This list of "Homeschooling Myths Debunked" will remove the most common misconceptions that parents might assume when considering an alternative education for their child.
MYTH 1: Homeschooling requires dedicated daylong devotion.
It's a misconception that school hours have to be from 8:00AM-3:00PM, Monday through Friday. You can make your own schedule to effectively homeschool, even around a full-time job. Homeschooling can be safe, sincere, nurturing, and highly effective without placing an undue burden on the parents or child, even though it takes time and dedication. Even though it's still feasible and useful, the "One House on the Prairie" perception doesn't accurately reflect the state of the world today. In reality, both fathers and busy single parents homeschool their kids. Additionally, students who struggle to learn and who learn differently from their peers in public schools frequently perform better academically at home.
MYTH 2: Homeschooling only occurs at home.
In fact, the student's home is where they start to develop the rock-solid confidence they need to succeed in school. However, homeschooling is not just within the walls of a home. There are co-ops available to attend, along with classes and educational opportunities that include clubs, sports, and a wide range of other activities that encourage family and student cooperation when homeschooling.
MYTH 3: Homeschool students are isolated and lack social skills.
The exact opposite is true. According to extensive national studies, homeschoolers have a better socialization rate than public and private school students. Socialization is overwhelmingly beneficial when there are children at home, where the family can have a greater impact than their peers. The myth of poor socialization can be easily dispelled when you consider the numerous opportunities for homeschool students to interact with one another.
MYTH 4: Parents without an academic background cannot teach their child.
Effective learning occurs between parents and students. Parents only need to be committed to making the effort and be enthusiastic about learning. According to statistics, a parent's level of education has no bearing on how well their kids perform academically when homeschooled. There's a ton of assistance available thanks to excellent curriculum options, grade-specific online resources, DVDs, homeschool associations, homeschool umbrellas, neighborhood support groups, certified teachers, homeschool classes/ co-ops, and virtual education programs.
MYTH 5: Children do not ask to be homeschooled.
Many children beg instead of ask. Children will ask for this for a variety of reasons, including the fact that their friends are successfully homeschooled, they want more privacy and freedom to pursue their true academic interests, and they feel safer in a private setting. Not everyone can attend public or traditional private schools. Many kids become aware of this reality as they get older and look for an alternative.
MYTH 6: Homeschooling is not the place for struggling learners, children who have difficulty learning, or special needs children.
Children that struggle to learn or have special needs are among those who learn differently, and this percentage is steadily growing. While public school is designed to meet the needs of the general public as a collective, homeschooling addresses individual needs in so they can successfully thrive, contribute, and function in society. Simply contrast a homeschool class of five struggling students with one that benefits from individualized attention and numerous support resources.
MYTH 7: Homeschoolers can't play sports or won't be recognized as athletes.
There are several sporting opportunities in every major category for your child to participate, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, tennis, etc. If your child is a star athlete, the scouts will find them. Colleges recruit athletes from all over, and opportunities to play in college abound.
MYTH 8: Homeschool doesn't prepare students for college.
Homeschool does indeed prepare students successfully for college. Because colleges are aware that homeschoolers are more self-restraint and well-rounded than their counterparts in public schools, major universities now actually reserve a certain percentage of their enrollment exclusively for them. Homeschoolers outperform all other students on the ACT (American College Testing) and the college entrance Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT), where they receive 67 points above the national average. Additionally, parent-prepared transcripts are now accepted by 68% of American universities.
MYTH 9: Religion is what drives homeschooling.
Most homeschoolers are able to provide their kids with a well-balanced education, despite the fact that many do so because of their religious convictions. Their kids learn about other topics and investigate other ideologies in addition to receiving religious instruction.There are many parents that homeschool their child without religion in the mix if that is what they so choose.
MYTH 10: Homeschooling is not “normal.”
In actuality, homeschooling families are just as common and conventional as those who attend public schools. They cherish one another, uphold laws and traditions, and take pleasure in socializing with their neighbors, just like the majority of people do. In actuality, homeschoolers across the nation are from numerous political, religious, philosophical, and socio-economic backgrounds. Lack of confidence in the public school system and a desire to spend more time with their kids are the two things that homeschool families have in common. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 2-million children homeschooled in the country. According to their statistics, this number is increasing by about 20% annually.
MYTH 11: Homeschooling harms the public school system.
The difference between public school students and non-attending homeschooling students is offset by the fact that the school does not have to spend money on those students, even though schools are given funding from the government based on their enrollment figures. Even though homeschoolers are not using the school's resources, homeschooling families pay taxes that support the public school system. It can also be argued that homeschoolers are assisting the school by fewer students enrolling there, which results in lowering the classroom-to-teacher ratio.
MYTH: 12 Homeschooling parents think their children are too good for public school.
This critique frequently results from families of public schools feeling defensive. Many of those same people want to homeschool their kids but are unable to do so due to financial constraints, social stigmas, a lack of self-confidence in their own abilities, and the absence of free time. In reality, there is some truth to this misconception. Although homeschooling parents don't believe their kids are superior to their peers in public schools, they do think the academic and moral advantages are worth the financial and non-financial sacrifice in order to provide what they see as a better education.
MYTH: 13: Children will just sit at home all day and do nothing.
Families who participate in homeschooling are more likely to accept experiential learning and extracurricular activities. This gives you the freedom to move school to another environment that is inspiring and relaxing, or to take a field trip when it's convenient. You can set up daily schedules so that your child can study at the pace and at a time that make the most sense around your life's circumstances. Homeschooling enables you to design an individualized school year by letting you choose the months and days your student may receive schooling.
MYTH 14: My child will not learn the right things.
Parents choose homeschooling in large part because they don't think the public school system is teaching proper values and lessons. Parents have more control over the curriculum and instruction when it comes to homeschooling. Additionally, there are a ton of resources available to assist with those decisions.
MYTH 15: I'm a single parent. I don't have the time, resources, or ability.
"As a single parent who homeschools (or wants to), you’ve undoubtedly encountered naysayers. Even well-meaning friends and family often imply that homeschooling is too much for you. “You should just send your kids to traditional school instead. There’s no shame in that.” Well, they’re right—there is no shame in that decision. But there could be devastating consequences. If you want to homeschool your kids, don’t surrender your God-given privilege to do so based solely on your circumstances. You can successfully homeschool as a single parent." Here's how: https://homeschooladventure.com/blog/single-parent-homeschooling/
MYTH 16: My child won't get to go to prom.
Many homeschool associations and co-ops organize dances and proms for seniors. It's about networking and coordinating with others. Being a homeschooler does not mean that they won't ever be asked to prom from someone who attends public or private school. Therefore, this should not be a factor.