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Including Online Classes
Many homeschool students are taking online classes these days, either to supplement or cover all their coursework. If your child is one of them, I encourage you to remember that online classes are great TOOLS you can use in your homeschool, but they can easily become an unpleasant taskmaster.
Think carefully before you cede your authority as a home school parent to another person or institution, and be aware of the potential constraints when you enroll in these programs.
If you are using an accredited program for an online class, then you are not the teacher in charge. The accredited teacher will provide a grade you can’t alter and your child will receive an accredited transcript that must be submitted to all the colleges where your student applies.
If you are using a non-accredited program, however, YOU are the teacher. Whether it’s a casual co-op, an online classical education class taught by a teacher, or a scheduled weekly live class by a science expert, if it’s not accredited, you are still the teacher. That means you can decide which assignments are important for your child to complete, and what will improve their learning experience and their love of learning.
Online classes are one tool you can use to educate your children, and one tool you can use when you formulate your grade. Don’t let an online class become your taskmaster. If you are feeling stressed over a certain time of year such as the holidays, you don’t need to feel MORE stressed because online classes are piling on more homework. You can pick and choose from the grades they provide to determine a true grade that reflects your child and your child’s learning experience. The class grade does not have to include grades you (as the teacher) choose to drop.
If you are feeling like a square peg forced into a round hole, then you might enjoy my article, Cooped Up in a Co-op. Generally, co-op teachers and teachers for online classes are willing to be flexible. If you need to drop busy work over holidays or vacations, tell the online teacher and they will probably accommodate you. Using a co-op can be a great supplement to your homeschool, as long as it’s a good fit for you and your child. But use it in a way that meets your child's needs.
Choose a curriculum meant for homeschoolers, and you can be successful with any subject you teach in your own home. As I always say, you don't have to know the subject and you don't have to teach it, you just have to make sure they learn it! If it works, keep doing it. If it's not working, stop! Do something else!
Are you incorporating online classes in your homeschool? Please share!
Please note: This post was originally published in November 2012 and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Homeschooling is NOT the same as doing schoolwork at home. There is so much freedom in homeschooling! My Gold Care Club will give you all the help you need to succeed!
Including Online Classes
Think carefully before you cede your authority as a home school parent to another person or institution, and be aware of the potential constraints when you enroll in these programs.
If you are using an accredited program for an online class, then you are not the teacher in charge. The accredited teacher will provide a grade you can’t alter and your child will receive an accredited transcript that must be submitted to all the colleges where your student applies.
If you are using a non-accredited program, however, YOU are the teacher. Whether it’s a casual co-op, an online classical education class taught by a teacher, or a scheduled weekly live class by a science expert, if it’s not accredited, you are still the teacher. That means you can decide which assignments are important for your child to complete, and what will improve their learning experience and their love of learning.
Online classes are one tool you can use to educate your children, and one tool you can use when you formulate your grade. Don’t let an online class become your taskmaster. If you are feeling stressed over a certain time of year such as the holidays, you don’t need to feel MORE stressed because online classes are piling on more homework. You can pick and choose from the grades they provide to determine a true grade that reflects your child and your child’s learning experience. The class grade does not have to include grades you (as the teacher) choose to drop.
If you are feeling like a square peg forced into a round hole, then you might enjoy my article, Cooped Up in a Co-op. Generally, co-op teachers and teachers for online classes are willing to be flexible. If you need to drop busy work over holidays or vacations, tell the online teacher and they will probably accommodate you. Using a co-op can be a great supplement to your homeschool, as long as it’s a good fit for you and your child. But use it in a way that meets your child's needs.
Choose a curriculum meant for homeschoolers, and you can be successful with any subject you teach in your own home. As I always say, you don't have to know the subject and you don't have to teach it, you just have to make sure they learn it! If it works, keep doing it. If it's not working, stop! Do something else!
Are you incorporating online classes in your homeschool? Please share!
Please note: This post was originally published in November 2012 and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Homeschooling is NOT the same as doing schoolwork at home. There is so much freedom in homeschooling! My Gold Care Club will give you all the help you need to succeed!
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208 N Western St.
Amarillo, TX 79106
Phone: 1-888-533-2435
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 03:00 pm (PST)
Amarillo, TX 79106
Phone: 1-888-533-2435
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 03:00 pm (PST)
Comments 4
We have greatly appreciated two websites to help with our children's studies. They are actually earning college credits as they go! We are "banking" them at the American Council on Education's site until we're ready to apply to college. The courses are self-paced, so there are freedoms to enjoy. The two are http://www.ALEKS.com and http://www.Straighterline.com.
We LOVE our non-accredited online classes! For one thing, I think I've always given too much work, and the online class has made me realize that. The kids get less work, but I think they are learning so much more! Fortunately, our classes insist that the parent is the best judge of the grade, and though the program suggests a grade, it does not actually give a grade.
That's awesome, Janice!
It's especially nice that the providers of the classes have faith in the parent's ability to give grades!
Robin
Assistant to The HomeScholar
Thank you for this very timely post! This is the first year my oldest (10th grade) has been involved in outside classes. (She is taking the Classical Conversation's Challenge I class.) It has been a major adjustment and I have lost sight of the fact that I am still teacher. Thanks for the reminder!