Homeschooling
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Homeschooling is becoming a popular choice for parents because it allows children to learn in a more personalized setting. This has led many parents to wonder: how does homeschooling work? With homeschooling, parents have the flexibility to teach their children what they are interested in and cater to their individual needs. In addition, online homeschool programs provide a wealth of resources that can supplement a child's education, such as online textbooks, video lectures, and quizzes.
There are a variety of homeschooling programs available, including online school programs and at-home curricula. Each type of program has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to choose the right one for your child.
Online Homeschool Programs and Their Advantages
Many parents are choosing to homeschool their children for a variety of reasons. Some online homeschool programs offer advantages that at-home curricula cannot.
An enormous advantage of online homeschooling programs is the flexibility they offer. Parents can easily tailor lessons to their child's needs and interests. Many online programs also offer a wide range of courses, so students can explore different subjects.
Another of the great benefits of homeschooling is that it allows students to learn in a comfortable and familiar environment. This can be especially helpful for students who struggle in a traditional school setting.
Overall, online homeschooling programs offer many significant advantages and are becoming an increasingly popular choice for parents.
Accreditation: Does It Matter?
There are many online homeschool programs that are accredited. This means they meet the same standards set by the government as traditional schools. For some parents, this is an important distinction.
Some of the best accredited online homeschool programs include Memoria Press Academy, Veritas Press, BJU Press, and Calvert Homeschool. These programs offer a variety of courses, from math and science to English and history. Some also offer at-home curricula in addition to their accredited online academies.
For parents who want the assurance that what they're teaching their children is high quality and meets high standards, but who prefer a more hands-on approach, purchasing a curriculum to use at home from a school that also offers an accredited online academy can be a great option.
What About Online Public School?
Online public school can be an excellent option for homeschooling families. It provides a well-rounded education, with a variety of course offerings, and it's fully accredited, so parents can be confident their children are receiving a high-quality education.
It's also free in many areas, and where it's not, it's very affordable. Many online public schools offer scholarships and financial aid. The best online public schools have dedicated teachers who provide personal support and guidance to students.
Examples of online public schools are Connections Academy and K12.com. While these can be good options for many parents, we didn't include them in our Top 10 list since they are technically public schooling at home rather than a parent-chosen homeschool academy or curriculum.
Homeschool Curriculum: Full Kit or Piece-By-Piece
When deciding whether to purchase a full kit homeschool curriculum or piece-by-piece, there are a few pros and cons to consider.
A full kit homeschool curriculum typically includes all the materials parents need to homeschool their children. This can be helpful, especially for parents new to homeschooling, because it takes the guesswork out of what materials to buy.
However, full kit curricula can be more expensive than purchasing materials individually. That said, if you have multiple children, you can reuse the full kit curriculum, saving money in the long run. However, they may not be tailored to your child's individual needs and interests.
Piece-by-piece homeschooling allows you to choose the specific materials you need for your child's education. This can be more affordable and flexible each year than buying a full kit curriculum for each child. You'll still be able to reuse many of your materials by doing things like making copies of workbook pages rather than having your child fill in the workbook itself.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to purchase a full kit or a piece-by-piece homeschool curriculum depends on your individual needs and budget.
Top 10 Best Programs for Homeschooling
When we talk about "the best homeschooling programs," we're referring to accredited homeschool programs online and at-home school programs that have received stellar reviews for years from parents and professionals alike. This is a mix of the top 10 best online homeschool programs and the best homeschool curriculum programs available.
Memoria Press was founded in 1994 and developed a K-12 classical
curriculum at Highlands Latin School in Louisville, Kentucky, where
its award-winning programs are still written and field-tested.
Homeschool curricula are available in full-year sets, read-aloud
sets and courses for special needs students. Courses range from
preschool to 12th-grade level.
Memoria Academy is their online academy and is accredited by the
Classical Latin School Association (CLSA). It launched in 2006 and
serves students in grades 3-12.
As part of their high-quality Christian education, Veritas Scholars Academy offers live online courses and self-paced courses in their accredited comprehensive online homeschool program. Its teachings are based on the Trivium - the three phases of learning: the Grammar Stage, The Logic Stage and the Rhetoric Stage.
The academy teaches over 100 courses using a classical methodology. Over two-thirds of the teachers at Veritas have advanced degrees. Parents can select courses based on grade level (grammar or secondary) and live classes or self-paced. Veritas students also have the opportunity to experience their studies through field trips and mission trips, if they choose.
Previously known as "Distance Learning Online," BJU Press's Homeschool Hub is their answer to online homeschooling. It's a planning tool that supports your child's needs as they stream video lessons online.
When you enroll in BJU Press Homeschool, you receive hard copies of textbooks and workbooks as well as digital copies or textbooks and PDF copies of teacher editions on the Homeschool Hub. The Homeschool Hub takes care of grading and record-keeping. Parents can access records at any time from any device. Parents can customize their child's lessons. Professionally certified teachers lead video lesson and keep students engaged.
Calvert offers online and print-based curricula for grades K-12. The online academy is more flexible and can be tailored to each student's needs, while the print-based program is more traditional. Both programs are accredited and cover a variety of subjects and topics. Tuition for the online academy starts at $259/month, while tuition for the print-based program starts at just $39.95/month or $399.95/year.
Khan Academy is a website with online courses for students in grades K-12. The courses are completely free and cover a variety of subjects, including math, science, history, and English. In addition to the online courses, Khan Academy also offers practice problems and quizzes to help students review and practice what they have learned.
Khan Academy is an accredited homeschool program and has received praise from educators and parents alike. The courses are high quality and engaging, and the platform is easy to use. Khan Academy is an excellent option for homeschooling families who want a comprehensive online curriculum that is both affordable and high quality.
Demme Learning has a collection of education products to help homeschooled students of all ages. Their philosophy focuses on manipulatives which are designed to help students understand concepts and build connections. They strive to provide a balanced approach and encourage students to explore concepts under adult guidance. Students use both inductive and deductive reasoning throughout their educational experience.
Demme Learning has five online curricular available to homeschooling students: Math-U-See, Spelling You See, Analytical Grammar, WriteShop and Building Faith Families. The last curriculum helps parents remain engaged and supported in their child's Christian education with lectures, seminars and books.
Geared toward high school students and adult learners, edX is a website that offers online courses from some of the best universities in the world, including Harvard, MIT, and UC Berkley. The courses are free to take and cover a variety of subjects. edX is an excellent option for homeschooling families who want an affordable but rigorous online curriculum.
The courses offered on edX are college-level, and students are expected to complete assignments and exam on their own. However, the platform is easy to use and provides excellent support for students. In addition, many of the courses offered on edX also have certification options, which can be helpful for students looking to pursue higher education.
If you're looking for a top-quality homeschool curriculum that's stood the test of time, Abeka can't be beat. They've been one of the top names in homeschool education since 1972.
Their program includes a Christian perspective and covers all the basic subjects, as well as electives like music and art. Today, the curriculum is available online or in print form, and you can choose from different levels depending on your child's age and ability. One downside to Abeka is that it can be quite rigorous, so it may not be suitable for younger or slower learners. It follows a mix of classical and Charlotte Mason methods of teaching, so keep that in mind as you're considering this curriculum.
Sonlight has been a popular Christian homeschool curriculum provider since 1990. Sonlight's curriculum covers all the basic subjects, such as math, reading, and science, as well as Bible study and Christian history. The program offers different homeschool curriculum packages to choose from, and each includes all the materials you need. Sonlight also offers a money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with the program.
AOP offers 4 homeschool curricula options. Monarch and Ignite Christian Academy are online and serve students in 3-12th grade. Monarch also have a new coding program called Robotify and Ignite Christian Academy is a fully accredited program. Lifepac and Horizons are print curricula. Lifepac is for students from K-12 and is self-directed. Horizons uses workbooks focused on spiral learning process of introduction, review, and reinforcement for pre-K to 12th grade students.
AOP has been providing award-winning Christian homeschool curriculum for over 40 years and now provides curriculum to over 1300 schools.
How To Choose the Right Program For Your Family
When choosing a homeschooling program, it's important to consider your family's needs and preferences. What's right for some isn't right for all. It's not a decision to be taken lightly.
Of course, it's also not a decision to take too seriously either. You can always make changes if you find out that things aren't working quite the way you'd hoped. Or add some supplemental courses to mix in some variety and interest.
That's the beauty of homeschooling - the choices are up to you and you have the flexibility to make them!
So, consider your family and their needs. Consider yourself and your needs.
Make decisions. Then get started. See what happens.
Succeed. Fail. Change things.
Learn with your kids.
After all, that's the best part of homeschooling anyway, isn't it?
If you'd like more information on homeschooling resources, we invite you to attend a conference and see what all the excitement is about!