Most children would agree that introducing computer games into their school day would definately make their homeschooling fun! But before you go ahead and buy any computer programs, you need to answer this question: will my child actually benefit? In other words, every child learns differently. Some children may not be suited to online learning. Once you’ve determined that computer learning will be beneficial, now comes the hard part - how do you choose the subject(s) your child will use computer software to learn? And once you’ve decided THAT, how do you choose from the bazillions of programs available? It seems that the decisions never end, but trust me, that this is the hardest part. Once you’ve gotten past this point, you’ll quickly experience the benefits that homeschool software posesses.
As I’ve mentioned already, some children will learn differently that others. And just as your child has thier own unique interests, so will their idea of a captivating computer game or program. Some children like characters, some children like puzzles. There is no shortage of subjects and topics available these days, so you should pay close attention to your choice in order for your child to get the maximum benefit from your investment in their eduction. This is where the ‘fun’ in homeschooling software comes in – choose something fun for your child, and they can’t help but learn!
Finding a good combination of fun for your child and effective educational value is always a tricky prospect. A number of elements come into play: how your child learns, the curriculum you choose, and how much you want to invest in teaching tools. Your child’s preferences with subjects and type of computer games they prefer will help you choose what software programs will be most effective in your homeschool programme. Combine your child’s preference with your already choosen curriculum to narrow down the subject of software you will look for. Remember, many facets of learning can be addressed – information learning, problem solving, memorization, and creativity. The final factor that will come into play is budget. You might want to try out one or two titles before committing to a whole learning series. Or look for free software, as well as take advantage of non-traditional ‘learning software’ – ie, free graphics programs, or online word games.
An important factor to keep in mind is the interaction with other children that your child misses out on when they are home schooled. An important interaction with normal group schooling is the competitive nature of some of the school events. A fun way to introduce a fun and challenging learning environment that will imitate this competitive aspect is with home school software. Competing against a previous ‘high score’ or achieving the next level is a very strong motivator for competitive kids, and adds an element of fun to their homeschooling day.
Another interesting attribute of learning software is that they are often designed with enough flexibility so that they will suit a wide range of experience levels and learning speeds. The child is able to start out at the level they are currently studying at, and advance virtually at the maximum speed at which they are capable of learning. The combination of interactivity, challenge, and appropriate skill level makes homeschool software a very accessible learning tool which adds fun to your child’s education. The secondary benefit to this adaptability is the ability for you to use the same program for multiple children, regardless of their individual levels and learning styles.
Watch the video related to homeschooling benefits
Homeschooling and public schooling both have their benefits, as a homeschooled child receives a customized curriculum and a child attending public school gets to interact more with peers (Socialization). Watch the exclusive interview on Homeschooling Vs Public School, Channel Sahara. Shemrock MD: Amol Arora Contact: www.shemrock.com Bio: Amol Arora (BE (Delhi College of Engineering), MBA (University of California, Irvine, USA) Doctoral Researcher in Education Leadership & Management …
Help answer the question about homeschooling benefits
Parents: What were the underlying factors that caused you to choose homeschooling your children?I am doing research for a Masters level education course and am thinking about writing my thesis on the sociological benefits and drawbacks of homeschooling. So many people argue that homeschoolers do not get the same amount of socialization as those who attend "traditional schools". I am going to start by looking at motivations for homeschooling versus sending your child(ren) to public or private schools.
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Find out how to find and introduce a fun and effective new teaching tool into your homeschooling curriculum. Visit http://homeschoolsoftware.blogspot.com to discover more homeschool software information and more.
Research shows that homeschoolers do well on all the standardized testing, socialization, etc. http://www.nheri.org/content/view/176/53/
I think one huge advantage of homeschooling is that you can tailor the curriculum to the interests of the child: when you are in the school system you often are boring a child because out of 30 children at least some are going to be bored by a topic or have already learned a topic. You can avoid that in homeschooling.
I do think though, obviously, as you mentioned, that homeschooling is wonderful for special needs children. You didn't mention but homeschooling is also great for gifted children who are easily bored by public school. My brother and I are both gifted and were bored through all of our schooling, both private and public, until I hit grad school, where I finally met others who were really enjoying the learning process as well. I think schooling is kind of aimed towards teaching that theoretical "average" child of which there really are so few. Most children, really, may have some deficits and/or gifted areas and so really will benefit from homeschooling in my opinion.
Of course, the reality is not every parent may have the personality, desire, financial situation, or willingness to homeschool so homeschool may not be an option for that reason. And then public and private schools are other options to be considered in that case.