Online Homeschooling Programs

Online homeschooling programs, whether these be free or paid, have seen a dramatic rise in the past ten years. The increasing amount of information available on the internet have facilitated this growth. There is a enormous assortment of homeschooling programs online and homeschool lesson plans on the Internet today. Educational publishers offer CD-ROM based distance learning for example. These courses utilize a CD-ROM which sometimes is accompanied by a textbook or workbook. The parent helps the child with any questions as well as with general guidance. The student sends in tests and papers via email or website to an accredited teacher. The distance learning program also helps the family keep all records of progress, achievements and assessments.

Online academies, and even some colleges and universities, provide another choice of distance learning for homeschoolers. Students enroll in these online homeschooling programs just like they would a regular school. The difference here is that classes are accessed online through the internet. Homeschool lesson plans are provided and course work completed online via email and forums. Seminars with white boards are conducted as part of class work. The advantage to online homeschooling programs and academies is that many are accredited and award a high school diploma upon completion. Detailed transcripts are also provided by these academies which is necessary when students apply for college.

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Online tutoring is another form of distance learning that homeschoolers can take advantage of. Online homeschooling programs with tutoring are now fairly commonplace. Many use certified teachers with extensive training and experience. Students typically enroll for sessions in topics of which they, or their parents, struggle with the most. This way, extra help can be provided as an when needed without having major disruption to homeschool lesson plans or the homeschool environment.

If a homeschooler wants to keep their child at home, but is concerned over ensuring a well-rounded curriculum, virtual online schools could be the solution, given the vast amount of information and subjects that are available at hand. However, compared to the traditional schools, virtual online schools are comparatively new and as such, may not be state-funded and not every state has one.

Overall, advanced technology has made homeschooling easier and more obtainable for families who want to explore that educational option.

Online Homeschooling Programs

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Teaching Textbooks - Homeschool Math Programs - Is it Worth the Money?

I have never been a fan of Saxon Math. I used it during my first few years homeschooling because it was the most well-known and most recommended program. If I had it to do over, I never would have used Saxon at all. My kids and I found it tedious to slog through - it had such a public school feel to it. Lots of added on extras, just so the state standards got covered. At least that is how I perceive the program.

In the early grades (K-6) I prefer to use something like ABeka or Horizons and then switch to the "Key To" series" for reinforcement in fractions and decimals, and then switch to Teaching Textbook after that.

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My reasons for this are that the very early grades (K-3) are straightforward and easy to teach, and I never saw the point in overwhelming a young child with so many problems and exercises to practice on the basics (except for drill work with multiplication tables). Also, as the math difficulty increased with things like long division, fractions and decimals, my children didn't find their explanations and examples to be adequate.

When my now 15-year-old son was 13, I got him the Teaching Textbook Pre-Algebra program. There is a corresponding white board lecture on CD-ROM for each lesson in the textbook. My son was able to understand most things without extra help or explanation from me. Face it, most homeschool parents are not math majors and don't remember much about Algebra (that was only 20 years ago!). It matters on how well the explanations are done for us as well. I couldn't count the number of times I have looked at math lessons and had to understand the explanations in order to help my child.

Fortunately, with Teaching Textbook, there was very little of this, at least much less than I have had with any other math program. I also felt that it left my son very well prepared for the Algebra course he is taking this year in tenth grade and he is having no problems keeping up.

It is true the Teaching Textbook program is expensive. However,you could very well get a bargain on a used program on E-bay. Also, I have always saved my pennies to buy expensive programs when it really counts, because you will really appreciate the extra help with those tougher high school math courses.

In short, forget buying the .00 math Saxon program for your first grader with all of the bells and whistles, when you really don't need it. Instead, save yourself valuable time, frustration and money by buying a top-quality program, like Teaching Textbook, down the road, when you will really need and appreciate it.

Teaching Textbooks - Homeschool Math Programs - Is it Worth the Money?

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