about the structure and assumptions of compulsory schooling, it is hard to read the psychological literature that asks, "How can we get girls to identify with their own goals?" or even "How can we help girls to discover their real interests?" without thinking about the fact that school is in direct opposition to these concerns... ...People in school do not say to students, "What can we do for you? How would you like to make use of this institution?" On the contrary, going to school is about getting an education having something given or done to you. The home schooled girls I have described are outside this framework. They are not waiting to get something; rather, they are getting it or, more aptly, making it for themselves. When they say, "Everything I do counts now," or, "I feel so much freer," or, "I mainly teach myself," these are not just feelings they happen to have. These statements actually correspond with the external structure of these girls' lives. Everything they do does count; it's not as if they will only get credit for some books or activities or learning and not for others. The girls in this book who have left school and are now home schooling are much freer, in that they have greater liberty to choose what to learn and to learn it in ways that work for them. The girls who say, "I mainly teach myself," are saying something true; the structure of their home schooling does allow them to be primarily their own teachers. Thus, the relationship between the external factors and these internal feelings is reciprocal and not coincidental. The person who wrote those words is Susannah Sheffer, in her book A Sense of Self. We teach our children one thing about society and they learn quite the opposite from experience. For instance, doing one's schoolwork and getting good grades are the most important things that will result in a good job for you as an adult. That all people can be created equal by education, but that some educations...
