We hear a lot about how homeschooling is a negative for children and how they can be scarred for life. We hear a lot of people repeating the same lines over and over again. The problem is that these people have never experienced homeschooling first hand and therefore would have no real insight into the experience.
They are the ones spreading and keeping the misconceptions about homeschooling current and current. If you are considering trying this method of education for your child, here are a couple of things to know about it. Here are the most common misconceptions that are being spread about homeschooling:
Homeschoolers are stuck at home- The problem here is that some people are taking the “home” part of homeschooling quite literally. The fact is that these children enjoy much more outdoor activities than children in normal schools. Their parents can take them to museums, parks, movies, and galleries as part of their regular learning process.
Homeschoolers don’t have friends– This is again related to the fact that some people think that homeschooled children are stuck inside the house all day. The well-balanced homeschooling curriculum would have plenty of time to play and engage in other activities with other children. Parents can also enroll kids in fun activities and classes where they can meet kids in their own age group.
School is the only place where children can socialize– Some people say that children who do not go to school would not be able to socialize properly. For them, school is the best place to learn how to deal with other people.
However, there is a problem with that view, and that problem is the fact that children in schools are themselves exposed to a lot of negative socialization. They experience bullying, peer pressure, and many other unpleasant things. That’s not the case with homeschoolers.
Ordinary parents are not qualified to teach their own children– This is simply not true and studies show that the educational level of parents does not have a significant influence on the achievement of homeschooled children. On average, children who are educated at home perform better than those who follow the normal means of education. This means that any willing parent should be able to teach his children.
Teens miss out on a lot by being homeschooled– Another very common misconception about homeschooling is that children waste much of their teenage years when they don’t attend regular schools. The truth is, homeschooled children can do the things they want when they want. They don’t have to participate in the things that are required for the curriculum.
These are just some of the most common misconceptions we have regarding homeschooling. As you can see, there is much more to this method of education and it is really worth exploring.