I am quoting from J. Loewen's book, Lies My Teacher Told Me:
"Teachers may try to convince themselves that education's main function is to promote inquiry, not iconography, but in fact the socialization function of schooling remains dominant at least through high school and hardly disappears in college. Education as socialization tells people what to think and how to act and requires them to conform." (p.350)
I have always found it interesting that I can spot a home schooled person with little difficulty. There is an air about them, a something that distinguishes them from other public or privately schooled students. I am not trying to say that home schoolers are better; I've known many intelligent and well-educated people who have gone through the public school system. But there is something that sets them apart, and I think it is that we were never required to conform. I can see it in my daughter's behavior: she does not act like the kids who are in a public preschool. My brothers and I were always slightly different than our public-schooled peers. Same with the home schoolers we were acquainted with. There was always major nonconformity going on. As my mother always exhorted me, "Be counter-culture!" I took her words to heart, went out and got myself tattooed. I don't think that's what she was expecting.
Anyway, I found that passage interesting, and took time out from the massive amounts of homework I have to share it with you. Now I'm going back to it. Massive sigh. Need more coffee. etc.
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