On College

An interview with a homeschool graduate

Below is an interview I did with my daughter. As she finished up her high school years, we ended up having a lot of conversations along the lines of “What is this all for?” We talked a lot about the hamster wheel. We talked a lot about what education is and what education isn’t and where her identity lay in all of it. We talked a lot about finances and the economy. It was a very sweet time since these were all things that were the complete opposite of how I was when I was her age. She has been very intentional about her choices. She has been very prayerful about her path. It has been quite the experience to step back and watch it all come together for her. I don’t think there’s anything more we can ask for as parents. Whether that’s no college, a 2-year program, a master’s, or some other pathway that opens up before them, it is a joy to know our children are walking in the path they believe God has for them.

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What are some homeschooling memories you have from over the years?

I remember drawing to help narrate when I was struggling with Abraham Lincoln’s World. You handed me a whiteboard and marker to doodle while I read. That really helped me to narrate better. I remember exams when we were studying the ancients, and we made all those fun recipes. I will never forget how they trained Spartans. I remember reading Little Women together. Then there’s the transition in Year 8, where history got a bit darker. These historical figures transitioned into very real, messy people. We were able to have a lot of discussions about humanity during that time that have changed my perspective and stuck with me. 

Do you wish you would have learned that earlier?

No, because I would have been too young to properly understand what was being done throughout history. As much as it was kind of a massive shift, I needed the growing time between recognizing historical figures and “knowing” them.

Any other memories you’d like to share?

As much as I complained, I really do appreciate the nature studies we did when we’d sit down and pay attention to the details in a wildflower or when we’d take nature walks through the shale desert. It gave me a better power of observation.

Aww, that makes me happy. What did you enjoy the most about being homeschooled?

It all has to do with relationships. There were relationships with my family, which I appreciate because they brought us closer and gave me a strong foundation. But with this question, I immediately think academically and about the science of relations. There were things I learned about that I could turn around and see in the world around me. I was making connections, getting a broader understanding, and I had time to process what I was learning. I wasn’t just memorizing dates and formulas for a test. This all led to me taking ownership of my education at an early age. I was building relationships; no one else could do that for me, and I liked the idea of having my education in my own hands.

Is there anything you didn’t like about homeschooling?

Morning Time. The only reason I didn’t like Morning Time was that we’d do it all together.

Girl, that’s the whole point behind Morning Time.

But it took FOR-EV-ER. By the time we were done, it felt like the window to get everything else done was smaller. But it is how I came to collect Waterhouse paintings and have an affinity for Shakespeare.

Fair enough. How do you feel a Charlotte Mason education prepared you for college?

It prepared me for college by implementing narration in all forms, developing necessary verbal skills, and challenging my critical thinking skills. Every class I’ve taken so far has had a public speaking assignment. As much as I don’t care for public speaking, it was easy to do once I realized they were basically just oral narrations. I have been doing oral narrations my whole education. The daily writing I did for written narrations also gave me a solid foundation and taught me to write well. Narrations also prepared me for critical thinking skills. With the conversations we would have when I’d narrate, there would always be something else to consider, a new perspective to think about, and it wasn’t just a one-and-done thought. We considered “ideas out to all of their ends,” as you say, and you can’t do that well without developing critical thinking skills. It prepared me, too, by teaching me the love of learning. Seeing my education as my own, I want to do my best and respect the knowledge that I have/am gaining.

What’s something that has surprised you about college? Something you maybe weren’t quite prepared for.

Busy work and group projects. Busy work is just extra assignments that I need to do: a quiz on the syllabus or a worksheet with three problems on it after I just took a quiz on the same material. It’s annoying.

What about the group projects?

Because I have taken ownership of my education, the idea of putting it in the hands of others, others who maybe don’t care how I care, or aren’t as type-A as I am, causes a lot of stress.

You make me laugh. I think many people feel the same way about group projects. Were there any other adjustments you had to make?

If anything, I’d say I had to lower my expectations.

How so?

With a combination of books and discussions in our homeschool, I felt that the learning I was doing was really important and something I needed to take seriously. It gave me high expectations, especially when I thought about transitioning to college. Everything we did in homeschool was significant. I’ve had college professors who do not respond to emails, disappear entirely for weeks, and not communicate clearly despite teaching a communications course. And again, a lot of it has just been busy work.

What are some of your current goals/plans?

The plan is to graduate as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant, fully certified, and begin working with children in early intervention. I’m working while going to school because I want to graduate debt-free and have a nice amount set aside for a place when I graduate.

What made you choose this career?

We were told that my baby brother was never going to talk without the aid of a machine. I remember being present when he was having speech therapy, watching how the speech therapist worked with him, and I saw him start to grow. He was able to talk, and now he has an incredible vocabulary for his age. I want to be able to provide that kind of care for other children who are struggling with communication disorders and difficulties.

I’m proud of you. Thanks for answering these questions.

Thanks. Love you.

Mariah Kochis 2023