The debate over homeschool vs. public school has been ongoing for years. Some argue that homeschooling can provide a more personalized learning experience tailored to students’ individual needs, while others argue public schooling instills structure and offers a wider variety of curriculum. Most students enrolled in public school don’t even consider their education options; the same cannot be said for junior Frankie Nutile, who has just made the switch to OLCHS after an entire life of being homeschooled.
While Frankie and his two sisters were accustomed to homeschool, he wanted to start down a different educational path to pursue his passion for baseball. “I made the decision to come to school because I wanted to play baseball here,” Frankie said. “I’ve been playing baseball since I was nine. Travel ball is only for the summer and high school goes on in the spring.” Since his transfer to OLCHS, Frankie has started practicing with the Spartan Baseball team and still maintains a position on his former travel team.
Though Frankie is now enrolled in public school, his prolonged experience with homeschool still posed a question: why did he wait so long to switch his education? “It never really crossed my mind to come to school and try to play here earlier, it just kind of came up,” Frankie said. “It’s not often kids who play travel ball are homeschooled; it was heavily influenced for me to come here and play.” Even though his switch to OLCHS stemmed from societal pressure, Frankie’s time here has brought him new opportunities inside and outside of the classroom; he now has increased access to sports and electives such as Culinary Arts and Woodshop.
With plentiful contrasts between homeschool and public school, Frankie shared that the most prominent difference for him was structure. “When I was homeschooled I obviously did work everyday, but there was no set time. Like if I wanted to wait it out, I could. [Now]I’m much busier. I’m struggling to manage my time: homework, assignments, when they’re due,” he confessed. Elongated school days, extracurriculars, and increased workloads all contribute towards stress that even impacts students who have spent their entire life in public school.
Frankie admits that he could better comprehend the material he was learning while working at home, and suggests public schools take a different approach to teaching. He says, “We should let kids work how they feel is best for them. Everyone is taught the same way instead of going at your own pace…that’s how things get outdated. Some kids who have ADHD or dyslexia have trouble comprehending basic information.” The repetitive structure of classes and struggle of students with learning impairments has been an integral issue in the public school system. Homeschool techniques that Frankie was previously used to like looser schedule structure and more independent studies could greatly benefit students if implemented into the public school system.
Although the shift from homeschool to public school seems intimidating, Frankie is adjusting to this new environment exceptionally well. With lots of friends and positive interactions with teachers, he has had a great experience so far, which will hopefully carry in throughout his remaining years at OLCHS.
