If you are homeschooled or have ever been homeschooled, you have likely been asked questions such as "Do you wear your pajamas to school?" or "What do you actually do when you're homeschooled?" at least once in your life.
These are valid questions, but they can often be irritating to the homeschooler due to the fact that they stem from misunderstanding and myth. Below are four myths about homeschooling debunked.
1. Homeschoolers always wear their pajamas.
It is true that, in theory, homeschoolers could spend the whole day in their pajamas and still complete their schoolwork in an orderly fashion. However, in most cases, homeschoolers have different places to go and extracurricular activities to attend, just like any other normal student. Therefore, they must change out of their pajamas.
2. Homeschoolers are antisocial and have no social life.
This myth is simply not true. Not only are there hundreds of homeschool groups that many homeschool families attend on a regular basis, there are also multiple studies that show homeschoolers to be just as adept at socializing as public school kids, and perhaps even more so.
3. Homeschoolers do not do as much schoolwork as those in public school.
Really? This might be true for some families, but the vast majority of homeschoolers do just as much schoolwork as their public school counterparts. Homeschoolers have to meet the same requirements as publicly educated kids in order to graduate, so their time is spent in studying, completing honors or AP requirements and learning everything they can to pass the course and succeed in life just as any other student.
4. Homeschoolers are unprepared for college.
Actually, college students who went to public school are consistently outperformed by those who were homeschooled. Numerous studies have found that homeschoolers tend to make better grades and have a higher graduation rate than those in public school.
Now that all misunderstandings have been disproved, you can better appreciate the homeschooler in your life. And, homeschoolers -- be proud of the way you have been educated. It is a privilege not many are granted these days, and it will take you far in life.
