Myths: Home-School Myths – The Real Truth
By Mimi Rothschild Despite statistics that show facts to the contrary, home-school critics still continue to make statements about home-school with the intent of putting this educational choice in a bad light. Home-school parents and students alike know that these statements are without merit, but many people who are considering home-school and do not know the real facts may be discouraged from making the choice due what the critics are saying- and this is unfortunate.
One of the most common complaints from home-school critics is that children who are being educated through home-school are socially isolated, and become ill-prepared to deal with the real world as adults. Not only is this completely untrue, it is also more of a true statement to say that home-school students learn earlier and better how to function in all aspects of society. Home-school students socialize with their peers through clubs, recreational activities and community sports programs. In addition to this, home-school students also tend to be more active in community programs and volunteer organizations, giving them the chance to interact with people who are older and younger than they are.
Another complaint from critics is that home-school parents are not qualified to teach their children effectively. Statistics simply prove this to be untrue. The majority of home-school parents have no teaching degree, yet home-school students consistently score higher in academic tests than their publicly schooled peers. The personalized attention that a home-school student receives and the parents' desire to give their home-school children a superior education makes a teaching degree unnecessary. Home-school parents take their children's learning seriously, and they use every resource available to ensure a quality education. Statistics prove that they are succeeding quite well in reaching this goal.
Having a curriculum where faith and worship can be incorporated into learning is a choice that parents do not have with public school, which obviously helps some parents decide to home-school. However, this does not mean that these home-school parents only emphasize religious instruction to the exclusion of all other learning. Home-school parents want the best possible education for their children, and through home-school this is being successfully achieved. Many simply want the choice to include religion, and public school denies that choice.
Though home-school critics also claim that all home-school children are taught in the same manner, the opposite is actually true. One of the benefits of home-school is that it incorporates flexibility and a personal approach to learning that is advantageous for home-school students. No two home-school families are alike, and the variety of home-school methods reflect this.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling mother, writer, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of home education company Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of 28 years reside with their 8 children right outside Philadelphia, PA.
Rothschild launched Learning By Grace, Inc. because she believed that our nation's public school system has failed parents and students. Learning By Grace, Inc. offers online education through a multimedia-rich curriculum to PreK-12 children across the country and throughout the world.
An accomplished author, Rothschild has written books regarding education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Homeschooling News Café Blog consists of the most current and relevant education news.Electronic reproduction of this article is permitted if content is published unchanged, appropriate credit is given, and the article title links to corresponding article webpage.
