Archive for March, 2009

by Iza del Carmen, MomAuthority.com

The Internet is made for hundreds of reasons: communication, entertainment and yes, education. Homeschooling is made more effective and reliable with the appearance of the world wide web. Now, information is just one mouse-click away and you can  do all of this inside your home.

Of course, kids still need direct assistance when they are put to home schooling. They still need people who will actually guide them through the learning process.

But if your kid is old enough and you don’t want to put him in the regular school, then online homeschooling is the best option for you and your child.

Here are some tips and reminders on homeschooling via Web:

1. First, find a reputable “virtual school”.

Online homeschooling does not mean that your kid will hop from one online school to another. Stick to one. Florida Virtual School, for example, is one of the leaders in providing virtual education. This school is not only designed for high school students; they can even go for adults.

Make sure that the school is accredited and duly recognized.

2. This virtual school must offer a lot of courses.

A good online homeschooling means getting exposed to as many as 80 courses, from the basic GED to Advanced Placement.

3. You must know how it works.

The courses will be delivered via the world wide web. Teachers, students and parents communicate through telephone, chats, emails, forums and even instant messaging.

4. Visit other home school websites for educational materials and starting kits.

Homeschooling is one big movement as of today and so a lot of people are really getting together to make it work. Let your kid be exposed to great online materials to further his learning and enhance his skills.

5. Read newsletters, join mailing groups.

Get a support group for your kid’s homeschooling by making the most out of the Internet.

6. Learn to control your kid’s Internet time.

Your child might divert his attention from his online homeschooling to playing computer games or chatting with friends. Be sure you are there to monitor his Internet activity. Let him know the importance of such education.

The Internet has become indeed a hub of interesting things. Who would have thought it would now become a school? If you think your kid is up to the challenge of homeschooling, then go for it.

by Iza del Carmen, MomAuthority.com

Homeschooling could be the most feasible option for parents who want to educate their children but cannot afford the expenses in a typical school.

With homeschooling, parents can still have the best education for their children without having to resort to expensive everyday expenditures of sending children to school.

However, one should bear in mind that homeschooling is not for everybody, and not all homeschool curriculum are appropriate for everyone.

Learning through homeschooling may differ from one person to another. This is because in homeschooling; the traditional aspects of learning are not present like the typical classroom setting, the fixed schedules, etc. This goes to show that parents may opt to change the program in order to fit the needs of their children.

In homeschooling, the parents are the ones who teach their children. They just have to buy a particular homeschooling curriculum that they think would best work for them. In this way, the parents are able to educate their children on their own free will and without the influence of a typical “school system”.

With its many advantages, homeschooling is now recognized as a legal educational system in all of the states in the U.S., though each state has its own set of rules and regulations regarding what and how homeschooling should be executed.

However, many people question the reliability and efficiency of homeschooling. Many are still wondering whether children can really learn form this type of education. Statistics show that students who had their basic education from homeschooling, were able to do very well in college.

Most experts contend that the data and the assertions are true because with homeschooling, the parent-child relationship is a very effective tool in educating an individual. This is because children in a homeschooling program are less pressured and less tensed because it is their parents who do the teaching and not somebody else; therefore, the inhibition is lessened.

In this manner, learning is more interactive, more comprehensive, and more properly initiated as long as there is a good curriculum that will serve as a guide.

In order to know more information about homeschooling programs in your community, it is best that you consult your state’s laws on homeschooling. Each state has its own set of rules, hence, what may work for one state may not be applicable to the other states.

Just keep in mind that it is important that you and your child are comfortable with the program in order to make homeschooling effective.