Home School College

Mimi Rothschild asked:


As the home school movement gains momentum across the country, more home school students and their parents are turning to a new supplement for home school curriculum: e-learning. There are hundreds of schools and universities offering online classes on hundreds of subjects at dozens of grade levels. Home school families are discovering that the format of e-learning is especially conducive to a home learning environment. Online students are encouraged to work at their own pace, and the learning is largely self-directed; a concept with which many home school students are already familiar.

Detractors of both home school and e-learning cite the perceived difficulties of learning outside the time and space confines of the traditional classroom. However, some educators and many home school parents assert that these constraints are the problem with public education. Individual children learn with different styles and at different rates. The enforcement of blocks of time and dedicated spaces for learning can be an impediment for many, which is one of the strongest reasons parents turn to home school in the first place. The nature of e-learning lends itself well to the objectives of the home school environment: to encourage children to learn independently, and enable them to make informed, responsible decisions, or “think outside the box.”

Though some believe e-learning suffers from a lack of face-to-face interaction, home school families often find online classes superior to the traditional school setting. Quality online courses offer plenty of opportunities for students to interact with each other and with their teachers or professors through e-mail, live chat and class message boards. Additionally, home school students who are already used to self-learning often find themselves excelling in a self-directed e-class environment, and become eager to help others learn as well.

For home school parents who are looking for e-learning classes to supplement their children’s home school education, there are several factors that will help decide which online classes will be beneficial. A good e-course will have extensive instruction posted for students at the outset of the class, and easy access to knowledgeable instructors. Home school parents themselves are usually not professional educators, and are therefore more able to recognize competence in e-instructors who are not necessarily formally trained. Also, a good e-course should feature ways to interact with peers and get feedback from other students on posted work. E-learning can be a powerful addition to any home school curriculum, and should not be overlooked by the home school community at large.



Claude

Ann J asked:


My step-son has been home schooled by his mother but now will be coming to live with us. How do I go about getting him ready for public school and back into mainstream public school?

Brent

donnyandmelissa@att.net asked:


He is 7 and currently in a public school he is reading on a 3rd grade level and he loves math addition subtraction and multiplication!
I want to home school but need more info on other parents day. Is it scheduled?

Mark

Low Jeremy asked:


Home Schooling has been garnering more and more interest and support from many parents who are looking for educational alternatives that they can give to their kids. Home schooling is an educational method that makes use of the home as the primary educational base for children. The system involves children being taught or educated at home rather than at an institution such as public or private schools.

In the past, most children are taught their ABC’s at home in the absence of adequate schools in some areas. But with the advent of compulsory school attendance in the 19th century, education worldwide is earned through the traditional school approach. In today’s terms, home schooling or home education refer to the instruction done in the home with the supervision of government-regulated correspondence schools.

Is home schooling effective? Most people tend to believe so. Many experts think that home schooling can be an effective learning tool because it practices a more personalized form of education. In home schooling, it is usually the parent’s responsibility to teach the kids their lesson. And this type of learning environment has helped many children absorb more of what they are being taught.

And the great results have substantiated proof. Some home school statistics show that a number of home school students scored as many as thirty percentile points higher than national public school averages. Some experts don’t even see statistical differences in terms of academic achievement between home school students taught by parents with less formal education and those students being taught by parents that have acquired higher formal education.

There are other positive home schooling statistics available that will help prove that such a method of educating children is just as effective. In 2003, the NHERI or National Home Education Research Institute conducted an extensive survey of over 7,300 home-schooled adults in the US with over 5000 of them being part of the survey for over seven years. The findings of the said survey indicated that more home-schooled adults are more active and involved in their respective communities.

Most of them are also more likely to get involved in civic affairs and have higher voting population percentages than their counterparts. In terms of outlook, almost three fourths of home schooled adults feel more positive and find life exciting as compared to less than half for the general population. Half of the home schooled adults report that they are very happy with their lives.

These statistics have shown that home schooling can have a great effect on how a child will learn. Home education can be just as effective and efficient as having your children taught in traditional institutions. Home schooling just carries a big advantage over these educational institutions in the sense that this method can make parents and their kids find time together. If you are looking forward to getting closer with your own kids and more active when it comes to their schooling, then home education for your kids should be considered.



Darlene

The Nerd asked:


Right now, my husband stays home with my 20-month-old son. We’re going to home school him, but our home situation may change between now and then. Any experienced home school families, with both parents working, able to give some advice?
This is so encouraging, all of you! Thanks for the good answers!

Dennis

Michelle Bery asked:


The inconsistencies surrounding educational programs throughout the nation, in combination with the educational needs of particular students, have resulted in the increasing popularity of home schooling. In this non-traditional school setting, parents feel that they can better address the learning needs of their children in a variety of ways.

The curriculum put in place for a home school course is consistent with that curriculum designed for grades K-12 in public and private schools. It is the responsibility of the home school instructor - most often the parent of the home schooled child - to effectively deliver a home school course that is in line with meeting educational benchmarks set forth by the school district administration.

A home school course can be especially beneficial for those students who struggle with particular learning and physical disabilities. The home school environment removes the social and emotional implications of attending public or private school; it also clearly combats the issues that can arise when trying to teach a child with specialized learning requirements in an overcrowded classroom. Rather, a home school course cuts through the clutter and focuses only on the lessons at hand.

For those who home school, they must choose a home school course that best serves their particular situation. The basic courses from which to choose include those offered online, through the use of instructional DVDs, on computer software, and, of course, through the use of traditional course textbooks. There is no preferred home school course; it simply must meet the instructional needs you require and work best for the learning preferences of your child. While some students learn best through reading, others may respond better to processing the material through sound, making DVD instruction more effective.

The only requirements of each home school course is that it meets the curriculum guidelines established by your school district and can be easily incorporated into your home schooling environment.

Home schooling can be an effective and successful alternative to a traditional school setting. Ultimately, the most important consideration is the educational needs of the student and assisting them in meeting their goals in learning.



Tom

gerlawgoody1 asked:


In Illinois, a home school is considered a private school, so I may home school anyone. My student is a 16 year old, soon to be an emancipated minor. Illinois does not recognize emancipated minor status educationallly. My student would not be allowed to test for GED here until 2009! Even though she is legally an adult!
Please advise. Are there any states that will test her early?

Also, does anyone know how to get a pell grant with a home school diploma?

Chad