Online Homeschool: Deciding If It’s Right For Your Family
Technology has opened up a lot of doors for homeschool families and now there are some great options for online homeschooling. But many parents are still unsure about whether it is a good route to take or not. This guide will give you the pros and cons of online homeschool so you can make the right decision for your family.
What Is Online Homeschool?
Online homeschool refers to any kind of schooling that is conducted online. Many parents already use online resources and learning games from companies like Age of Learning to supplement and support their own teaching. However, there are also more comprehensive options for online homeschool that involve lessons taught remotely by a teacher. Work will also be assigned for your child to complete on their own, with deadlines to meet. The level of parent involvement in teaching varies depending on the service, so this is something you should consider when choosing an online homeschool.
Pros Of Online Homeschool
Pre-written curriculum
The biggest benefit of online homeschool is that the curriculum is already written for you and the teachers manage it all and deliver lessons. That means that your role is simply to assist your child outside of lessons and make sure that they are keeping up with their schoolwork. If you are new to homeschool or you don’t have the time to act as their teacher full-time, this may be ideal for you.
Accredited diploma programs
Many online homeschools offer accredited diploma programs that are recognized by the state board of education. This means that your child is able to graduate with the same qualifications that children at a traditional school have, which stands them in good stead when applying to college.
Affordable options
There are a lot of very expensive online homeschools out there, but there are also plenty of affordable ones too. You can even find free resources too, and many of them still offer teacher support.
Cons Of Online Homeschool
Less flexibility
Although having the curriculum planned and managed for you is good in some ways, it does mean you have less flexibility. It’s still more flexible than a traditional school, but there will be life lessons that your child needs to attend, and there are more strict deadlines. Many parents feel that this approach isn’t right for their families.
Lack of social interaction
One of the biggest challenges of homeschool is helping your child develop social skills. With traditional homeschool, parents often set up social groups with other homeschool families to help with this. You don’t get the same with online homeschool, so you have to work harder to find communities and help your child learn social skills.
Easier to take shortcuts
When your child does all of their learning on a computer, it’s easy for it to become a crutch. They have search engines and other resources at their fingertips, so they are more likely to take shortcuts. This isn’t the case with all students, but it’s something you should be aware of.
There are some great things about online homeschool but there are also some issues with it. Ultimately, you need to think about your family and your learning style and decide what is best for your child.
