The majority of middle schoolers are pre-teens which means that everything is changing physically, emotionally and mentally for them. For this reason, it’s important that parents have open communication with their children especially when they are teaching them at home through online schools for 6th grade or higher. School can be challenging enough without adding in the stress and pressure of family dynamics where there is no communication. If your student has always used print curriculum for their studies, 6th grade is an excellent time to transition them to the online option as this is the primary method of instruction for  middle school and high school students.

The influence of the internet has increased substantially over the last decade. These days, more and more parents are enrolling their children in accredited online homeschools. There are many benefits of attending online homeschool for children. Online homeschools offer a high level of convenience to children and their families. Classes can be pursued virtually from anywhere using the internet. These programs are quite affordable as compared to regular programs. Since the curriculum is available online and teachers can be accessed via the internet, students can save their valuable time. Students can access libraries and science labs vis the internet.

Kids get bored. It doesn’t matter their age, how much they love (or don’t love) school, or whether they are a single student or are learning with their siblings. Traditional schools understand this and employ recess, class transitions and creative classes to break up the routine schedule. No one wants to sit in front of a tablet or textbook for several hours on end, completing assignments without having any type of fun or enjoyable activity while doing their studies in traditional or online home schools. Indeed, homeschool parents  have a great opportunity to make their student’s education experience fun and exciting because they have the flexibility to include a variety of exciting activities in the schedule.

Most people think that homeschooling involves students with textbooks sitting on the couch or around the kitchen table; and, while this was true in the past, technology has changed things so there are many more options for families. A simple search online reveals there are hundreds of online homeschool classes to choose from.  Some are accredited and some are not: some go all the way through 12th grade while others stop at 8th grade. There are so many to choose from,  so how does a parent decide which is the right one?

In elementary school, parents have the final say on their kids education, including curriculum, program and schedule. This is because young children need organization, structure and they need instruction to see the lesson   before they can do it on their own. Homeschool families have several years to develop these skills by seeing what works, what doesn’t work, and by establishing stability with a quality online homeschool program. However, once the student enters the 6th grade online, when they reach their “tween” years, it’s time to make a few changes so they can take the next steps in maturity and in learning independence.