6 Common Misconceptions About Homeschooling
Photo by Jessica Rockowitz on Unsplash
For those who’ve only ever been involved with or experienced traditional schooling, the word homeschooling might bring about a few (untrue) images: an odd, lonely, sheltered child who spends all day wishing he had friends; a parent who neglects to give their child a full education and basic social skills; a family that’s too afraid of the outside world to let their children out of the house.
Of course, homeschoolers have dealt with these misconceptions all their life, getting wide-eyed looks from other kids who say, “You’re… homeschooled?” as if they just admitted to being from another planet.
Homeschooling, though on the rise in the United States, has typically had a bad rap, being seen as what the fringe “weirdos” do in order to keep their children under control. So much of what those unfamiliar with homeschooling think is due to a lack of information and bias, of course — we see something out of the norm and immediately wonder what’s wrong with it.
So what are the most common misconceptions about homeschooling?
01 | Homeschoolers don’t have any social skills or friends.
It’s a common assumption that without going to school all day Monday-Friday, kids won’t have any opportunity to socialize or learn how to make friends. But the reality is that homeschooled kids are given the opportunity to form more meaningful relationships with their parents and siblings, are generally more open-minded and willing to try new things, and are actually more likely to be more emotionally, intellectually, and socially skilled than kids educated in public schools.
02 | Parents aren’t qualified to teach their children.
Another common criticism of homeschooling is the fact that (most) parents don’t hold a teaching degree — so how can they give their children the kind of education they need to succeed? Well, we think it’s time that we start looking to parents as teachers; after all, they’re the first people children will look to for guidance, and even the best schoolteachers will be spread thin as they’re made to wrangle thirty children at a time.
03 | Homeschoolers spend all day at home.
Someone who’s never been homeschooled might take its name a little too seriously; there’s no requirement that kids be educated at home — in fact, while kids in a traditional school have to spend hours on end in fluorescent-lit classrooms, homeschoolers are lucky enough to be taken to art museums, historical sites, national parks, or on road trips, as a means of education. This enables them to see education as something to be pursued anywhere and everywhere, not just in a classroom.
04 | Homeschooling parents are too controlling.
Another assumption homeschoolers are bound to hear is that only overprotective parents want to homeschool their children — parents that are afraid of the outside world. The truth is that parents who decide to educate at home simply desire to pass on a certain set of values and lifestyle to their children. They have a vision for how they’d like their children to be educated and raised and take it upon themselves to make that come true. Can we really fault anyone for that?
05 | Homeschoolers will have a hard time getting into college.
We’re always told that AP classes and a 4.0 GPA at a top high school are what colleges will look at — and we think that homeschoolers won’t have the right prerequisites required for good colleges. But here are a couple of interesting facts: homeschoolers actually outperform public- and private-schooled kids on standardized tests, and they have higher graduation rates. Homeschooled kids are more than prepared to thrive in whatever college they choose to attend.
06 | Homeschooling is too much of a responsibility.
This is half-true; homeschooling is a big responsibility. It requires intention, patience, forethought, and faithfulness — every single day. But is it too much of a responsibility? Not if we’ve committed to doing it and devised a plan (and utilized the countless homeschooling resources online). Educating children at home is one of the most rewarding things, even with the unique challenges that arise.