Follow these simple tips to ensure your online home school adventure is as successful as possible while the keeping your child engaged and eager to learn.
1. Find the right fit.
Choose a home school program that fits your child’s needs, interests, and learning style. Online learning has many options and what you are drawn to might not fit your child. Start by first finding out how your child learns best to select the right program. Incorporating your child’s learning style is critical. If your child is a kinesthetic learner, this could mean using hands-on manipulative during math and project-based assessments for social studies.
Online homeschooling should be engaging and set your child up for success. Make sure that the program you choose has a proven success rate and is of high quality including video lessons, note-taking guides, and immediate feedback and assessments. Understanding your child’s learning and personality style are key to online learning. If you’re not sure where to start, take this free learning style assessment.
2. Put learning into action.
Let’s face it, nothing kills excitement and crushes inspiration like boredom. If you want to see your child thrive with online learning, they can’t sit in front of a computer all day. Encourage breaks from online learning using outings, textbooks, and hands-on projects to keep your child engaged and thriving. Changing up how your child learns also encourages natural breaks and gives you time to assess how their doing.
3. Set the schedule that works for you.
The internet is everywhere and 24-7, so why can’t you do school anywhere and anytime you need to? The truth is, with some programs you can’t. Many online programs will require you to login at certain times, log certain hours, and follow a traditional school calendar. Don’t limit yourself or your child in this way; you have options!
Online learning should be as flexible as your schedule and child needs. Your elite athlete might need to be in the gym all day and do school at night. Your mover and shaker might work better in the afternoons after getting the green time and exercise he needs.
4. Find accountability and support.
The most successful online programs will ensure your child is meeting requirements with accurate and real-time reporting and should provide you with help around the clock. This means you should be able to login and view your child’s progress at any time or speak with someone to get your questions answered, giving you the confidence and knowledge that your child is progressing. Evaluating progress regularly is key to ensuring that your online program is meeting your child’s needs and that your child is mastering the concepts.
Homeschooling is a challenge and you shouldn’t have to shoulder the load all by yourself. A good online program will also provide a high level of support via an online advisor or tutor. Many online programs require you to “go it alone,” leaving the bulk of the responsibility and pressure on your shoulders.
Your child deserves every opportunity and chance they can get to succeed in online learning. But finding the right provider can be a challenge and can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and questioning your choice. Keep these tips at the forefront of your mind as you select an online learning provider and we know you’ll find the experience to be much richer and more successful!
Call Educators Inc today to get your child on the track to success!