A Sense of Self

by Susannah Sheffer

Recent reports claim adolescent girls' self-esteem fades in their teenage years. But the statements above are those of adolescent girls - the difference is they are homeschooled girls, girls who learn at home and in the community rather than by going to school. Why are these girls able to hold on to the strengths they had as children? Why do they seem so skillful at handling disagreements? How are they able to resist challenges to their sense of self? In this book Susannah Sheffer analyzes the fifty-five in-depth interviews she conducted with homeschooled girls, doing so from a perspective not yet considered in the current debate. Rather than suggesting home-schooling as a universal solution, Sheffer provides the experiences and views of homeschoolers to illuminate those of girls in school.