The Top Five Homeschooling Myths Debunked!
Homeschooling can be a wonderful way of educating your child or children, particularly for those parents who are busy professionals with a hectic lifestyle. However, in the past homeschooling has been looked down upon by some, and continues to be so by a small minority. Many of those who look down on homeschooling are likely to have their own thoughts on the subject, although it is entirely possible that they may have been influenced by common myths around the practice, and are therefore under certain illusions which may not in fact be true. In this article, we’re taking a look at the five most common myths surrounding homeschooling and why they’re wrong!
Homeschooled children don’t learn as much as those in public education.
Our first myth is one of the biggest of the five we’re focusing on… It’s simply not true that homeschooled children don’t learn as much as those in public education. In fact, in some cases, it can be quite the opposite, with personalised learning schedules allowing pupils to learn in a way which best suits their educational needs. Meanwhile, in a public school, all students are taught the same way, and there is very little room to change the approach to suit the child and enable them to gather a greater understanding of the topic. Not only this, but homeschooled children often learn more, as there is no risk of them having to wait for slower learners in a public environment.
Children in homeschooling environments suffer from a lack of social interaction.
Again, this is a common myth. Just because a child is homeschooled, that doesn’t automatically make them a social recluse. Those children who are privately educated at home are often enrolled in a number of extracurricular activities outside of the home setting, such as sports teams. In fact, many school boards and local authorities allow those who are homeschooled to still partake in activities at their local school to ensure that they get the exposure they need to like-minded peers of the same age.
Homeschooling is too expensive.
We often hear this! Whilst it is true that the family will have to pay the salary of a professional tutor or teacher, with some also opting to pay living costs such as accommodation, there are also expenses associated with traditional education too. Uniform, travel passes, gas to drive them to school, subject-related fees, additional field trips, unnecessary supplies… all these things add up over the course of a child’s school career, which ultimately aren’t needed if they are homeschooled.
Homework doesn’t exist as a concept in homeschooling…
Some think that just because a child is doing all of their school work at home, this automatically means that they don’t get given homework! This is inaccurate. The whole premise of homework is not that a child has some work to do at home, but more that they have some work which they must complete individually and without a teacher’s presence. As such, a private tutor will also assign ‘homework’ to homeschooled students just as a ‘regular’ teacher would give an assignment to a class.
Private tutors aren’t as qualified as regular teachers.
Again, this is wrong! All of the private tutors which Beacon provides for clients around the world are fully qualified and have years of experience in their respective fields. When you instruct Beacon to find a teacher for a home schooling position, we work to your brief, often choosing a shortlist from our pool of teaching talent, although we also hire from outside of this pool too! With homeschooling, ultimately you get to choose who teaches your child, and you can ensure that both you and your children feel comfortable around them.
There are likely to be many more myths surrounding homeschooling and private tuition, and as such you may find that you need certain questions answered by a professional company with years of experience in the industry. That’s where Beacon can help! Alternatively, if you’re looking to start the search for a private tutor for your child or children, then talk to Beacon today for a free consultation.
