The Average Day of a Homeschooler

by Danica Davidson

One plus to the independent study lifestyle is that you can plan out each day as you choose. Adults who practice independent study often do so while working, letting them better their education and pay the bills at the same time. In the meantime, students who are in kindergarten through high school are able to do independent study with Laurel Springs. Because most children don’t have jobs (with a few exceptions, like the professional actors and athletes who often flock to Laurel Springs) this opens up their days. So what would their average day be like?

That’s going to be as multilayered as each child. I know popular activities for homeschooled and independent study children include going to museums and checking out libraries. These are both outlets for knowledge. I have to admit I do like museums, especially science ones. And I do read all the time. But that doesn’t mean every day is a stop at the Natural History Museum or browsing through the Dewey Decimal System.

What I’ve enjoyed about independent study days is how freeing they are. Each day can be different, though many of them have overlapping parts. For instance, I write nearly every day. The same goes for reading. My days usually start with my getting up and thinking about what I’m going to write. As I wake up, I think of stories. I don’t feel rushed, but am able to let these stories come to me at my own pace. Then I’ll able to write them down. Depending on how quickly the ideas come, I can spend a short amount of time writing . . . or spend almost the whole day on it. The times I’m not writing is open to pursue other educational activities.

This may sound very simple. Getting up, writing, studying. But the truth is it’s exactly what I want. I want to spend a good portion of my days at my computer or over a notebook. Independent study, while allowing us to go after our interests and tackle them at our own paces, also allows us to use our days doing what we consider productive.

Other students will talk about the acting they spend their days doing. Others fill up much of their days with sports or dance practices. Each child will have a different answer to what is the “average day,” because each child is different. Independent study can allow us to thrive on our different creative and educational bents. The days can be filled with museums, libraries, writing, and countless other things. In the end, though, they’re all similar. They show that the average day can be a great day, and each day can be a capsule of a person’s own personal expectations.

About the Author: Danica Davidson is a professional writer and recent graduate of Laurel Springs. She enjoys spending her days writing, reading and learning, even though she's not 'technically' in school now.