by Author Name Withheld 26

Created on: May 19, 2008

Did you hear the one about the homeschooled kid who went to Harvard at age 12? Or how about the homeschooling neighbors who live under a rock and only come out on double coupon Tuesdays? Homeschooling has inspired a lot of myths. Let's get to the bottom of them.

Myth: Homeschooled students go straight to the Ivy League.
The truth: Homeschoolers consistently perform well above public school students on standardized tests, but homeschooling does not guarantee your child a spot at a top college. As with all kids, many homeschooled kids are just average, some are superior and others are below average. What homeschooling will do, however, is give your children one-on-one attention that they can't get anywhere else. Homeschooling parents can tailor curriculum and approaches to each child, allowing them to follow their interests and reach their full potential.

Myth: Homeschooled children are socially inept.
The truth: Unless they are chained to the kitchen table, homeschooled children actually have more opportunities for socialization, but with people of all ages, not just their age mates. They are regularly enrolled in extracurricular sports, classes, Scouting and other activities that provide interaction with other kids. Research has shown that homeschooled kids are as well-adjusted socially and emotionally as private school students, but with one difference: Homeschoolers aren't as dependent on their peers.

Myth: Homeschooling is a Christian movement.
The truth: Homeschoolers come from all walks of life and all faiths. For some, not just Christians, immersing their children in their faith is a big part of why they homeschool. But even for those families, it isn't likely to be the only reason.

Myth: All homeschoolers are anti-government types.
The truth: Homeschoolers are not anti-American. In fact, research shows that homeschooled adults are more likely, not less, to be involved in their communities. Patricia Lines of the U.S. Department of Education concluded in the 1990s that home education families " have not turned their backs on the broader social contract as understood at the time of the Founding [of America]. [They are] asserting their historic individual rights so that they may form more meaningful bonds with family and community. In doing so, they are not abdicating from the American agreement. To the contrary, they are affirming it."

Myth: Parents aren't qualified to teach their children.
The truth: Many, many studies have found no correlation between students'

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