I was homeschooled for the earlier part of my life. I started going to school for one class in fourth grade. By sixth grade, I was up to half days, and now, I spend most of the day here at State High. But despite my integration into public school, I still vividly remember my homeschooling years. Perceptions of homeschooled kids across America vary, but there are some myths I would like to debunk: I have a few things to clear up concerning what people think about homeschooling versus how it actually is.

First, let me say this. Homeschoolers are not socially awkward. It’s not like our only friends are our siblings and we never get out of the house. We play on sports teams with other kids, hang out with friends, etc. When people interact with me, they can’t tell that I used to be homeschooled because we’re the same as every other public school student.

Despite popular belief, homeschoolers work pretty hard. We don’t sleep in until noon and then just do whatever we want. Many of us have schedules, daily lesson plans, and curriculums that we are required to finish for the school year. Carline Crevecoeur, a homeschool teacher, agrees that homeschooling is actually quite rigorous. “Yes, homeschooling is hard work. But definitely it’s worth it. My kids can learn at their own pace which is not a privilege that they can get at school.”

Finally, not all homeschoolers study at home because they are super religious. According to a survey by National Center for Education from 2012, about 65% of parents chose to homeschool to “provide religious instruction” for their children. While this is the majority of homeschool students, there is still the other 35% of students who are not homeschooling for religious reasons. Maybe they feel like their school system isn’t right for them. Maybe they have an illness or condition that prevents them from going to public school. Maybe they just want to try a different approach to schooling.

Homeschooling can actually be really beneficial to many students in many different ways. Margaret Rothrock, a senior here at State High, used to be fully homeschooled. “Homeschooling has been helpful to me because it taught me how to manage my time wisely even without due dates or grades, so I’ve learned to work effectively and consistently.” Caitlin Jones, a junior, was also homeschooled as a child. She said, “I got to spend a lot of time travelling for long periods of time that let me be more immersed in other cultures and let me experience things that I might not have been able to if I had been in public school.”

Students at State High may or may not have a negative view of homeschooling. However, hopefully after reading this article, people can see what homeschooling for what it actually is.