Homeschooling gets a bad rap because many people believe that parents don’t have the resources at their disposal to meet all their children’s academic needs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. With the internet, education has moved to the next level. Here are five online alternatives that are changing the way we see education!

Blogging

The homeschool blogging community is diverse and knowledgeable. Families are sharing their experiences, and women are sharing self-made materials, even hosting online conferences to practice continuing education like public schools hold professional development workshops.

In fact, the community’s dedication is so deep, and there are a few women who have compiled complete curriculums and posted them on to blogs in a day by day format for parents to use for free. These generous women are making it possible for everyone to homeschool regardless of income.

Self-Paced Programs

These are programs that instruct, grade, and report all without the oversight of a teacher. Some even provide free and online tutoring program so students can get help in real time over webcam. Some of these programs require small fees while others are free. Some are available on disc for those who want to keep internet out of the home. Of course, with self-pacing comes the need to make sure your child is getting everything that they need, and that includes sometimes keeping track of it for them. Use a planner, and jot down what you notice your child is missing in their education with these programs or what you feel you should add to help add more of a holistic approach to it if you feel hesitant about these programs.

Online Public Schools

These are exactly what they sound like. Online education is a natural fit for today’s youth. Many high school students have grown up with the Internet. They use the technology to connect with each other and their interests every day and thus the ability that online alternatives can be just as relevant and useful as attending a physical classroom. Therefore the programs online can be easily adapted to the lifestyle of the average teens. These programs have certified teachers teaching public school curriculum in a virtual environment. Working parents appreciate the convenience of these programs. While some programs require parents to purchase materials, these are often free to enroll in.

Online Games

Many teachers, homeschool and public school alike are utilizing online games as a valuable part of their curriculum. These games range in complexity from simple games that focus on one particular skill all the way to massive multiplayer online role play games that allow for a semester’s worth of learning and social interaction. Many of these games can follow your child’s progress and send you analytics detailing how well they are doing and where they are struggling.

Social Media

Not only is social media connecting people, but it is also opening the door for in-depth and moving lessons on culture and current events. Social media enables many people to put bread on their table because many businesses are based on it. The Marketing Heaven is a known provider of Facebook likes and suppose you own an e-commerce business, you know where to head. A family can merely search a certain hashtag, say for the rainforest, on Instagram and instantly find thousands of pictures taken in the rainforest. They can search for a specific country to get a glimpse of life and culture today. Pupils can directly engage with leaders. The possibilities are endless and awe-inspiring.

If anything, homeschooling is more possible than ever before, you as a parent, just need to consider whether it’s something that is important to you and your child’s situation.