Have you ever considered homeschooling your children? Once a controversial topic, homeschooling has become common place in our society today. Dr. Brian Ray, founder of the National Home Education Research Institute points to one reason why the number of homeschoolers in America continues to grow and now totals more than 1.5 million. “Homeschoolers, on average, score 30 to 37 percentile points higher than conventionally schooled students on the most commonly administered K-8 standardized tests. ”
What is so great about homeschooling? The decision to homeschool, for some families, is an easy choice. Whether it is to escape from large class sizes with high student-teacher ratios, or to have a say in the curriculum choices, or to provide for their children with special needs, homeschooling is an option that many families turn to each and every year. Children educated at home acquire the life and career skills, as well as the learning skills, necessary to compete in a changing world. By the time they reach college, homeschooled learners have already acquired the skills necessary to succeed. They know how to study, can do independent research, and are self-motivated learners. They know how to discipline themselves, work hard, manage time, and think independently. As a result, homeschoolers do much better than other students in college.
In addition, families have curriculum choices and can choose to use a program that allows for mastery based learning and an individualized course of study which is as unique as their child. Individualized pace assures that slower learners are not left behind and high achievers can move forward when they are ready.
How do I choose a program that is right for my family? While there are many different options for homeschooling, one of the growing trends is online schooling. Online schools provide distance education options for families who want to school their children at home, but still want the advantage of a full curriculum and the access to a certified teacher. Although most online schools are private schools, they often offer a reasonable tuition with monthly payment options. Most online schools give the students access to an experienced, certified teacher who will grade assignments, answer questions and provide one on one tutoring. Although online schools do provide the curriculum, many of them offer options and are willing to work with students and parents to provide an individualized instruction plan. One of the best online schools in terms of cost and flexibility to work with student’s needs is United Online Academy. They offer a full program for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The payment plans are very reasonable and the enrollment staff is great about working with families to design a plan of instruction that works best for their student. Furthermore, if a family wants a greater degree of control, needs a cheaper option, and/or does not want access to a certified teacher, United Online Academy is able to work with the family to provide the online curriculum that can be fully managed by a parent.
If you are considering homeschooling your child, be sure to check out all of the distance education and online schooling options. These programs deliver excellent curriculum and will allow you to provide a well rounded education for your child that will give them the 21st Century skills that they need to be successful in today’s changing world.
References: National Home Education Research Institute. Retrieved September 15, 2009 from
http://www.nheri.org/ html.
www.unitedonlineacademy.com
