When it comes to online learning, there are a lot of parents that feel it is the best thing ever and there are those who are skeptical about whether a child wins or loses by staying home to learn. The truth is, online learning is not perfect for everyone, but it is a great thing for a lot of kids. To help you to figure out whether it is the right choice for you and your family; you should consider the pros and cons of online learning for kids.
Pros of Homeschooling
Traditional brick and mortar schools are great for most kids. However, there are kids that simply cannot keep up with the rest in the classroom. This means that they fall behind, because a teacher has to move with the group. If most kids understand what they are doing, the teacher must keep up with them. This is one of the biggest pros to online school. You set the pace that your child is comfortable with. If you feel they are still struggling to add, there is no reason to complicate it by adding multiplication to the mix. On the other hand, if you child has addition, you can start to teach them the multiplication side of things or what they can do to further simplify the addition that they already know in other ways. You also benefit by knowing what they are doing in school so that you can show them how those things apply in real life and gain the ability to protect your student from bullies. This is very important for many parents.
It is also more flexible than brick and mortar schools. When you are online learning, you can take a family vacation for a week and it will not affect their school things. All that you need is a computer and an internet connection, and your child can “go” to school wherever you are. This makes it possible for families to spend more time together and not be tied to home. If your child has a doctor appointment, it can count toward their health classes. If they play sports, they can count it as their PE for that day. Online schools allow your family to do anything that they need to do.
Cons of Online Learning
Online learning is ideal for most, but not for all. Parents who are already stressed by their day to day life may not be able to take on teaching their child to succeed in the online school program. It is something you have to be committed to, no matter how much overtime your job requires or what other things are going on in your life. There is also very little time for social interaction with other kids of a similar age. Therefore, if you do online learning, you must make time for field trips and trips to the park where your child can play with others. Some parents, who have the time and ability to handle home schooling, may also struggle if their child does not want to listen to them. It is not a program that allows children to simply play on their phone or the computer. Many programs have a set curriculum and it must be followed as closely as possible. This can mean issues for some.