One of my television-related guilty pleasures is Desperate Housewives. Every Sunday evening after my LO goes to bed, I sit on the couch and chuckle at the lovely ladies while my husband pretends not to watch.
Last night was no exception. If anyone else saw the episode last night (or even if you are too moral or uppity to watch the show), they touched on homeschooling. In particular, Gabby cussed out the principal for being a hard-ass (side note: the principal loved RULES, see previous post on my feelings about that). Gabby’s daughter was not allowed to attend the school anymore and no other private schools had openings. The only solution? Homeschooling.
The show’s depiction of homeschooling is, I think, what many people think of as homeschooling. Juanita, the little girl (about 9 years old, I think), is sitting at a table forced to read a boring book out loud while her mother thumbs through a magazine and tells her, “It’s just like school, but you’re at home.” The girl hates it and wants to watch television, the mother yells at her and tries to force her to learn. The girl yearns for the private school paradise that she lost.
And, you know, I’m okay with their awful interpretation of homeschooling. Mainly, I think they’re depicting a mother who was forced into it and who has no real idea about how to take advantage of the situation, and the show is honest about that. This is exactly how Gabby would do homeschooling.
What I’m hoping for, though, is a realization. As the storyline progresses, I really hope that this character has an “ah-hah” moment where she sees how amazing this opportunity can be for her daughter.
Whatever they do with it, I will certainly have an opinion. I do hope they take this chance to tell a truth that many people don’t know or think about regarding homeschooling and even unschooling. And that is that outside of school and curriculum, there is real learning and life experience.
I’ll wait with baited breath.
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