The great debate...?

Question

I'm not sure what I want to do?
I've been out of school now for as long as I was in...and I don't know what I want to do.

I'm only 15 but I feel like I'm throwing my life away. I spend all day inside playing computer games. I'm an introvert so that's my natural bent but this is really extreme. I don't do any academics; I have ADHD and no motivation, so nothing happens. When I tried to do the curriculum thing with my mom it failed miserably. We just fought and nothing got done. So I'm thinking I'd like to try school but I have two problems.

1) In my area, schools that aren't super high pressure and hard to get in to have no resources and have problems with violence and kids having sex in the hallways. I don't want to deal with that if I don't have to.

2) Stupid people don't get in to smart schools, and I'm stupid.

Is there any way to resolve this?

I should also add that it would be a long, uphill battle just to get my mom to be okay with the idea.

Actually, I am unschooled.

Answer 1

1) You are not stupid, you are not stupid, you are not stupid, you are not stupid.

2) Don't go to school, the environment at public schools today is totally wrong for ADHD people like yourself. The first problem: classrooms, the next problem: desks, the third problem: text books.

3) let your mom Homeschool you she is obviously willing to try so let her

4) homeschooling does not need a stupid curiculum, you just need to learn how to think, and obviously you can. curriculum can start you in the right direction, but can't make you learn. You need to learn in real life. Real math, real reading, real social conflict, real science, real history.

5) you are awesome for asking this question.

Answer 2

I suggest you try "unschooling".
If you aren't familiar with the term, it's where you don't learn from textbooks or curriculum. You go out and live life and learn that way. Go to the zoo and learn about monkeys and stuff, go to museums and art exhibits. The only thing you can't learn that way is math I think, so if you could maybe work on math in a book and then just live your life to learn. You end up learning without realizing it. I think with textbooks you get so pressured and stressed that when you're done with school all you want to do is play videogames you don't want to read or learn or do anything productive (not bashing you I had the same problem)
I think it would work for you since you have ADHD.. I have friends with that and I don't think public school would work you have to sit in a desk all day and ugh not easy to pay attention or care. See what your mom thinks about the unschooling idea, try it for a couple weeks or so.
Unschooling is really fun, you can get involved in your community too try volunteering at animal shelters or something you can learn a lot, and have so much fun doing it.

Answer 3

My reaction to this is that you should NOT enter school at this point. You are so unmotivated, it seems, that I'm not sure how school would help--it'd be frustration after frustration. And if you have done no academics, you are going to be so far behind they might not even let you get into high school. (This is NOT the same thing as being stupid.)

To me, it sounds like you need to work more on your character development. You are using your lack of motivation and supposed ADHD as an excuse. (Are you able to spend more than 15 minutes at a time on the computer? If so, I would seriously question that ADHD diagnosis.)

Your descriptions indicate that despite spending all day on the computer, you don't really want to do that. You are going to have to find your strength and put a stop to it. You seem to be waiting to be rescued, to have someone outside of you (like the people in school) stop you doing what you're doing, but you really have to do it yourself.

Set yourself some rules, some goals. Figure out what you want out of life, what you think high school would give you, what sort of education you want, what you will have to do to get all this to happen. Have your mom be a support system rather than the authority.

When you've gotten yourself back on track, THEN look at the possibility of going to high school. Of course, when you've gotten yourself back on track, your reason to go to high school may be null and void.

A P.S.: Even an introvert benefits from some time outside the house, but not necessarily a ton of time. Make sure to get out!!

Answer 4

Don't try unschooling. Children that are unschooled often have a hard time getting into college and getting jobs, considering they have no degree in education at all. Considering you are unmotivated, this would be a terrible choice. [I did a project on unschooling. I could go into further detail, but I feel obliged to highlight what you should do rather than what you shouldn't.] Either find a way to motivate yourself, or go to school. You could approach the former by starting with things you enjoy. What games do you play-anything with battles or somewhat historic meaning? Research something related! By studying past battles and wars, you could recreate them for yourself after you become an expert. [Videogaming AFTER learning, not as a way to learn. I myself am a gamer, and know the temptation.] Research areas and history of videogame locations-like Spain or Spanish if you play RE4 [I'm able to recognize some Spanish in the game]. Maybe I'm just a freak, but I'm passionate about history. Especially Egyptian history; so I have bought books on hieroglyphics, and just sat down and tried to memorize the written language from translations. I'm able to find interest in other aspects of history by finding similarites between civilizations. If you choose to try and go the school route, try telling your Mom what you've told us. Tell her how you think school would benefit you-by creating some sort of motivation other than self gratification and that you don't have the most spectacular people skills. If you want to talk more about this, you can email me at: [e-mail] or im me at: a lemon of sorts . That being aim, I'm in the process of getting msn. Just say that you're the person being homeschooled, and considering other options. Good luck with your studies!!

Answer 5

You have a fair degree of language arts skills for some one so stupid! Stop making excuses. You know what you want, you have to figure out a plan. MAKE A DECISION AND LIVE WITH IT.
SET a time limit.
GIT 'R DONE!
oh well can you tell I don't believe in ADHD!
Video Games are the worst thing ever

Answer 6

Go to school. At least the people who have sex in the hallways are using a condomn. Actually, I've been in terrible neighbourhoods, gotten into fights at school, had friends who got disease, but I wouldn't trade it for being unschooled.

At least you can write, I had one student, 15 couldn't write a word. Definate case of abuse (although there are kids who can't write for other reasons.)

You adhd isn't that bad. You were able to complete that little sermon. I had it much worse, and went through university. I think your parents are probably not fit to home teach, go to school.

So what if you get shot at and a girl tries to kiss you, if you don't have any skills your only option will be to be a mercenary in a war zone anyway, or work in a brothel or something worse.

Get a grip, you're a coward is what you are, afraid of people. You're not stupid, just cowardly. get some courage and you'll be alright.