Post Sponsored by Holston Academy
As a homeschooling parent, you’ve likely found courses and curriculum that you and your student are comfortable with. And that’s great! If they don’t include online courses, however, you’re missing out on several benefits: flexibility, expert instruction from experienced online teachers, and real-world skills that prepare your child for more independence. The right online classes can truly enrich your student’s learning experience–but they can also enhance and update your child’s homeschool education. Here’s how:
Expands Curriculum Opportunities
Online courses offer homeschoolers opportunities they simply can’t experience at home. For example, some elective courses are not easily taught by parent-educators. And these courses are vital for homeschooled students who may want to explore a particular career path. Say your child wants to work with computers. Online courses that focus on coding or animation are amazing options that provide them with expert instruction and hands-on experience–something that most parent-educators aren’t equipped to teach…which is okay!
Most importantly, these types of opportunities encourage passion-driven learning and exploration. Holston Academy, an accredited online school, offers more than 300 online courses–most of which are perfect fits for homeschoolers looking for a new opportunity. World languages, exciting electives, core curriculum–you’ll find it all in our course catalog.
Provides Access to Expert Instruction
Homeschool parents are amazing. The work and dedication you bring every day deserves much respect. But, you’d probably be the first to admit that you’re not an expert on every subject, right? The great thing is, you can fill in those knowledge gaps with online courses delivered by teachers who are experienced or certified in their subject material. A homeschool parent should never feel obligated to instruct every subject, especially those that require a high-level skill set or knowledge base. Think subjects like Calculus, Physics, or Portuguese. These types of courses are often best left to the experts.
There are residual benefits to online courses as well. If your child has been homeschooled for some time, hearing a different voice or learning from a different teaching style can be a refreshing change of pace. After all, whether your student plans on attending college or joins the workforce after graduation, they will be exposed to other types of instruction and perspectives. Why not provide that to them ahead of time?
Creates Opportunities for Student-Teacher Partnership
As we alluded to, your voice is likely one of very few, if not the only voice, your student has heard throughout their academic career. This sometimes results in students simply tuning out the instruction. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to get students re-engaged with their academics. Sometimes it just requires a different voice. Online courses taught by experienced instructors can provide that change.
While you’ve undoubtedly bestowed a wealth of knowledge upon your child, the opportunity for them to forge a bond with their online teacher is invaluable. Online courses allow that 1:1 relationship to develop and grow. Many online schools provide 1:1 teacher-student time that is built into every online course. That means students always have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss the class, and get to know their teachers, all of which can help your child succeed.
Additionally, if your student is eyeing college after graduation, strong student-teacher relationships can make a significant impact. Not only do these relationships prepare them for future interactions with their college professors, they also can result in some fantastic recommendation letters your child can add to college applications.
Provides Support and Reduces Burnout for Parents
Homeschooling educators deserve a break from time to time! After all, teaching can be an exhausting (yet rewarding) endeavor. Online courses take some of the burden off your shoulders; you don’t need to be the sole educator for every course. Let an experienced instructor take the reins for a class or two so you can recharge and avoid burnout.
Another benefit is that you can still stay involved in your child’s online courses, even if you’re not teaching them. Instead, focus on facilitating and guiding your student as they progress through the class. This makes life easier as you can better manage schedules, balance extracurriculars, and consider family obligations without your student missing a beat. In other words, take advantage of the extra support, the break from instructing, and the school-home life balance that online courses provide–you’ve earned it!
Flexibility That Supports Individualized Learning
If personalized learning is a reason you chose to homeschool your child, online courses only reinforce that notion. Students learn at different paces and in different ways–something that homeschooling accommodates brilliantly. Online courses allow for the same type of learning since they’re self-paced. That means your student can focus on a particular concept for as long–or short–as necessary until they’re confident they know it.
Additionally, both homeschooling and online courses fully promote interest- and goal-based learning. So, if your student is interested in exploring a healthcare career, there are plenty of online courses designed to prepare them for what’s ahead. Which leads us to…
Helps Prepare Students for the Future
If your student plans to attend college, online courses prepare them perfectly for college classes. Plus, with so many jobs and careers based remotely, online courses are a perfect transition into that work environment. More importantly, online courses help homeschooled students develop the self-discipline, time management, and independent study skills they need to excel. Of course, they are learning these skills as they homeschool–but online courses help put those skills into practice so your student knows how to use them when the time comes.
It’s also worth noting that students who take online courses with an accredited school receive a transcript to include with their college applications. This is incredibly important when it’s time to start sending out college applications, because admissions offices look for that accreditation to ensure your child’s education meets the highest of standards.
Holston Academy Is a Perfect Homeschool Partner
Online courses are not designed to replace your instruction; rather, they’re an ideal supplement to your homeschool curriculum. They offer the same benefits of homeschooling, namely flexibility and individualized learning. But they also add a complementary element–expert instruction (for those challenging subjects), future-ready skill development, the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded students, and support for you, the parent.
Holston Academy is ready to partner with you to help your student reach their full potential. Explore all that Holston Academy has to offer homeschooling families. Click here to learn more about us and our approach to learning–which you’ll find aligns quite beautifully with homeschooling. For more information, visit https://holstonacademy.org/request-information.
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