No, you do not need a teaching degree to homeschool your child. However, it's important to have a good understanding of the subject matter you will be teaching and to be willing to put in the time and effort required to provide a quality education for your child.
Choosing a curriculum for your child can be overwhelming, as there are many options available. Consider your child's learning style, interests, and academic strengths and weaknesses when selecting a curriculum. You may also want to read reviews and speak to other homeschooling parents to get their recommendations.
There are many different homeschooling methods available, including traditional, classical, unschooling, Montessori, and more. Each method has its own unique approach to education, so it's important to research and choose the one that best aligns with your child's needs and your teaching style.
Homeschooled children can socialize with peers through a variety of activities, such as sports teams, music lessons, community classes, co-op groups, and play dates with other homeschooling families. Many areas also have homeschooling support groups that organize social events and field trips.
Homeschooled students have been found to perform just as well, if not better, than traditionally-schooled students in college. Many colleges and universities actively recruit homeschoolers and are familiar with their unique educational backgrounds. However, it's important to make sure your child completes all necessary requirements for college admission and to provide opportunities for college-level coursework and test preparation.
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Calvert has been providing homeschool programs for 110 years. Given its experience, it’s no surprise Calvert provides the closest thing to traditional objective-based learning at home. Each lesson plan begins with a goal, teaches to that goal, and ends with a short quiz to check the goal has been reached. Calvert has a printed workbook curriculum for grades K-2 and online curriculum for grades 3-12.
Pricing: Grades K-2: $160-380 annual fee; Grades 3-12: $320 yearly fee for full homeschool curriculum, $40 for individual courses.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science, history & geography, electives
Accreditations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Maryland State Department of Education
K12 provides online homeschool courses tailored to the age and skills of your children. From K-8, it offers the option of independent or teacher-led learning. From 9-12, only teacher-led online learning is offered. Given the high tuition fees, K12’s teacher-led program is like a private school your kids attend from home. However, the level of personalization and impressive selection of electives (e.g. personal finance, sports, photography) make the price worthwhile.
Pricing: Most courses cost $260-450 for unlimited 12-month access. Price rises to $900+ when courses are teacher-led.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science, history, art, music, world languages, electives
Accreditations: Cognia (parent organization of NCA CASI and SACS CASI).
Bridgewater has a homeschooling solution to suit everyone. At each year level, it offers a choice of four types of learning: grade-level printed learning kits, customized independent study; self-paced online learning, and teacher-led live online classes. It offers a core homeschool curriculum, as well as the following specialized homeschool programs: Christian home school programs, student athletes and performers, programs for students with learning disabilities, programs for military families, international homeschooling, and programs for missionary families.
Pricing: Annual tuition varies from $700-$900/year for grade-level learning kits. Online courses range from $350-$700 per individual course.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science, social studies, electives
Accreditations: Cognia, National Association of Private Schools, and Pennsylvania Department of Education
Keystone National High School is a private correspondence and online distance school based in Pennsylvania. Students can obtain a complete education (and earn accredited middle school and high school diplomas) at Keystone or take courses to supplement another high school or homeschool program. Learning can be done offline with homeschool books or online with teacher-led virtual classes. In addition to its K-12 program, Keystone also offers career school diplomas for adults.
Pricing: Full yearly tuition costs $1,800-$2,800. Individual courses start from $230 for offline and $290 for online.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science, social studies, electives
Accreditations: Cognia, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Time4Learning offers affordable, engaging, and interactive online learning programs for kids from pre-K through to 12th grade. It can be used as a full curriculum corresponding to state standards or as a supplement to your child’s regular school or homeschooling curriculum. The curriculum is suitable for a broad range of student types, learning styles, and homeschooling methods. Parents get access to printable lesson plans, teaching tools, and detailed reporting.
Pricing: $19.95/m for students from Pre-8 through to 8th grade, $30/m for grades 9-12. Prices for individual classes vary.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science, social studies, world languages
Accreditations: None
Forest Trail Academy is another of the top accredited homeschool programs issuing universally accepted high school diplomas. It offers a choice of secular homeschool correspondence courses, Christian homeschool correspondence courses, or instructor-led online learning. The correspondence courses are self-paced courses with a book-based curriculum comprising interactive, printable worksheets.
Pricing: Correspondence programs cost $950 per grade level. Online homeschooling costs $1,900/y for K-5, $2,600/y for 6-8, and $3,200/y for 9-12.
Core subjects: Language arts, writing, math, science, social studies, handwriting, and character education
Accreditations: Cognia
Laurel Spring is another great choice for any parent looking for a correspondence homeschool program or online homeschool program for their kid. The number one reason to choose Laurel Springs School is for its selective online learning program, known as ‘The Academy’. This program for distinguished students in grades 6-12 offers a personalized curriculum built around each student’s interests, talents, and passions. It includes college prep courses, honors and AP courses, world language courses, college credit courses, and one-on-one academic counselling.
Pricing: Annual tuition for regular curriculum $1,900 for elementary school, $2,600 for middle school, and $3,200 for high school. Annual tuition for The Academy is $9,000 for middle school and $13,000 for high school.
Core subjects: English, math, science, history, art, world languages
Accreditations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Oak Meadow is one of the few exclusively secular homeschool curriculum providers on the market. It’s heavily inspired by the Waldorf philosophy, which seeks to instill a sense of wonder and reverence for creation within each student – but without adhering to any specific religious beliefs. Its grade-level correspondence programs are creative, hands-on, and rigorous, and include many nature-based projects from the early grades.
Pricing: From K-8, there are two choices: $745 for the full curriculum or $120 for individual 36-week courses. From 9-12, courses are sold separately, starting from $115.
Core subjects: English, math, science, social studies, fine arts, health & PE
Accreditations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Approved Distance Learning School in the State of Vermont.
Liberty University is the best homeschool program from among a range of different Christian homeschool correspondence options on the market. Founded in 1972, Liberty University offers a comprehensive biblically based curriculum for preschool through to grade 12, complete with textbooks and teaching aids. Its teacher-directed framework empowers teachers and parents to focus students’ attention on the material they need to learn – and in a sequence that will help them learn it best.
Pricing: Annual tuition starts at $270 for kindergarten and rises to up to $1,290 for high school. Prices for individual courses vary.
Core subjects: Language arts, math, science/health, history/geography, bible, electives
Accreditations: Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has a range of courses based on the Saxon teaching method of incremental learning. Its specialty is math, although it also has a range of kits on other subjects. HMH doesn’t offer a comprehensive free homeschool curriculum or a paid one. Rather, its kits are best used to supplement your child’s traditional school or homeschool education.
Pricing: Kit prices vary
Core subjects: Math, English, Spanish
Accreditations: None
Home schooling has seen an unprecedented surge in popularity. In fact, it is now the fastest-growing form of education across America, with estimates indicating that over 3 million school-age students are currently enrolled for the 2022-2023 academic year! This number is more than double compared to new enrollments in public and private schools combined, showcasing just how quickly this alternative educational option is taking off.
Home schooling is becoming increasingly popular as it is a great way to customize your child’s education and make learning enjoyable. With this guide, you will find the necessary steps to take in getting started with home schooling, along with an array of top-notch resources for curriculum and products that can help contribute to your success. Get ready; let's begin!
When it comes to choosing a curriculum for homeschooling, there are many options available. Some popular choices include:
There are many different homeschooling methods that families can choose from. Some popular methods include:
One concern that many people have about homeschooling is the lack of socialization opportunities for students. However, there are many ways that homeschoolers can socialize and interact with other students. Some popular options include:
So, those are our top 10 best online homeschool options and programs. Remember to consider your child’s individual needs and learning style when making your decision, and don’t be afraid to ask for advice from other homeschooling parents. With the right curriculum, your child can thrive in the homeschool environment.
Homeschooling your child can be a very different experience than the one offered by public schools or private schools, but you can still make learning a great experience for them. If you do it alone, you can invest in lesson planning and fun field trips. But these homeschool resources, planned by certified teachers, can truly help child learning in grades K-12.
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