Are you skeptical about online homeschooling? Perhaps you’re a parent who is on the fence, but some of your friends have made the switch and they love it. Homeschooling is a great option for both students and parents. It offers more opportunities for family bonding and also comfort for children who suffer from social anxiety or other issues that may hinder their ability to focus in a classroom with many other children. That being said, there are a number of myths about online schools and they are going to be addressed in this article.
1.) Low-Quality Learning
It is a common misconception that a child who is learning from home will not receive the same standard of curriculum as students in traditional schooling. However, not only do they receive a high-quality curriculum, but it can be designed and adjusted for their specific needs and learning style. Traditional classroom settings might have up to 20 students or more in some cases, and it would be impossible to teach them all individually. This means that certain students may thrive and others who need extra attention will struggle since they cannot keep up. Teaching your child from home allows for much more flexibility. The length and content of the curriculum can be altered if it is too difficult at first. You can also set your own due dates, create your own projects and field trips, and take frequent breaks if needed. A student can absorb just as much if not more knowledge from home as they would in the classroom since the learning environment is tailored to fit them personally.
2.) No Time for Activities
Quite the opposite, actually. Bringing the classroom into your home actually allows for more free time. There aren’t nearly as many children to organize and keep focused on the tasks at hand, therefore, the lesson will get completed at a much swifter pace. With so much more time in the day, students and parents can get outdoors and facilitate their own sports’ teams with the child’s friends. This is also an opportunity for parents to plan educational activities for their children that go beyond the usual worksheets used in classrooms. Those are great too, but it is very beneficial for students to diversify their learning environment and get outdoors on a regular basis. Homeschooling allows plenty of room for that.
3.) No College Will Accept the Child
Did you know that more homeschooled students go on to further their education than any other group? Not only that but they also have a much higher graduation rate (66.7%) than their peers by almost 10%. Many prestigious colleges such as Dartmouth and Yale actually seek out students who were homeschooled since it speaks to a high level of discipline and these students are generally more motivated as well. Not to mention, homeschooling promotes excellent time management, which many college students lack, particularly in their first year. These qualities all make homeschooled students a preferred option among many universities.
4.) Parents Can’t Be Teachers
Parents can be teachers too! There are a wide variety of resources available for parents to learn and factors in place that will help them along in this journey. They can reach out to their circle of homeschooling parents for advice and guidance. Every homeschool family has its own unique experience and might have been through exactly what another is struggling with. There are also tutors and educators that offer their services online. These people have dedicated a part of their life to providing guidance and support in a particular subject or subject(s), so they are more than equipped to assist! We live in a world where all of the information and resources we need to succeed in anything is right at our fingertips, so there is no reason why a parent can’t be a teacher, especially if they are willing to be a student as well.
5.) Lack of Social Skills
One of the most (if not the most) common myths of online homeschooling is that the students do not interact with others or go outside, so they do not develop any social skills. As mentioned before, there is much more time available for activities when homeschooling. This includes social ones! During free time, a parent can take their child to the park to meet with friends, sign them up for youth clubs where they can meet and hang out with children their age, organize get-togethers with other homeschool kids at the house, or anything! There are so many opportunities to socialize when homeschooling and as long as those are taken advantage of, the student’s social development will be just fine. There was a study conducted by the Discovery Institute in 2000 and they found that homeschooled children scored well with counselors and were noted to have far fewer behavioral issues.
Still on the Fence?
There are a wide variety of accredited online homeschool programs available. Each one is different and can be tailored to fit your family’s specific needs. You can move through the curriculum as quickly or as slowly as you need, and students don’t have to stress over the pressure of keeping up with their peers. There are no strict guidelines or “start” and “end” dates. Not to mention, the amount of time and money (there are many cost-effective programs that beat a typical education) you’ll save by switching to homeschooling, will be significant. This extra time can be spent on hobbies or activities to keep your child active both physically and mentally, giving them the chance to get outside and allowing more time for family. There have been many studies showing that homeschooled students outperform those in traditional settings by quite a large margin. From higher GPA’s to higher ACT scores, overall better college performance, and higher graduation rate, it seems the homeschool environment is one much more conducive to focused and productive learning. Why is an online homeschool curriculum better? It is designed for each individual student as opposed to the student body as a whole.