It’s no secret that homeschooling is much different from the traditional school system and its learning methods. With everything going on in the world, many parents are having to get comfortable with the idea of remote learning. Many have even found that they prefer it over regular schooling. Despite the belief that homeschooling is less effective, it has actually been proven that students who are given the opportunity to thrive in a remote environment such as this often do better on tests and even find more success in higher education. Remote learning is an opportunity for students to thrive and it offers an experience that is an alternative to traditional learning. Homeschooled students are performing better, and here are five reasons why.
1.) Flexible Testing
A major perk of remote learning is that students are able to adapt their testing process to fit their style. Testing can be stressful in a traditional classroom setting where they are surrounded by other students. They might feel as if they are under pressure to finish at the same time or quicker than their peers. Adding to that, many teachers impose a strict time limit on tests, one that many students might find daunting. With remote learning, learners can take their time and carefully read through each problem before formulating an answer. If they feel less rushed, there will be fewer mistakes made. There are also many helpful resources in place for students that have unique needs when it comes to testing. If you are a tester who works better on paper where you can easily flip between pages and such, you may be able to print out your test and scan it back onto the computer when you are finished. Being able to have a secluded space alone, and in the comfort of the home with no distractions or pressure from peers means that students will feel less stressed during testing while homeschooling and achieve higher grades as a result. This will lead to a variety of options when it comes to higher education.
2.) No Cliques
High-school cliques are very common, and unfortunately, many students feel left out. Whether it’s at lunchtime, during gym class, or at the school pep rally, children tend to form tight social groups. Some even use these groups to intentionally exclude or bully other students. This is unfortunate and feeling left out is very draining on the mental state, especially for young people. Homeschooling provides more social comfort and security for children since they do not have to worry about where they are going to sit at lunch, or who is going to team up with them for the class project. There are still plenty of ways to keep in touch with people while homeschooling, though. Homeschooled students can still socialize! Video chat is a popular option and you can even have multiple people on at the same time for virtual hangouts. Remote learning means being liberated from the social pressures of traditional schooling and learning about independence as well as how to be secure within yourself even when you’re not physically surrounded by friends. This will come in handy as students make the transition into adulthood.
3.) Relaxed Structure
Homeschooling can be as structured or unstructured as you’d like it to be, however, choosing to ease up on the typical school rules is a great way to ease the burden and allow for some wiggle room within the curriculum. There’s no need to be up super early or follow any particular guidelines or schedule. Adjust everything to fit the specific needs of your family. You don’t have to have 8-hour schooldays, break the day up into pieces and take breaks in between. Shorten lesson plans if you need to! Have lunch at whatever time you want, and holidays are whatever date you’d like them to be on. A relaxed structure for remote learning doesn’t mean laziness or procrastination, what it means is giving yourself the space to decide what works best for you and your personal learning needs. Taking some of the heat off of students and giving them more room to work at their own pace and have brain breaks throughout the day will lead to better academic performance in the long run. When the brain is relieved of its pressure, it can absorb much more information and put out high-quality work.
4.) Unique Needs Are Covered
If a student has special needs, in a regular school setting they might become the target of bullies who don’t understand what they are going through. As a result, school performance and grades will suffer since they are feeling hurt and misunderstood. Even without bullies, traditional schooling can be a tough environment for students with special needs. Remote learning with the help of parents can allow them to have that one-on-one attention they need which they can miss out on in a regular classroom full of their peers. There are many hurdles that have to be leapt over each day when you are growing up with special needs and homeschooling allows young learners to face these battles without the social pressure or fear of being spoken down to. They will get to thrive with the people closest to them and feel more comfortable in their learning environment which will boost their academic confidence.
5.) Room for Error & Clarification
Homeschooling also leaves plenty of room for error and questions. It’s okay to make mistakes or have questions about the curriculum! Traditional schools are often very fast-paced which means many students get left behind when there is something they don’t understand and need further clarification on. If the rest of the class gets it, the teacher usually won’t go back for just one student. So, if someone has a question or just wants to go back over a section of the lesson, they will have to either do it on their own time or see if the teacher can stay after school to help them. Not every student is able to stay after hours, and as a result, they could fall behind in their studies. Remote learning is so flexible in this area. Students don’t have to worry about not understanding something and being surpassed by their peers or looked over by the teacher. If they mess up somewhere, they can spend as much time as they need to help themselves understand and get the problem right. Not to mention, they have the support and assistance of family and loved ones who can focus all of their attention on the child.
Homeschooled students perform better because they are given more control over their school experience. Remote learning is effective, flexible, relaxed, and every student has the opportunity to “choose their own adventure” so to speak. Every homeschool curriculum is moldable. From impromptu nature hikes to virtual study sessions, the life of a homeschooled learner can be a unique and exciting one. The one-on-one time that children are able to have, as well as gentle encouragement from loved ones and lack of social pressure or bullying from peers, allows students to feel comfortable in their learning environments and excel in their academic endeavors. Remote learning and all that it offers gives students a platform that will catapult them into long-term success.