 |
giving homeschoolers and homeschool graduates a voice |
Home Zine interview with Ben Kniaz
Home Zine is Kim Campbell's paper zine for homeschoolers. The interview took place in August of 2004.
What gave you the idea for creating Apricot Pie?
I started the website because I wanted to try my hand at web design work, and I couldn't think of any audience that would specifically be interested in my website other than homeschoolers. I didn't want to start yet another personal blog-type page where it is just me talking about myself. And I didn't have any specific interests that I felt would be interesting to have a website about. So I picked homeschooling (with the advice of my mom) as a way to bring people to my website and as something for me to write about and focus on. I also wanted to make money on a website back then with advertisements. That idea died long ago!
How long were you homeschooled for? What style of homeschooling did your family follow?
I'm the oldest of five. I was homeschooled my whole life, until my senior year of high school. Then I went to two state colleges as a dual-enrollment student. Our family has never fallen into any particular category of homeschooling. If anything, we are perhaps closest to the unschooling movement. What I mean is that my parents homeschooled so that I would get a better education, one that was personal to me, one that I wanted and picked. They also did it so that our family life would be stronger, and so that us kids wouldn't have to face the world of school, which isn't so nice in many ways. I'm of the mindset now that kids should be given a lot of freedom about what they do, but that parents and kids have a responsibility to learn not just anything but also some certain things. These certain things are linked to living a good life, finding the truth, nurturing a family, and more.
How does having been homeschooled effect/help you in your adult life?
That's a hard question to answer. Even now, I can't really say too much about my own homeschooling experience, and that happened over 5 years ago! I'm newly graduated from college and working a job at the college where I graduated. I'm working in the admissions office. So far I've had a lot of time to think about what our college is about (it's a liberal arts school called Thomas More College, in NH), to think about education as it has been in our century and the centuries before, and to ponder how homeschooling and the homeschooling spirit fits into all of that. Over 70% of the young adults coming to our college in the past two years have been homeschoolers, as well, so there is something about the college that attracts homeschoolers. Anyway, to answer the question: I think homeschooling has helped me to question, and never to stop questioning even when I think I might know the answer. I'm not satisfied with what society says; in fact, I'm pretty cynical about most of what is accepted as "fact" these days, such as our schooling system, our capitalism, our morals, our way of dressing, our entertainment, our notion of friendship and love and dating -- all of that. Homeschooling has made me an outsider to most of what's normal, but not to my friends and family. And I think that's good.
Why do you think kids need a homeschool site of their own?
It really has struck me lately that there are very few places where the actual students who homeschool can have their say. Most books, magazines, and websites about homeschooling are for parents who homeschool and about children who homeschool, but through the parent’s eyes. I even doubt the benefits of homeschooling sometimes, so from that point of view it seems natural that we should see what the people going through the process think of it, themselves. Also, I know that many students who homeschool must struggle from loneliness. I don’t mean that they have no friends or family to talk to: that’s a different thing altogether. I mean loneliness in wondering whether anyone else out there cares enough about life to write about it, enough about family and what is good. There is so much that is bad out there, but in each of us - and it is often especially apparent in homeschooling students - there is also something beautiful and mature. I’d like apricotpie to be a place where that beauty and maturity (which is also innocent) can be shared between those who remember they have it.
What kind of teen is drawn to Apricot Pie? What can teens do there?
I think we have all types of teens coming. Of course, the website is also there for those younger and older than teens as well. But primarily teenagers are the ones writing for the website. It seems like the more artistic type of person enjoys the website. We have a lot of poetry coming in. The main part of the websites is the writing: a place for homeschoolers to have a voice, to write that essay, poem, story, or thoughtful piece and let other homeschoolers find it and read it. We also have an art gallery for homeschoolers to submit art to, and a message board.
Do you feel like Apricot Pie is a type of community for teens?
It is and it isn’t. The purpose is definitely not just to be a place where homeschooling students can mingle and meet. I think the inspiration for apricotpie comes from what it can be and sometimes is: a place for real art and real personalities to grow. There are other websites made for homeschoolers to meet; apricotpie cares more about the creativity and intellectual thought of homeschoolers.
What are your plans for the e-zine in the future? Do you think you’ll continue to do most of it or pass it on to the new generation of teen homeschooled kids coming up?
As I get older I try to include myself in the intended audience. This means that while I leave apricotpie open to those even 10 years old, the website also reflects my interests, and it hopes to interest homeschool graduates, too. As long as apricotpie interests me and stays at my level of thought (which should be something just about anyone can understand, as long as it is spoken clearly and eloquently) I will continue to work on it. On the other hand, as it has grown I’ve had trouble keeping up with the updates. So, I also have other homeschoolers and homeschool graduates helping me out now. The website is certainly not mine, but I do reserve its vision and inspiration as my own, at least for now. My plans for the future are very vague at the moment. I’d like to see it grow larger and more interactive, but I also want to work on helping its writers really excel in their writing (myself included). The writing and vision can always improve.
What is your favorite thing about the site?
I love going to the website when I'm feeling lost or tired. I begin browsing through my old posts and other people's old posts, finding and remembering good events that happened, and being inspired to write again.
What gave you the idea for creating Apricot Pie?
I started the website because I wanted to try my hand at web design work, and I couldn't think of any audience that would specifically be interested in my website other than homeschoolers. I didn't want to start yet another personal blog-type page where it is just me talking about myself. And I didn't have any specific interests that I felt would be interesting to have a website about. So I picked homeschooling (with the advice of my mom) as a way to bring people to my website and as something for me to write about and focus on. I also wanted to make money on a website back then with advertisements. That idea died long ago!
How long were you homeschooled for? What style of homeschooling did your family follow?
I'm the oldest of five. I was homeschooled my whole life, until my senior year of high school. Then I went to two state colleges as a dual-enrollment student. Our family has never fallen into any particular category of homeschooling. If anything, we are perhaps closest to the unschooling movement. What I mean is that my parents homeschooled so that I would get a better education, one that was personal to me, one that I wanted and picked. They also did it so that our family life would be stronger, and so that us kids wouldn't have to face the world of school, which isn't so nice in many ways. I'm of the mindset now that kids should be given a lot of freedom about what they do, but that parents and kids have a responsibility to learn not just anything but also some certain things. These certain things are linked to living a good life, finding the truth, nurturing a family, and more.
How does having been homeschooled effect/help you in your adult life?
That's a hard question to answer. Even now, I can't really say too much about my own homeschooling experience, and that happened over 5 years ago! I'm newly graduated from college and working a job at the college where I graduated. I'm working in the admissions office. So far I've had a lot of time to think about what our college is about (it's a liberal arts school called Thomas More College, in NH), to think about education as it has been in our century and the centuries before, and to ponder how homeschooling and the homeschooling spirit fits into all of that. Over 70% of the young adults coming to our college in the past two years have been homeschoolers, as well, so there is something about the college that attracts homeschoolers. Anyway, to answer the question: I think homeschooling has helped me to question, and never to stop questioning even when I think I might know the answer. I'm not satisfied with what society says; in fact, I'm pretty cynical about most of what is accepted as "fact" these days, such as our schooling system, our capitalism, our morals, our way of dressing, our entertainment, our notion of friendship and love and dating -- all of that. Homeschooling has made me an outsider to most of what's normal, but not to my friends and family. And I think that's good.
Why do you think kids need a homeschool site of their own?
It really has struck me lately that there are very few places where the actual students who homeschool can have their say. Most books, magazines, and websites about homeschooling are for parents who homeschool and about children who homeschool, but through the parent’s eyes. I even doubt the benefits of homeschooling sometimes, so from that point of view it seems natural that we should see what the people going through the process think of it, themselves. Also, I know that many students who homeschool must struggle from loneliness. I don’t mean that they have no friends or family to talk to: that’s a different thing altogether. I mean loneliness in wondering whether anyone else out there cares enough about life to write about it, enough about family and what is good. There is so much that is bad out there, but in each of us - and it is often especially apparent in homeschooling students - there is also something beautiful and mature. I’d like apricotpie to be a place where that beauty and maturity (which is also innocent) can be shared between those who remember they have it.
What kind of teen is drawn to Apricot Pie? What can teens do there?
I think we have all types of teens coming. Of course, the website is also there for those younger and older than teens as well. But primarily teenagers are the ones writing for the website. It seems like the more artistic type of person enjoys the website. We have a lot of poetry coming in. The main part of the websites is the writing: a place for homeschoolers to have a voice, to write that essay, poem, story, or thoughtful piece and let other homeschoolers find it and read it. We also have an art gallery for homeschoolers to submit art to, and a message board.
Do you feel like Apricot Pie is a type of community for teens?
It is and it isn’t. The purpose is definitely not just to be a place where homeschooling students can mingle and meet. I think the inspiration for apricotpie comes from what it can be and sometimes is: a place for real art and real personalities to grow. There are other websites made for homeschoolers to meet; apricotpie cares more about the creativity and intellectual thought of homeschoolers.
What are your plans for the e-zine in the future? Do you think you’ll continue to do most of it or pass it on to the new generation of teen homeschooled kids coming up?
As I get older I try to include myself in the intended audience. This means that while I leave apricotpie open to those even 10 years old, the website also reflects my interests, and it hopes to interest homeschool graduates, too. As long as apricotpie interests me and stays at my level of thought (which should be something just about anyone can understand, as long as it is spoken clearly and eloquently) I will continue to work on it. On the other hand, as it has grown I’ve had trouble keeping up with the updates. So, I also have other homeschoolers and homeschool graduates helping me out now. The website is certainly not mine, but I do reserve its vision and inspiration as my own, at least for now. My plans for the future are very vague at the moment. I’d like to see it grow larger and more interactive, but I also want to work on helping its writers really excel in their writing (myself included). The writing and vision can always improve.
What is your favorite thing about the site?
I love going to the website when I'm feeling lost or tired. I begin browsing through my old posts and other people's old posts, finding and remembering good events that happened, and being inspired to write again.