For physics, I read the Feynman lectures but struggled because there were no exercises; I ended up taking a semester at the local university, enrolled part-time. I also made some random excursions into things like model rocketry.
Literature was doable based on audio tapes of lecture courses. History was tough; we ended up getting a friend of the family to tutor me, assigning textbooks and grading essays. And I read books and listened to audio courses on grammar and writing, including Strunk & White.
I did an “elective” in philosophy by reading W. T. Jones, and I think I wrote some essays there too.
Other topics were flops: I dropped Latin after a couple of months.
Other topics were flops: I dropped Latin after a couple of months.
But the most important thing is that it was *mine*. Every topic was something I thought was valuable. Every course went at my own pace. When I was interested in something, I could go as deep as I wanted.
I eventually went to college, at the same time as my peers, and had a much better time of it. But those two years as a “homeschooler” meant a lot to me.
When I tell people this story, I tend to get one or both of two reactions:
“I wish I could have done that!”
“I would *never* have had the discipline to do that, at that age.”
“I wish I could have done that!”
“I would *never* have had the discipline to do that, at that age.”
Someday maybe we'll have a schooling system that respects motivation and agency, and everyone can get the benefits of what I had to forge for myself.
Until then: parents and teachers, if you have a kid like this, I hope you can be understanding and supportive—like my parents, and my 8th grade algebra teacher.
