Why You Shouldn’t Listen to the Media’s View on Homeschooling
There are a lot of mixed opinions when it comes to homeschooling just because of its reputation of going against the norm. We’ve mentioned that there are challenges present whether a child goes to a traditional school or gets home schooled. It’s easy to be swayed by negative reviews and articles seen in the media nowadays, but hearing both sides of the story is wise when exploring education options for children.
Here are some of the myths the media has thrown out and the real deal that goes behind homeschooling.
Myth: Homeschooling leads to isolation and lack of social skills for your child.
Reality: Children interacting with their parents, siblings, neighbors, and community members will effectively learn how to socialize just as well.
Perhaps one of the most popular and tireless arguments against homeschooling is the lack of socialization that kids might experience. MiddleSchool.net claims that this will affect them in later stages of life, but countless studies have rebutted this statement. For instance, Discovery Institute’s findings showed that homeschooled kids adjusted well in social settings as observed by their counselors. In the study, it was also noted that they even displayed fewer behavioral problems compared to their peers who attended traditional schools. Social skills can be developed by making sure the kids have friends in the neighborhood or arranging play dates with other homeschooled kids in the area.
Myth: Homeschooling is only for conservative families with strict rules.
Reality: Homeschooled kids come from many different backgrounds and enter it for many different reasons.
Homeschooling is a choice of the parent, and is not just about conservative views being imposed on young ones. Entertainment Daily covered former “Counting On” reality TV show star Derrick Dillard who recently took to Twitter, in expressing his favorable views on sending children to public school. His wife, Jill Duggar-Dillard, comes from a family where all members of the household were homeschooled. While people viewed this tweet as a spite against the family’s traditions, the Duggars are just one of the many different types of families who adopted homeschooling.
The National Center for Education Statistics revealed the top reason why parents choose to opt for homeschooling: Parents are concerned with the safety in schools. Other reasons include a desire for tailored, high-quality education and a need to instill moral values.
Myth: Parents don’t have the qualifications to teach or they just pick a random string of subjects to teach.
Reality: Parents are natural sources of information that kids run to, and they have the authority to lead and guide their kids with their knowledge.
Apt Parenting blames the lack of teaching certification of parents, as to why they are not qualified to run a homeschool program for their kids. On the contrary, homeschool parents can pick a curriculum of their choice for their kids to follow. It isn’t just up to the parent to arrange what the child will learn, and the subjects are more or less similar to what is learned in a traditional school setting.
Connection Academy points out that parents can opt to get tutors who can supplement the teaching they provide. This is more or less similar to a traditional school setting, with the absence of classmates. Moreover, when parents notice subjects or areas where their kids are excelling, they can tailor-fit the curriculum to allow the children to flourish or focus on things that they really like.
Every child is unique in terms of behavior and learning patterns. Homeschooling can avoid the unnecessary pressure on kids having to learn everything at the same pace and in the same way. Homeschooling can also encourage kids to discover a lot of potential in themselves too, possibly leading to more confidence and self-reliance in the future.
Learn More
If you are interested, make sure to check out the homeschool section on Amazon. You can buy guides and even planners to help you easily get through the homeschool years.