Homeschool Myths: Homeschool Kids Are Too Lazy for Real School
Myth #3
Some people tend to believe that a child who schools at home is too lazy to attend a "regular" school. While browsing various websites, blogs, and forums online, I noticed something very sad. Many homeschooled children were complaining that their friends in public or private school thought they were lazy and couldn't handle "real" schoolwork.
Some of the home schooled children recalled being in public school and compared it to what they do in homeschool. Most of the ones I came across that mentioned this stated they had more schoolwork in their home school, but many still preferred it because there was also more time to concentrate on work.
Sometimes people assume that because you're at home, you have the freedom to lax on your schoolwork. However, for many homeschooling families, that isn't even a consideration. School time is still school time. Just because the classes might be held at home or in another location besides a public or private school, that doesn't make them less important.
Another topic where laziness came up was during homework time. Some homeschooled children do not have homework. I have found that when this is the case, it's generally because there is a great deal of school work completed during the day. To give homework afterward would be overwhelming for the child in that case.
In my observations and experience, a homeschooled child might actually have less room to be lazy with their schoolwork. Generally the parents will be more observant of a child's schoolwork when it is being done at home. Rather than asking a child about their work, the parent has the unique opportunity of being present while it is completed. Because of more parental involvement, this sometimes sets higher standards for the child to perform.
I have also found that many homeschooled children will score at one or more levels above their grade level, which means they may be working twice as hard in less time. The HSLDA has posted information on a study relating to that. Click Here for more information on the scores and performance of homeschooled children.
While being lazy could very well apply to some children in home school, it could probably be applied to some children in public school as well. Those same children would likely be lax in performing their studies, no matter which type of school they attended. Someone who is lazy will generally be lazy, no matter their environment.
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- Some kids who attend home school have more schoolwork than those who don't.
- When homeschooled kids don't get homework, it could be due to large amounts of daily work.
- Because of more parental involvement, this sometimes sets higher standards for the child to perform.
27 Comments
Post a CommentI've got a dual enrolled sophomore. Last year, he begged me not to enroll him full time. This year, he has had three homework assignments. In public school they watched Myth Busters, Lion King and Chicken Little when they were not going to pep rally or building houses out of crackers. The teachers just don't want to grade homework. At home, they complete all of their daily assignments and I grade them daily. They get private tutoring for crying out loud! Their grades and knowledge, or lack thereof, aren't hidden in the masses, or known by the kid next to them that actually grades the papers. Oh, and at parent teacher conferences, one teacher told me, "Your son is an amazing advocate for himself. He works very diligently in solving problems." He's the only sophomore in a class of juniors and is pulling a B+. His engineering teacher complimented us, saying, "Your son is the most polite student I've had in a number of years."
Socialized, well. He hasn't been busted for vehicular homicide
No, they're not. If the kid is too lazy for public school, he/she will be too lazy for ANY kind of schoolin', cuz LAZY IS LAZY!
I think I would definitely agree that we didn't have time to be lazy when I was homeschooled! Morning was schooltime. After lunch, you had your little housework assignment (and not just your room; I had to wash floors and clean bathrooms too). Then, you had your music practice. And if you had extra schoolwork you hadn't finished, you had to do that to. Probably more work than public school, but way more fun.
I think you are a great Mom...that wants her children to succeed in life !!!....I have known Home schooled kids who go on to Harvard and finish in the top of their class !
Thanks everyone. It's great to hear a good observation like that on homeschoolers from a teacher's perspective James.
I love reading your homeschooling articles because, as a public school teacher, I am intrigued by the parents who can and do take the time to educate their children so effectively. I love getting students with homeschooled backgrounds; they are more disciplined to the tasks and more respectful to the teachers. Hear, hear!! Keep up the good fight for real education!
I agree with Madeline. All children have unique personalities and some are a bit laid-back and less work-oriented than others (prone to being lazy)
:)
I really enjoyed reading this one.
Your last paragraph summed it up perfectly!
LOL Sorry for my typos below, but I'm sure you all get the point. I've got a kid in my lap about to play a computer game. ;-)
Thanks for reading and sharing everyone. Penny, I agree. That's why there are so many choices are available. I wish more parents would evaluate all of the options available to them, instead of just stopping at public school only. There are private schools, virtual schools, co-ops, home schools, and so much more. Maybe that will be the next topic I write about. I've written on it in the past, but I have a new idea. LOL Pearlygates. That's alright. That's the process of nature. We all go through it. I agree Karen. Anything that isn't considered to mainstream gets questioned. I hope that my articles will help alleviate some of the misconceptions of homeschooling, at least for a handful of people.