My encounter with a college president (hsing encouragement!)

[Paige P]

I've been meaning to sit and write this out as great encouragement, but life's been getting in the way of long posts these days. I'm finally taking a minute.....

When my aunt died and we went to the funeral in FL at the 1st of the year, at the funeral home was a president of a Univ. in GA. (Long story about the connection....) He was just moving to a small Univ. but had been the President of the University of GA for 23 years He only knew 2 people there, and my mom started talking to him to make him feel welcome (we're Southerners, ya know ), then roped my sister into talking to him for a bit, then I got a turn. We chatted and somehow I mentioned I used to teach. He asked me if I still did, and I told him no that I'd been a sahm for 11 years and was now homeschooling my children (5th, 3rd, 1st and 3 year old). I expected horror and disdain, but to my absolute surprise, I got an extremely interested response and major encouragement

He initially said that he had a nephew who had been hsing about 15 years or so and that he'd always been very leery of it. Recently at UGA, he'd had several encounters with hsers (including some national science program???? -- I couldn't think of what it would be as I don't have high schoolers), and he repeatedly talked about how IMPRESSED he was with homeschool students. He said they could THINK and ANALYZE and have CONVERSATIONS by looking you in the eye and speaking coherently about a variety of topics that they weren't "age-fixated" -- they could talk to younger people and older people without intimidation. He just went on and on about he thought homeschooling was great

I was amazed and actually brought up the topic that I have several family members who just expect me to put the kids into school for high school but that I'm not really certain that I'm going to do that since there are many opportunities available around here. I specifically mentioned how the Univ. of AL is reaching out to homeschooled students and is offering an online program for them starting at 15 or 16. His ears perked up, and he wanted more info. He then started bouncing off marketing plans to me about how to reach hs'd high schoolers in his area and how they'd make a great addition to the university he's now the president of.

Isn't that FANTASTIC ??!?!?!?! It was such an encouragement to me to hear this and see this first hand from a major university president. We *know* it and see it, but he recognizes it, as well Just thought I'd share that with you

[Rachael]

Sorry about your aunt.

That is awesome to hear! I am always so pleased to hear stuff like this. I've found more and more that when I say we're homeschooling, we are met with positive responses. People that are negative are rarely that well educated to begin with, or they know that weird homeschooler that would have been that weird kid in school too.

[Rachel Jane]

[Kendra AU]

Wow, so glad you had such an awesome conversation!

[DD in IL]

That is great to hear especially when so many are attacked for homeschooling.

[Michelle B.]

Go dawgs!!!!!

[Cari]

[Heather W]

I hear the sentiment about being able to talk to people and look adults in the eye A LOT.

[Rachel Jane]

I hear the sentiment about being able to talk to people and look adults in the eye A LOT.

polite kids are perceived a intelligent.