E-Learning – a New Word in the World of Homeschooling

By Jessica Freeman

When the parent has a good program and transfers the love for learning to the child, homeschooling can be more successful than traditional schooling. A knowledgeable parent can talk with their child about history, physics, news, or any other subjects that interests them. There is a big difference between talking to children (as traditional teachers do) and talking with children (as the parents can do). When children learn through conversations, they maintain their natural curiosity and hunger for knowledge.

Let’s talk about knowledgeable parents. Do you have to know everything to be able to teach your child? Fortunately, you don’t have to be a genius who knows all information from literature, history, science, and all other subjects you need to cover through the homeschooling process. Before you teach, you can learn. One of the most notable peculiarities of modern homeschooling is the use of the Internet.

Through e-learning, every piece of information is available in a matter of minutes. In addition to knowledge, e-learning also gives structure and motivation into the mix. It’s a new world in the world of homeschooling.

Modern Teens and Homeschooling: Is It the Right Way?

Teenagers want to have fun, and school is where most of them are having fun. We cannot deny that aspect of growing up. Lack of socialization is one of the most reasonable critiques of homeschooling. However, socializing is not something that homeschooled teens have to be left without. Today, they can join sports clubs and all kinds of extracurricular activities that connect them with people with similar interests.

Homeschooling has tons of benefits that make it more attractive than a crowded classroom with unfocused teens:

• Homeschooled teens have more freedom. They are free to explore the topics of their interest. They have more free time to spend on hobbies. They are free to have more time with friends and family, and the learning doesn’t suffer.
• With homeschooling, learning is a constant. It doesn’t happen from 8am to 3pm It turns into an all-day activity, which turns into a lifetime journey.
• Teenagers are free to express their beliefs when they are homeschooled. At a traditional school environment, they are intimidated by bullies. They get ashamed of their spiritual and religious beliefs. With homeschooling, the parents can incorporate moral values into the teen’s daily life.
• They get support during challenging times. Whether they are dealing with death or illness in the family, or any obstacle in life, teens get strong support from their close ones. In the school environment, teenagers tend to withdraw and get anxious during these difficult times.

How E-Learning Connects with Homeschooling

There’s no question about it: homeschooling is very beneficial for teens when the parents know how to make the method successful. Speaking of making homeschooling successful, the parents can become great educators when they have the knowledge they need for teaching. That knowledge doesn’t necessarily come from finishing college or university. It can come through e-learning.

First of all, e-learning is useful for the parent. When they learn more, they can teach better. However, online lectures can also replace their role as teachers, at least for part of the time. Through online learning, homeschooled teenagers get the chance to collaborate with other students. With this advantage, the danger of being socially isolated goes away.

There are interactive online lessons, which get the student engaged in the learning process. As for the investment, it doesn’t have to be huge. E-learning can be really affordable when you find the right websites.

The best part about e-learning is the individual experience the students get. With homeschooling, the students get a chance to personalize the learning process. They still have to keep pace with the Common Core, but they can adjust it to their learning habits and they can focus on the subjects that awaken their interest. E-learning complements that aspect of homeschooling.

What Tools to Use for E-Learning?

Let’s get something clear: not every online learning tool is a good learning tool. You have to be very careful with the choices you make; otherwise you’ll endanger the productivity of the learner. Here are few tools that make online learning successful:

• Khan Academy – If there’s an online source that can teach math, this is the one. In addition to great math and science lessons for all levels, students can also find learning materials for electrical engineering, cosmology, economics, computers, grammar, history, and more. Plus, Khan Academy prepares them for the SAT and other standardized tests.
• CurrClick – This online source offers thousands of free classes and resources.
• Time4Learning – This website offers an engaging online curriculum that’s easy to follow. The students get printable worksheets, interactive lessons, detailed reporting, and everything else they need for education at home. In a way, this website can replace the role of the parent as a teacher.
• Smithsonian Education – The website looks plain, but it’s an endless source of knowledge from the areas of art, science and nature, history and culture, and people and places. The lessons are interactive and very inspiring.

Thanks to e-learning resources, teens are able to teach themselves. When the parent provides proper support, the homeschooling process can achieve ultimate effectiveness. In the simplest explanation, e-learning is a new world in the world of homeschooling.

Author Bio: Jessica Freeman is a freelance content writer at AustralianWritings. She enjoys writing about education, career, and success. Meet her on Facebook and Google+.