Top 10 Myths About Homeschooling
When you think about homeschooled kids, what comes to mind? There’s a lot about at-home learning that people who haven’t homeschooled may not know!
Some parents hesitate to start homeschooling their own children because of some common myths. In this article, we’ll be debunking ten of the most common misconceptions about homeschooling:
1. Parents aren’t qualified to teach their children.
Many parents feel that they aren’t qualified to teach their children. While a few states require teaching certificates or bachelor’s degrees, many simply require that you educate your children in good faith.
Just because you forgot how to do long division by hand doesn’t mean that you won’t be a good teacher! After all, you taught them how to use the toilet, dress themselves, and say “please” and “thank you.” Who better to teach them than you, the person who knows your child better than anyone else on the planet?
2. Homeschoolers aren’t socialized.
One of the most common questions that homeschool parents get asked is “But what about socialization?” The socialization myth is one of the most popular, as parents are often concerned about their child’s social development.
Just as school-aged children develop social skills before and after school at home, homeschooled children are also socialized. When children speak to their siblings, their grandparents, the grocery store cashier, or their soccer coach, they’re learning how to interact with other members of society.
Anytime children interact with others, they’re learning what is socially acceptable. On top of that, many homeschooled students participate in public school sports or other extracurriculars where they get to interact with children their own age. Where there are other people, socialization will happen.
3. Only stay-at-home parents can homeschool their children.
If you rely on two incomes, as many Americans do, you don’t have to quit your job to homeschool. Many homeschool parents also work from home, work as freelancers online, or homeschool after their 9-to-5. One of the best things about homeschooling is the flexible scheduling; tailor your children’s homeschool schedule around your working hours. You can also work part time and get your children out of the house during the week with homeschool co-ops or groups. Some states require parents without teacher licenses to hire a tutor or in-home educator, another option if you can’t stay home every day.
4. Homeschool is for rich families only.
The cost of homeschooling can vary greatly, and there are ways to do it on a low budget. Homeschool families can be found in all income brackets!
This misconception may come from an assumption that one parent must stay home, while the other parent financially supports the whole family. This can be the case, but it’s less common than you’d think. For many families, without costs like uniforms, school lunch, and before- and after-care, homeschooling is actually cheaper than traditional schooling.
5. Homeschooling is unregulated.
In the United States, homeschooling is regulated by state governments. Each state has their own rules and laws that all homeschool families must follow. These laws regulate attendance, learning topics, and required annual assessments.
Usually, parents have to provide annual student portfolios and test results to the superintendent or education board. Again, homeschool laws vary by state (with some stricter than others), but homeschooling is both legal and regulated in all 50 states.
6. Teens miss out on the “high school experience.”
A typical high school experience may include going to football games on Fridays, joining clubs, going to prom, or spending summer vacations with friends. These are all things that homeschooled kids get to enjoy too, either with their friends from public school or with the help of homeschool groups and co-ops! There are even homeschool proms and graduation ceremonies that your high schooler can attend.
7. Homeschoolers can’t get into college.
Homeschoolers can and do get into college. The process is the same as for any other high school graduate, and items such as test scores and transcripts are required. Some colleges even offer scholarships specifically for homeschool students. In addition, homeschool students may have better test scores than public school students due to the self-paced learning with minimal distractions.
8. Only religious families homeschool.
Many different families homeschool for a variety of reasons! From military deployments, irregular work schedules, or even a shift in parental responsibilities, religion is far from the only reason that families decide to homeschool. Some parents disagree with the teaching approach in public schools or would like their children to learn more than what public schools can offer. Homeschooling provides the opportunity for parents to teach their values alongside the subjects and courses that they feel are best for their students.
9. Homeschooling doesn’t prepare children for the real world.
Many parents choose to homeschool so they can teach values to their children, alongside their core subjects. In addition, many states mandate that students learn about civics and “good citizenship” in homeschool. This includes topics such as civic duties, kindness, community involvement, and empathy for others. If raising kind people is already on your mind, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about!
10. Very few families homeschool their children.
Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, with about 3.1 million children homeschooled during the 2021-2022 school year (NHERI). With more and more parents opting for more freedom, flexibility, and safety in their student’s education, along with the availability of high-quality homeschool curricula, homeschooling is more attractive and accessible than ever before.
Homeschooling with Miacademy
At Miacademy, we’re committed to making a high-quality education accessible to all students. When you homeschool with Miacademy, your student can enjoy thousands of videos, games, activities, and more! Whether you are homeschooling kids with disabilities, teaching gifted learners, or trying to adhere to a certain homeschooling style, our flexible approach can help you create a personalized homeschooling experience.
To find out more about how Miacademy can help you on your homeschool journey, feel free to reach out to one of our friendly customer service agents! They’ll be happy to help you with any questions you may have.