Homeschooling: [Part 2] Meet Gina Niblack

26 years old, exclusively homeschooled, not socially awkard

Upon meeting Gina Niblack, we were overcome by her sweet spirit, quiet confidence and apparent intellect. A deep thinker, ever-patient and a great listener; it's easy to see why Gina has so many friends, a burgeoning career in music and an adventurous life here in San Francisco. Quite frankly - she's a joy to be around. As sibling #5 in a 7 child family, Gina was homeschooled with her brothers and sisters from kindergarten through senior year - and contrary to popular opinions about homeschooling - came out the other side with social skills.

We talked to Gina recently about her homeschooling journey, in the hope that she might be able to inform our readers about the advantages, disadvantages and end result of this form of alternative schooling. She doesn't present a rosy picture of homeschooling, but rather, she talks honestly about what it's like to be different.

Gina Niblack

Why did your parents choose homeschooling? 

My parents saw themselves as the primary teachers of their children, and desired us to learn not just academics but character, discipline, and a love for learning.  They decided to homeschool based on the belief that education is much larger than classrooms and textbooks, and taught us through daily opportunities to learn and grow. They also saw the advantages of having more one-on-one time and flexibility based on each of their children's particular strengths and needs and encouraged us to pursue our individual interests. 

Conventional schooling offers children a lot of routine. Obviously being taught at home is much different, with only 7 kids of various ages, it must've been difficult for your Mom to manage you all at once. How were your days structured? 

Every day started with a routine schedule. Starting at 8:30 each morning, I worked through a list of homework assignments my mom had planned the previous week. To finish the morning, my Mom would read aloud to us together for an hour. Starting in high school, I had schoolwork to finish up in the afternoon. For most of my education my school day lasted about four hours, with the rest of the day open for imaginative childhood creativity.

In our previous homeschool interview, we talked with Kristi (Mom to Nathan and Jericho) about her day-to-day schooling with her sons. She teaches them in a separate room of the house, to make "school" and "home" time distinct. Did you have a specific "school" room in your house? 

We always did our schoolwork at our dining room table - 

Was it difficult to stay on task? 

We were rarely allowed to work alone in order to keep us focused. But we were motivated to get everything done, because after the school day ended (usually lunch time or early afternoon) the school books were put away and we were free to enjoy the day.

We have heard from many parents involved with homeschooling that community is the best key to alternative schooling success. Was your family part of a greater homeschooling community? 

My family was part of a homeschool support group which provided networking and community for the parents and kids. Although the activities I did with the group were informal, it helped to have a community of families with an understanding of our unique schedule and lifestyle, and especially helpful for the parents to compare experiences and share ideas. 

We understand that there are various ways to homeschool, with many different kinds of curriculum available to use. What kind of curriculum did your family follow? 

The curriculum we used differed from year to year, but always had an emphasis on reading. My parents value quality literature, so most of our assignments were reading or writing. Math and science textbooks changed from year to year and were often recommended through teachers at nearby schools. Overall, it was still a very balanced educational experience. 

You seem to have highly developed social skills. Without daily access to non-family peers, where did you learn to navigate social situations like you do?

My social learning came primarily from the community of friends my parents had. Instead of learning social skills from people my own age, I learned from adults. I remember feeling that I was much more comfortable interacting with adults than with kids my own age. There was a steady flow of people through our home-- neighbors, friends from our church, friends of my siblings-- and I was comfortable with a large age spectrum. I think this hugely benefited me in talking with those older than me and learning from my parents' and siblings' examples of socialization. 

Five Niblack sisters (Two brothers, not pictured)

Having never gone to conventional "school", how do you perceive homeschooling to be different?

Homeschooling separates social life from learning. For me, it was a gift to learn while undistracted from the unhealthy comparisons and social pressures of school. I felt incredible freedom to simply learn, and this for the right reasons: to expand my mind and deepen my understanding of the world and people. It wasn't about how I measured up to my classmates, how smart or popular or successful I was, but simply that I was genuinely learning and developing my mind. 

Yes, this freedom meant that I wasn't as comfortable in certain social situations, which I often thought of as a disadvantage. Although I felt comfortable with adults, upon graduating high school and entering college I had to refine my social skills and catch up a bit on certain etiquette that others my age already knew. But I see my early years as training ground - not only for higher education and my career - but also a mindful attitude towards responsibility and discipline, emphasizing character and self-development which are essential goals of a good education. While my social skills may have needed a little adjusting, my education had laid an invaluable foundation of the lifelong values of responsibility, kindness, honesty and hard work.

Many parents of children with differences have trouble finding (and keeping) their children a school to meet their child's needs for behavior and academics. Would you recommend homeschooling to parents of children with special needs? 

Homeschooling is especially helpful for children with unique needs; since each of us have different learning styles, it is hard to reach everyone's individuality in a classroom setting. Yet, I think those who choose to homeschool should have an structured approach and with clear goals, behavioral consequences and daily routine. Homeschooling works best in the balance of a structured home with students who may benefit from more flexible approaches to learning. 

When you have children of your own, will you teach them at home? 

Because of my own positive experience with homeschooling, I am inclined to plan on homeschooling my own children. I like that this kind of education gives individual attention to children from those who know them best. Yet, I know that each child is different, and if I believe that my child would benefit from a more social learning experience, I want to give them that.  While the flexibility is a huge advantage, I strongly recommend establishing structure as you teach to provide stability and discipline. Connect with a homeschool group that can provide resources, social support and fresh ideas. Focused, undistracted learning is key, but isolation is unhealthy! Use the freedom of your schedule to your advantage to plan creative ways of teaching and growing a loving relationship with your child which is the greatest gift you can give!

___________

If you have any further questions for Gina, please direct them to info@kahlonfamilyservices.com