The HomeSchool Group

Homeschooling and the Internet – many consider the two to be a match made in heaven. In fact, those who homeschool would be hard pressed to do so without the Internet. The following seven ways explain how to use the Internet with homeschooling, but there are many more.
1. Find state laws concerning homeschooling. One of the first ways the Internet can help with homeschooling is by giving parents access to homeschool laws for their state. Knowing the laws will prepare homeschool families to meet their state’s requirements so they can comply with them.
2. If you’re new to homeschooling, you’ll most likely need to have support during the year. The Internet is a great place to find support. Not only can you find online homeschooling groups, but your local group will probably use the Internet to communicate, especially if the members are spread out over a large area.
3. Purchasing curriculum is a major undertaking every year. Use the Internet first to research curriculum and compare prices before buying. Besides going to the curriculum manufacturer’s websites, look for used curriculum on places such as eBay. If you purchase materials online it will be delivered right to your door instead of having to drive around trying to find it.
4. Once you have your curriculum, you may want to supplement it with handouts, worksheets, and puzzles. These are easily accessible on the Internet. And, most of the materials you find on the Internet are either free, or very inexpensive. Use common search engines like Google, Yahooligans, or Ask Jeeves Kids to find the items you need.
5. Some children are interested in music and would like to learn more about it. Resources found online would be great for this child. Not only can you find free sheet music online for nearly any instrument, you can also learn about the composers who wrote that music. There are even websites that can teach your child how to create music.
6. If your child is looking for specific information about their favorite subject? You can run to the library, or if you have Internet access, your child should be able to find anything they could ever hope to learn online. A couple of good research sites would include Discovery.com, HistoryChannel.com, and PBS.com.
7. Does your child need to learn something that you don’t feel comfortable teaching? You could either find out if there are private tutors for that subject in your area, or you may be able to find an online tutorial.
As you can see, the Internet can be extremely useful if you homeschool. These seven ideas for using the Internet are not exhaustive. All it takes is a little bit of imagination and you’ll be able to find other ways that you can use it, as well. Take some time, do some searching, and you’ll see that homeschooling and the Internet are indeed a match made in heaven.

The internet is a wonderful tool, making resources readily available to a larger number of people than ever imagined, making communication with people all over the world an easy task, and making online homeschooling a viable option for home education. The World Wide Web, like many great resources, is open to abuse and it is important to instruct our children in proper use of the internet for their benefit and safety.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, “The single most important thing to promote [internet] safety – talk to kids about the rewards and risks of internet use.” Open communication with your child is a great way to keep them safe and aware when they are online. As a parent, what can you say to your child?

First of all, be careful when you choose your search engines. You may be surprised to find out that there are some that are designed especially for kids and others that have child-safety options. Secondly, instruct your child to tell you or another adult present as soon as he or she comes across anything online that creates discomfort or unease. These sites can be documented and blocked, ensuring that they will not be visited again. There is software available that helps filter inappropriate web content. Thirdly, it is important to instruct your child to refrain from disclosing any personal information when chatting online or posting on a blog. There are people online that specifically target young children, requesting this information, so beware! Finally, make searching the internet a group effort whenever possible. Helping your child search the web can be beneficial for the both of you.

Learning about internet safety so you can best protect your child does not stop here. There are great resources available online. For example, NetSmartz offers information on how to be safe on the internet. This tool is great for children and parents alike. CyberTipline is a place to report inappropriate online solicitation or unsuitable content specifically geared towards children. There is also a site, Don’t Believe the Type, which instructs you and your child on how to avoid dangerous situations on the web and how to read warning signs.

The internet is a great tool and can aide in education in many wonderful, blessed ways, so let’s be smart about internet safety!

What has made so many more parents decide to hop on the homeschooling band wagon? The vast resources offered by Internet access that make homeschooling children a much easier process than ever before. Thanks to the advent of the Internet, parents have all of the resources they could ever want or need when it comes to homeschooling their children appropriately. As more parents are catching on to this fact, more children are being homeschooled. In fact, parents will find that the Internet is an invaluable resource when it comes to teaching their homeschooler everything they need to learn.

From free interactive games to free classic literature e-books, parents are finding that all of the educational tools they require to educate their children are easily accessible with the use of the Internet. No longer do parents have to worry about running from one library to another or from one educational supply store to the next, now that the Internet has made getting homeschooling supplies such a simple task. In fact, with the use of any search engine, parents that are homeschooling their children can find an array of services, both premium and free, for their children. Finally, the homeschooled student can learn much as they explore various interactive and educational sites on the Internet.

The basic resources like dictionaries, encyclopedia articles and mathematical tools are easily available online for the homeschooling child to use whenever they need. Moreover, with the rapid increase in online course offerings, homeschooled students can take several classes specifically designed for the homeschooler. Everything from reading to studying can be done with online tools, and homeschooling parents are thrilled with the new and latest resources at their fingertips.

Parents looking for educational games, lesson plans, worksheets, study guides and the like will find them easily enough while using the Internet. In addition, supplies can be ordered right online and delivered to the homeschooling family?s door?no need to travel to get all the homeschooling resources a family will ever need. Moreover, parents will find that Internet resources can easily supplement what is being taught to the homeschooler in the homeschool setting. Finally, for those parents looking to incorporate strong faith teaching in their homeschooling efforts, online resources can prove invaluable; from biblical stories to online scripture, the homeschooled student can supplement their learning with teachings pertaining to their faith.