10 Myths About Homeschooling

The Internet is a sea of information and misinformation. Urban legends, incorrect statistics and the bias of others can easily confuse parents and students who are considering or currently homeschooling.

If I homeschool my kids, they won t get into college.
Our most recent data shows that 82% of Bridgeway students have gone on to college more than three times the national average. This gives you the peace of mind that you’re preparing your child for a successful future. Many of our students have gone on to Ivy League universities.

An important thing to keep in mind is that college admissions officers require detailed records to judge qualifications. At Bridgeway, we take care of the record keeping as part of your tuition making your job of showing your child s academic merit a lot easier. In addition, your child can get a jump-start on college courses while still enrolled in our high school program by taking advantage of our dual accreditation and accelerated learning programs.

Very few people homeschool their children.
More than two million children are homeschooled in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Government statistics show that the number of new homeschooling families is rising 15 to 20 percent each year. The proliferation of the Internet has made homeschooling even more practical and attractive. At Bridgeway, you can download lessons plans, log on to our members-only resource library, take web-based bonus classes and email your academic advisor for fast, helpful advice.

My child won t be able to socialize properly with other children.
Regardless of where they receive their education, children interact with parents, family members, neighbors, friends and people in the community. In fact, we know from experience that the socialization children get during homeschooling is healthier, happier and more productive than the so-called socialization that occurs in most traditional schools. Community-based programs like soccer, baseball and gymnastics are just a few examples of activities in which homeschool kids regularly participate. In addition, many school districts allow homeschooled kids to participate in extracurricular activities from band to drama to sports. At Bridgeway, we provide an additional helping hand by linking homeschool families so they can participate in group activities, field trips and so on.

My child won t learn as well as he/she would in a traditional school.
Traditional schools are forced to target the widest possible range of learning abilities and styles which can result in a less-than-effective educational experience for many children. At Bridgeway, our individualized approach is customized to your child’s unique learning and testing style and matches your specific goals and teaching style as well. This kind of one-on-one attention is what makes homeschooling with Bridgeway so effective.

My kids will just sit at home all day.
At Bridgeway, we empower families to embrace experiential learning and extracurricular activities. What better way for your child to learn a science lesson about butterflies than to go outside, observe them, take photos and write a report? Another great benefit of Bridgeway s flexible approach is that you don t need to sign in at any particular time of the day. This gives you the flexibility to take a field trip when it s convenient for you or move the classroom to another setting that is relaxing and inspiring. We empower you to create flexible daily goals that enable your child to learn at a time and a pace that make the most sense given the realities of your life. By enabling you to determine the months and days your student will receive instruction, we empower you to create a truly customized school year.

I’m not qualified to teach my child.
For some parents, teaching isn t easy when they first start out but few important activities are. That s why we do everything we can to support you in your teaching efforts. Different parents prefer different levels of involvement with their child s education, particularly as your child gets older. We customize our curriculum to best suit your child s learning style and your teaching style. Whether you want to be highly engaged or hands-off, we adjust our approach to best suit your distinct needs and desires. Our courses are self-instructional and come with teacher guides and answer keys, which make the teaching easier on you without sacrificing the learning your child needs to thrive.

My children won t have access to extracurricular activities.
Homeschooling is a very efficient method of education. In other words, a lot more learning takes place in four hours of homeschool than in a traditional school setting. That means that homeschooled children have more time to pursue their hobbies and interests and develop their talents. At Bridgeway, you and your child are not constrained by a regimented school day. In fact, Bridgeway has helped many elite athletes and performers gymnasts, cyclists, actors gain the education they need while still pursuing their passion.

My child won t learn the right things.
One of the main reasons parents decide to homeschool is because they don t believe the public school system is teaching the right lessons and instilling the proper values. At Bridgeway, we provide parents with more control over what courses your child is going to take. In addition to fundamental courses in five core subject areas, we offer a wide variety of electives for all age levels. Parents may also provide their own electives and submit them to us for record helping you have a greater say in what is right.

Homeschool families are all alike.
In fact, homeschoolers come from all over the country from a wide-range of political, religious, philosophical and socio-economic groups. The two main reasons parents homeschool is a lack of trust in the public school system and the desire to spend more quality time with their children. At Bridgeway, we know your child is literally one of a kind, which is why we conduct in-depth placement testing to assess your child s exact comprehension level in core areas. One child may excel in multiplication, for example, but perform poorly in division. Another may have a sixth grade reading level but a third grade math level. We individualize each curriculum plan accordingly something many other cyber and homeschool academies are simply not equipped to do.

Once placement testing is complete, Bridgeway engages you as the parent in a candid, in-depth conversation about your child s personality, learning style and interests as well as your own long-term goals and aspirations for his or her education. And because each family has unique scheduling challenges, we help you set flexible daily goals balancing educational progress against the realities of everyday life.

All homeschool services are the same.
Some cyber schools and homeschool academies are very rigid in their curriculum and scheduling. At Bridgeway, we believe there s a better way. Whether you re seeking an alternative to public schools, have a child with special needs who requires additional attention, are nurturing an elite youth athlete or professional child actor with scheduling demands or want a values-based education for your child, Bridgeway is there for you. We customize your homeschooling experience with an individualized, flexible curriculum, coupled with on-call support and a robust online member s area full of carefully vetted resources and useful information for all your academic and administrative needs.

We are registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to issue diplomas and are accredited through the National Association of Private Schools. Pennsylvania has very strict standards for homeschools, and by exceeding those standards year after year, a Bridgeway education is recognized in all other states and abroad. It also means students armed with a Bridgeway diploma can receive scholarships, grants and financial aid when applying for college.