I've been homeschooled for over a year now, and I'm rather glad of it.
Both public and private schools have been social nightmares for me. I will say that the pressure has toned me down a little bit, and I'm not as saucy as I was before. That I am thankful for. However, over the years the constant teasing, pushing, prodding...was beginning to get to me in a big way.
I can't stand when someone is being picked on. I'm a little girl, thin and weak, but if I see a kid that's getting hurt I will protect them with all that I am, no matter what happens. Therefore the whole time I was in the school system I had a huge target on my back. Every day a group of girls and their "boyfriends" would find something to jeer at me about.
By the sixth grade, I was shutting down. I was depressed and wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything involved with school. When I was little, I loved school despite being picked on. Now...I wanted revenge.
I asked my mom to pull me out and homeschool me, and she was afraid I wouldn't get a good education if she taught me. However, she put me in an "independent studies program" (half homeschool and half public school). The first day I went I found friends that turned out to be the best friends I've ever had in my life. We still talk via e-mail and sometimes phone even though they are 3,000 miles away.
A year and a half later, we moved to FL. The independant studies program was an experimental school that is only in CA. So...I'm homeschooled.
I miss MVA (the i.s. school), but I'm happy where I am too. It's better than having to go to Florida schools.
Next year I am going to try out Florida Virtual School. I'm taking Basic Systems Training and eventually I'll work my way up to taking my first computer programming classes. I'm going to dual-enroll in two years.
I guess if you have siblings and family around that can look out for you, public school is fine. I count myself blessed to have both my parents and my little sister with me, but I have no other family with me. When I went to PA I saw all of my cousins that had so much support from all of my relatives...and I must admit I was a little jealous. I've moved around all my life. I have a house that I call 'home', but I never really know if it will be for long.
So while I'm wandering around the US, I'll homeschool so I can take my teacher with me on the adventure...