5 Tips for Keeping HomeSchoolers on Track with their Classes

One of the primary reasons that families choose to homeschool is for the flexibility so that education can fit within their unique schedule instead of a traditional school day. However, it is very easy to become too lax in this area where there is no set time to start or finish, classes are done based on what the students wants to accomplish that day and there is no structure. Kids in this environment can easily fall behind in their studies which creates stress for everyone and a hard time trying to catch back up to where they need to be. Balance is key to keeping students accountable for their work while taking advantage of the individual learning methods and events that come up.

The best online homeschool is a system that provides challenging coursework that neither overwhelms the student nor leaves them bored on a daily basis. Kids who are flying through the work quickly will finish early but then they have leftover time to try and fill with supplemental material. Parents should ask for placement testing, if not automatically required by the platform, so the school can evaluate the best grade for the student to enter at that point in time. The lesson planner integrated with the class will set out how many lessons should be done each day and while students can work ahead or at a slower pace, the end result should be completion close to the projected date. 

Extracurricular activities such as sports, music, art and other genres are important to incorporate with a student’s homeschool learning. The key is to find the right balance between lessons and these activities so that the child has enough time to study and attend practices or have time at home to complete these tasks. Not everything is learned through books and all children should be exposed to events outside of their books so they can find what they enjoy and where their skills are. Parents can start this at any age but the idea is to include 1-2 items and see how the schedule works as this will vary for each student based on personality and workload. This addition can help students be more focused on their studies with the skills they learn but also breaks up the monotony of books so that they are more refreshed when they do the assignments.  

Organization of time and resources is another important feature that parents can put into place to help students stay on task. Electronic devices are a popular tool to use for online classes but if they are not charged or outdated then students will have trouble completing their lessons. Parents can create a checklist of tasks that should be done each day such as cleaning up books and school items to put in a central location for each child. This can be a bookshelf, a desk in their room specifically designed to keep all the supplies easily accessible. It also teaches them responsibility in putting their things away in a neat manner and ensures they can start the next school day on time with everything they need to get the work done. This can be made fun with personalized areas that can be considered as ‘art’ for that day so they can make their area colorful and unique.

For older students, identifying goals is a helpful exercise that should start towards the end of middle school/beginning of 9th grade at the latest. Students do not always associate grades with future results so they want to go to college but don’t think about the actions they take now will affect their options in the future. As parents and teachers in the best online home-school, it is necessary to help them see the connection so they will have a desire to work hard, make a high GPA and get the work finished to the best of their ability. High school is an especially critical time for this including SAT/ACT tests, dual enrollment opportunities and college prep classes that will prepare them for the admissions process and meeting expectations at the school of their choice. Students that have a goal to work towards are more focused and willing to stay on task with the schedule so they can follow the plan to success.

When parents set boundaries and expectations at the beginning of the year, kids will quickly learn what they can and cannot get away with. There will be days where they are too sick to do work and other days where doing school in bed to avoid falling behind is a homeschool advantage. Getting kids involved with outside activities allows them to connect with peers and continue to grow their social skills while maintaining the high education standards that caused parents to make this choice in the first place. Find the balance that works for your family with the help and support of a qualified online platform that has all the tools and resources you need for a successful experience.