3 Homeschooling Myths, Busted.
Home education numbers have nearly doubled in the US from 850,000 in 1999 to 1.5 million in 2007, according to a 2009 Department of Education Survey. With homeschoolers making up 2.7% of the school age population it's time to debunk some common myths and misconceptions about homeschooling and homeschoolers.
Homeschoolers are unsociable or anitsocial
This statement comes out of the false impression that homeschoolers sit at home alone interacting with only their parents. While that may be true for some families, most of the families that I have run into are out and about all day long; going to dance class, circus school, language classes, and they interact with plenty of people in real life social situations. The age group I have been most impressed with in this regard are the teens. Homeschooled/Unschooled teens interact well with all age groups and don't have the us and them mentality towards adults that traditionally schooled teens seem to have.Homeschoolers are sheltered and isolated
The truth is that homeschoolers are in the real world and interacting with it on a daily basis. Homeschoolers have a broad range of experiences and interact with a breadth of different people throughout their day. Due to this they can be more worldly than their schooled counterparts who spend their days among same aged peers.Homeschoolers are religious fundamentalists
In a 2009 survey done by the NHES 85% of those surveyed stated that "A desire to provide religious or moral instruction" was "important" while only 35% of parents stated that it was their "most important" reason for homechooling. There is a strong contingent of secular homeschooling (and usnchooling) families out there or families whose religious beliefs may be a deciding factor but not the most important factor in their decision to homeschool.Hopefully this will help to clear up some of the confusion that is out there about home education, homeschooling and unschooling.
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