Myths: More Myths about the Practice of Home School
By Mimi Rothschild
There are many myths surrounding the practice of home school. It is incredibly difficult to separate the truth from the fiction regarding home school. Although it is a growing trend, home school makes up such a small percentage of schooling that goes on in this country that it can be difficult to make any inroads at all with the general population. Armed with a little knowledge, however, you can inform your friends, neighbors, and loved ones of the truths about the home school option for this country's children.
One of the great myths of home school is that it is primarily a bastion for upper-middle class white people. While it is true many home school kids are white and some do have a decent amount of money, the fact of the matter is that home school families often have to give up a lot financially in order for home school to be viable. Basically, home school requires that one of the parents quit his or her job and take on the responsibility of teaching the children, giving up careers, second cars and bigger houses for the sake of their kids.
Another myth about home schooling is that home school parents cannot possibly match the qualifications that teachers have and cannot possibly do as good a job educating children as certified teachers can do. While there are some dedicated teachers out there working in a long uphill battle who truly want to teach your children, the fact of the matter is that formal educational theory has little place in the real world of teaching students. All the conferences and post-graduate work can't help a teacher to teach if the teacher doesn't have the supplies and the support of the school district.
Finally, there are persistent thoughts among the larger community that home school is for reclusives and religious fanatics. This is not the case at all. Many secular people as well as modestly religious people choose alternative education like home school for any variety of reasons: from inadequate local schools to medical reasons, and many other private matters. The home school community is a diverse group. Sure, there are lots of extremely religious people of many faiths who choose to home school, but home school is also the province and the right of every American. More and more, average, middle-of-the-road people are choosing home school for their children.
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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.
