by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 31, 2018 | Home School, Resources
It’s a big decision, but you’re not alone. Every year thousands of families choose to homeschool over sending their children to a traditional high school. There are many arguments both for and against homeschooling, but at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is if it will be suitable for your specific child. The homeschooling resources that are currently available to parents today online are vast.
This article will help you weigh the pros and cons of homeschooling so that you can make the best decision possible in regards to your child. Homeschooling is not an easy thing, but if you’re up to the task, it can be a great benefit to the academic success of your child.
Weighing the pros and cons of homeschooling
Of course, that’s a question you’ll have to answer for yourself, but over 1.7 million American families seem to think it’s a pretty good idea. The popularity of the homeschooling option has increased along with the ease of access to available resources and communities.
Deciding to homeschool can be a tough choice. You want what’s best for your children, but you also want what’s best for yourself. While homeschool is very hands on in K-8th, you can utilize an online program for the 9-12th-grade portion for more freedom and less effort on your part. You could even consider mixing a fully online high school program like the one offered by ARHS into your strategy. Having a high school diploma is always a good idea, even if your child is being homeschooled.
Homeschooling pros and cons
Homeschooling Pros:
- You control daily learning: These days it can be surprising what they teach, and don’t teach, kids in school. By homeschooling, you can help curate the information that your child learns and how they learn it.
- Promote stronger family values and bonds: By spending more time with your kids you can create stronger bonds and increase the cohesiveness of your family. Family is so important and homeschooling is a great example of something you can do to engrain this in your children.
- Reduce the opportunities for bullying: Bullying is a huge problem these days. A negative social environment can affect how well your child learns while increasing anxiety about their time at school. Social ridicule is one of the primary things that can make kids not want to go to school and develop a hatred for learning.
- Practical learning prepares them for the real-world: Homeschooling allows you to provide your children with specific skills that will help them in the real world.
Homeschooling Cons:
- Being a parent and teacher is hard: Homeschooling is not a walk in the park. Having to be both parent and educator can put a significant time burden on your day. Once you have committed to this path, it is very had to change courses. There is no doubt that homeschooling will add stress to your life.
- Homeschooling will reduce the time you can work: By becoming your child’s teacher, you will not have as much time to work. The loss of income can be hard and increase tension at home.
- Your kids will lose easy access to social peer groups: This route will most certainly mean some reduction in your child’s social interactions. You will have to take an active role in the socialization of your child and seek out groups of other children for them to interact with.
- Potentially less structure when compared to public school: Of course, how structured you make your homeschooling environment is entirely up to you. That being said, public school has a level of regimen that will be difficult to recreate at home.
Conclusion
Homeschooling has its pros and its cons. The decision can be a tough one, but it’s worth looking into. You have the opportunity to provide your child with an extremely high-quality education right from home, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 27, 2018 | Online Options, Resources
Understanding the pros and cons of public school is essential before you decide to enroll in an online public school program. The choice between public and private school can be a difficult one to make. Many times public schools will offer a free online option to students who don’t want to, or can’t, go to school in person. Private online schools provide high-quality education but can get pricey. So how do you choose?
Online high school is fundamentally different than online university because the standards are very specific. There isn’t much leeway when it comes to the material that you need to teach at a high school. You don’t choose an online high school based on the material that it teaches, but rather how it teaches it. The following blog post is going to go over all the pros and cons of public school online and give you some tools to help you make a good choice.
Is an online public school right for you?
There are many reasons that you might be considering going to a public school online. If you’re under 18, then it’s likely your local school district has an option for you as a replacement for the standard in-person route. Depending on your school district, this can be a high-quality engaging experience, or it can be less than ideal. If you’re over 18, then you most likely won’t qualify for a free online public option.
Going back to school online is an excellent choice if you want to expand your professional opportunities or continue to college. An online option becomes ideal if you’re currently working and can’t afford to take time off to go back to school.
Pros and cons of public school online
Pros:
- Local campus support: When you go to a local public school online then you can always go to the campus for assistance if you need it. In-person help can be a significant advantage over an online school that doesn’t have a campus.
- Free if you’re under 18: This is probably the most significant advantage of going to online public school. Many school districts will let you choose the online option over going to class in person which means that they have to make it free. You can save a lot of money by going this route if you qualify for it.
Cons:
- Not as high quality as private: While it’s true that online public school options will teach much of the same information as their private counterparts, many times they don’t have the resources to maximize student experience. There is fierce competition in the online private high school market, and as a result, private schools need to be continually improving to stay relevant.
- Not as prestigious as private: Having a diploma come from a private school looks great on a resume. It doesn’t matter if you went to the private school online or in person, employers and colleges look at private high school differently from public.
Enrolling in high school online
Once you have decided which route you want to take, your next step will be to enroll. If you have decided to go with a private school like ARHS, then the enrollment process is pretty simple. Once your application is approved, you can start taking classes right away. If you ever have any questions, we are here to make sure your enrollment goes smoothly.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 24, 2018 | Online Options, Resources, Time Management
Online school works better now than it ever has before. If you’re thinking about going back to high school online you couldn’t have picked a better time. Recent technological advancements have made online high school an engaging experience that everyone can access. In the past, if you didn’t complete high school for some reason you had few convenient options to go back and get your diploma. Sure you could always study for and take the GED test, but if you wanted an actual diploma then your options were limited.
Today the online school options available are almost endless especially for people who are going back to high school. Online high school is unique because much of the material taught at different schools will be the same. Going to school online used to mean that you were going to be plagued by compatibility and usability issues that would make the job almost impossible. This article will examine some of the key changes in how online school works and how to make the most of them in your own high school career.
What makes online school a good option?
The idea of going back to high school can be a scary one if you have a family and a job. The development of quality online high school programs has made going back to school more accessible to people who can’t put their lives on pause. Getting your high school diploma can mean a significant improvement in the professional opportunities that are available to you. The online option means that you can still hold a full-time job and complete your diploma at your own pace.
The trick to any high school program is learning to balance your time while maximizing your investment. You need to find that happy medium of working on your classes just enough to stay ahead while still keeping your family and job on track. The real value of online school come from all the flexibility that it can bring to your life.
4 Tips to make online school work better for you.
Build your workspace: Just because you have the option to work anywhere doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to do so. It has been proven over and over again that having a dedicated work-space allows you to focus better and keep your time on track.
Communicate with your teachers: This is a step that is missed by many people who attend online school. Just because your school is online doesn’t mean that your teachers aren’t real people who can help you. Just like in a traditional school, your teachers are your biggest resource when it comes to understanding the material and getting good marks in a class.
Plan out your time: When you’re going to school online it’s very easy to get complacent and slack on your work. You’re the only person who is going to say you need to work on something, so you should take the responsibility seriously. Take the time to make a study schedule and then stick to it.
Keep yourself organized: You should always know exactly what you have to do and when you have to do it by when you’re going to school online. The more organized you can become then the easier it will be for you to go to school online.
Why ARHS is a great option
The ARHS online high school diploma option can help you get your diploma affordably. You get all the benefits of a high-quality high school education from the comfort of your own home. If you’re interested in exploring what ARHS can do for you then message us today and let us help you design a path to achieve your goals.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 20, 2018 | Career, Diploma, Online Options
There is more than one way going back to high school can change your life. Education is the cornerstone of so many important aspects of our modern lives. The economy values an educated workforce, and not having your high school diploma can be a big roadblock in your professional career. Going back to high school used to be a major inconvenience and many times required putting your life on hold. Luckily today online high school options exist that make going back to high school easier and less intrusive than ever.
Earning your high school diploma can be the next step on the path to a better future for yourself and your family. This article will go over why not having a high school diploma can hurt you and how going back to high school can change your life.
Why not having a high school diploma is not okay
A high school diploma is the most basic educational credential in the USA. If you don’t have your diploma, or an equivalent, finding a job will be much harder. When you do finally find a job, you will likely be paid less than your peers who have diplomas. High school is also the foundation to higher education, so you will need it if you want to go to college.
Thinking about going back to high school is stressful for many reasons. If you’re already working full time then adding the burden of going back to school might seem like a lot. We’re here to tell you that you can handle it. Flexible online classes are designed with busy students in mind and are self-paced so you never fall behind.
The challenges that you’ll face in your life without a high school diploma are far worse than the challenge of getting one. More and more people are choosing to go back to school online and their success rate should be an indication to you of how plausible it really is.
Going back to high school is easier than ever before
In the past, a big limiting factor to online high school programs was the cost and availability of computers. Even though distance education technology has been around since the late 1990’s, programs didn’t develop due to the low rate of computer ownership. As personal computing technology has gotten more affordable online high school programs have been created to meet the demand for educational alternatives.
The learning management system we use at ARHS is designed to give you full access to your classes in a user-friendly and organic way. We believe that the more accessible the technology is then the more likely it is that our students will be successful. Technology should always compliment natural learning behavior, never complicate it. Our system was designed to give our students full control of their online high school experience while still keeping the classes engaging.
Conclusion
Going back to high school can change your whole life. A high school diploma can allow you to make more money, give you confidence, and improve how the world sees you. ARHS is an online high school that is ready to help you accomplish your educational goals. If you ever need any questions answered about your next steps we are here to help, just message us and we’ll be more than happy to lend a hand.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 17, 2018 | Home School, Resources
Homeschooling in Florida has seen a big increase in recent years partly do the availability of online resources and support for parents. The internet has made homeschooling so much more practical of an option for parents. In the past, if you wanted to homeschool your child, you were essentially on your own.
The public school system in Florida has always been innovative, in fact, it was one of the first to introduce an all online public K-12 option and has the largest virtual school in the nation. In Florida, enrolling your child in an online high school, middle school, or elementary school has never been easier. This article is going to show you why homeschooling in Florida makes sense and help you find the resources you need to get started.
How to get started homeschooling in Florida
It’s tough to make the choice to homeschool, but there are so many reasons why it’s a good idea. Beyond being able to take personal responsibility for your child’s learning, you can be confident in the fact that with today’s online resources you can do an extremely good job.
Sending your child to a private school is expensive and public in-person schools many times will not give your child the attention they need to be successful. All that being said it’s still difficult to balance life while you also have to be your child’s teacher.
Once you’ve made the decision to homeschool you’ll probably want the process is. Florida is one of the easiest schools to start homeschooling from and there are a ton of great resources to help you get started.
Helpful websites to help you get started homeschooling in Florida:
http://florida-homeschooling.org/: This is a great all in one Florida specific resource designed to help homeschoolers at every level. The really nice thing about this website is the support groups page, support groups can make all the difference when your homeschooling.
http://www.home-school.com/groups/FL.php: This page has links to tons of great homeschooling groups in Florida. If you’re interested in homeschooling, one of the things you should do is find a group near you and contact them. The group will have area-specific information that they provide you so you can weigh your options and decide if homeschooling is right for your situation.
https://letshomeschoolhighschool.com/2013/05/23/high-school-homeschooling-laws-state/: It’s always a good idea to know the laws of a particular state thoroughly before you start considering homeschooling your child. Florida has some of the most straightforward laws that exist in the country, so you shouldn’t worry about that getting in your way.
Why is homeschooling so popular in Florida?
Florida is pretty unique when it comes to homeschooling. The sheer size of Florida puts a huge strain on the public school system which motivated the school board to start pushing the online option as a way to take some of the pressure off. The online K-12 options in Florida fit right into the homeschooling mentality and give parents more control over how their children are actually processing the information.
There is also a large rural population in Florida where it is logistically difficult for families to get their kids to the schools. Fortunately, the internet brings high-quality education to them no matter where they are.
Another popular trend that we are seeing here in Florida is kids going to public school K-8 and then finishing high school online. There are lots of high school specific online options, both paid and public, accredited by the state of Florida to choose from. It’s a fact that kids who go to school online or at home have a greater understanding of the material and do better on standardized tests. If the goal is to get your child into a good school then homeschooling online is a good option.
Conclusion
If you’re living in Florida, or any state for that matter, you should see homeschooling as an accessible option made easier by modern technology. If you still have questions that this post couldn’t answer then we’re here for you. ARHS is a Florida accredited online high school providing affordable education solutions to anyone who needs them. If you would like more information don’t hesitate to contact us so we can tell you more about your options.
