| about the book |
| "Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study." -- Sir Francis Bacon "Whence is thy learning? Hath thy toil o’ er books consum’d the midnight oil? -- John Gay (1685–1732) |
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| Copyright 2005 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
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| Deep Thoughts for Homeschoolers |
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The Homeschool Diner's Guide to Distance Learning for Homeschoolers Umbrella/Cover Schools, Cyber Schools, Gifted Education by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006, 2007 What is "Distance Learning? "Distance Learning" is an educational option where teachers use correspondence (letters or e-mail), online or computer-based instruction, or any other communication technology... to teach students who are not physically "on site" at an educational facility. Many distance learning institutions, these days, are "cyber schools" or online academies, where learning takes place on the computer. Homeschool students may use single distance learning courses as a supplement to any homeschool curriculum, or they can enroll as full or part-time students. If you are not really interested in enrolling in a school... but your child enjoys learning on the computer -- check out the Computer-Based Instruction section, where you will find full curriculum, many "a la carte" choices, and quite a few free online options. Also look thru the Homeschooling by Subject section where you will find plenty of online resources in each subject area. What is an "Umbrella School" or a "Cover School"? Enrollment as a full-time student in a distance learning "Umbrella" or "Cover" school (which will approve and oversee a homeschool program) may be required to meet some state homeschool regulations. Some distance learning schools are accredited, others are not, but accreditation is not always needed to comply. If your state requires you to enroll in a "Cover/Umbrella" school in order to homeschool, then you'll need to check your state regulations and consult your local homeschool organizations before deciding on which distance learning program to use. (see the Know Your Homeschooling Regulations section for more info.) Some School at Home curriculum providers also have the option of enrolling in an online academy, to provide families with a Cover School option. Seeking "Peace of Mind"? Even when an Umbrella/Cover school is not required by statute, some parents are still more comfortable with a third party overseeing their child's education -- especially for high school level classes -- and will enroll, full or part-time, in a distance learning institution. Many distance learning institutions can also issue high school diplomas and will provide transcripts for college applications. On the issue of diplomas... Some distance learning programs issue "accredited" diplomas when a student graduates from their high school, meaning the diploma will probably be considered equivalent to a public high school diploma. Others are not accredited -- their diplomas are from an "unaccredited" institution, similar to those issued by many private schools. In most states, homeschool diplomas are also considered to be from an "unaccredited" private school. The lure of having an accredited diploma causes many families to choose distance learning as their homeschool approach. But, thankfully, colleges are becoming more aware of homeschooling as a valid educational option, and homeschool-issued diplomas are sufficient for admission into most colleges (including those famous Ivy League ones ;-) and for many vocational schools, too. *Do double-check, though if your child is already planning to apply to a particular school or training program, and confirm ahead of time, that homeschool diplomas are accepted there.* What curriculum do they use? Many distance learning schools will work with families to choose a curriculum that meets a student's learning style or a family's preferred homeschooling approach. Others are very inflexible. You will want to explore several schools to see which best meets your child's needs. Some Distance Learning schools offer a standards-aligned curriculum similar to what is used in public and private schools, which is well-suited to those wishing to create a School-a-Home type of homeschool. Others have their own curriculum or will work with each familiy to choose a curriculum and a homeschool approach suitable for each child. What about special Talented and Gifted (TAG) programs? Several distance learning institutions offer Gifted Education, Talent Search programs, Gifted Enrichment, and Advance Placement (AP) courses to homeschoolers who qualify. Some of these schools require qualifying standardized test scores for admission, others provide online placement tests to evaluate a child's abilities. Also, many colleges with online classes will allow highschool students to take courses in their areas of talent. See Distance Learning Options for Gifted Enrichment. Acceleration, and Full-Time Programs for details. There are also many free and subscription online courses, modules and curriculum -- you will find them within each school subject in the Homeschooling by Subject section of the Diner. |
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