The most critical element in homeschooling is the student because everything focuses on providing them the best education possible. Whether they are in elementary, middle or high school, the student should be involved in the process including planning out the daily schedule, looking at online homeschool programs and providing feedback about the process. The student’s involvement will vary based on their age, but even the youngest students can help make learning better by letting their parents know when a concept isn’t clear, if they need more time in a subject or there is too much going on in the day. High schoolers are great examples of students who can take control of their education and work solely through an online portal to get their work done at a pace that fits their life situation.
Parents are just as important to the success of this process whether they are the full-time teacher or active in a support role. Choosing the best online homeschool programs is one of the first decisions parents make to get the homeschooling process started and it is a significant choice as it determines curriculum, accessibility and laying a solid foundation for the future. Elementary students through 2nd grade rely on the program’s print curriculum and their parent to be the primary teacher but families can choose to transition to the online portal starting in the 3rd grade with the at-home parent teaching, or with full-time teachers through the online school. When they aren’t teaching, parents fill the necessary support role to ensure that students have time to do their work, that the students are held accountable and that any issues are resolved quickly with the school to keep everyone moving forward.
Lastly, the online homeschool programs are the final piece in the process because they provide the education that students need to get from Kindergarten to graduation and then choose where the students want to go from there. The online homeschool program should be accredited, have print and online options, keep well-documented records and have a strong support staff so parents can ask questions when needed. Teachers should be committed to being ‘present’ when students need them and provide quality instruction for each subject. When parents are looking for the right program, the details should be explained on the website, show curriculum excerpts and provide a free demo of the online portal so students can take a look and see if it is a right fit for them. The program’s goal should be to give every student a quality education that takes them from whatever grade they start in all the way through to earning their accredited high school diploma.
Homeschooling is a process that involves multiple players to make the most of the experience so take time to talk with your family and make sure that it’s the right approach for your children. Every student has different needs and the online programs strive to allow flexibility and transparency so every student has the opportunity to succeed. Check out the demos and websites and then speak to a representative to make the best choice for your situation.