Independent learners succeed
Sebastian Edgerton
Issue date: 6/10/09 Section: News
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Caleb Johnson, a Peninsula College student, was also homeschooled. His family moved around a lot because of his father's job with the U.S. Customs Border Protection. Johnson's parents decided to home school him because they didn't want him to move from school to school.
His mother taught him during his primary education, as Johnson grew older he was able to direct his own studies.
Growing up homeschooled, Johnson said, "I wasn't really sheltered." He said he went to concerts, fairs and festivals. He also participated in baseball and soccer and is enrolled in judo.
Johnson said he felt prepared for college when he first arrived at PC. The year before he began attending PC Johnson went to public high school.
After Johnson receives his Associate of Applied Science degree, which he said could take two more years, Johnson said he plans to transfer to study aerospace engineering. He has not decided what college he will be transferring to.
PC History Professor Michael Cassella-Blackburn says unschooling is a way for his children to follow their passions and think creatively. He believes that because they are able to follow their passion, students get a targeted education.
"Unschooling allows families a choice," said Cassella-Blackburn who unschools his children.
Students who are unschooled can have a stronger bond between themselves and their parents he said.
Cassella-Blackburn said, "It means a parent needs to stay home."
Even though he is unschooling his children, both he and his wife went through public school. However, it was his wife that was the determining factor to unschool their children. Even though he said she had a good experience, he didn't.
High school is very brutalizing with lots of bullies, Cassella-Blackburn saw. He said his son was always a target for bullying. He and his wife didn't want their son to go through the trials he might have to deal with if he had attended public school.
Throughout Cassella-Blackburn's children's education his wife was the primary teacher, but he also played a part by encouraging them to think critically, do their research and keep at something until they have it right.
While his children are not getting their high school diplomas, they will receive an associate's degree instead. His son will be going off to the University of Washington to study law.
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