With the technological advancements in recent years, the option of online homeschooling has become available to parents of school going children. For a plethora of reasons, more and more parents in the United States are open to withdrawing their children from public schools and enrolling them in online schools. The transition process, however, could be a rather daunting one for both parents and children alike. Nevertheless, there are numerous steps that you can take to make the transition to online school easier. Read on to find out more.
Do Not Transition Immediately
Change can be a scary thing, not just to children, but also adults. In fact, there is a medical term for that – metathesiophobia, which refers to an intense fear of change which can be paralyzing. As such, it would be wise to give your child some time to make the adjustment, instead of withdrawing him from school one day and starting online school the next.
Some families decide to take a short holiday together following the withdrawal. During this period of time, parents and children can work together to ease into their new routines. For other parents, they might decide to let their children start off by with a lighter workload in the first few weeks, before gradually increasing the workload once they are comfortable with their new routine. This is a flexibility which is not afforded by public schools, be it for new or transitioning students. At NFC Academy, we take this flexibility one step further, especially for those enrolled in our kindergarten homeschool program. Parents are free to customize the child’s timetable as we understand that parents have to balance their work, as well as childcare commitments.
Avoid Replicating a School Environment at Home
If you are thinking of withdrawing your child from public school, chances are that he or she was probably facing some difficulties in school. If that is the case, it would be unwise to attempt to re-create a school environment at home, be it in terms of your approach or schedule. As mentioned earlier, flexibility is one of the main selling points of online homeschooling. If your child does not want to wake up early in the morning for lessons, respect their wishes and do not cajole or force them into doing so as a regimented environment could severely impact their academic development, especially those who are more creatively-inclined. At NFC Academy, our accredited high school program allows students to, after consultation with our certified teachers, set their own daily schedule as they deem fit.
Create Opportunities for Socialization
For obvious reasons, students enrolled in online home school programs are not afforded the same opportunities for socialization as their counterparts in conventional, public schools. If children and teenagers do not have regular socialization, it could have an adverse impact on their mental, and subsequently, physical health. As a parent, you should spend more time and effort to create more socializing opportunities for your child, be it through encouraging them to sign up for interest groups and activities conducted at the nearest community center, or organize get-togethers with neighbors or your extended family. Remember, the success of a child lies not just in achieving academic excellence, but also personal development!