Parents and students were forced to adjust to remote learning after the COVID-19 pandemic. While many schools have reopened, there are plenty of parents who decided to keep their children at home. Some students thrive in a remote setting while others need daily interaction with peers and teachers to feel their best.
School plays a fundamental role in the development of every child. In different countries, the way school functions tend to echo the expectation society will have for the child as they get older. For example, in Kyoto, Japan, students serve each other lunch and stay after class to clean their school. This reflects the country’s values of community and civic duty. Some parents may feel that their children are not learning enough in school or that the system has failed to take care of them in the way they need. This is a reality all too common for parents of students with special needs. If you are thinking about online schooling for your child, here are three pros and cons to consider.
Pro: Greater Flexibility
Students have more freedom than they would in a traditional setting, which can be beneficial for parents as well. If you want to be a hands-on homeschool mom or dad, setting your child’s schedule is a dream. You also get complete control over where they study, what materials you use and how they learn information. This type of flexibility can help students who were previously described as lazy or unmotivated start to thrive.
Pro: Activity Driven Education
Unlike passive classroom learning, online students are actively engaged in their work at all times. It’s no longer simply sitting on a Zoom call while the teacher goes on about one subject or another. There are amazing K-12 online schools that offer fun, interactive platforms for students to truly connect with their learning material. And as their parent, this is an easy way to encourage kids to reach their goals because the process is fun for them too.
Pro: A Private Education Made Personal
Your student will have access to a high-quality, accredited education from the comfort of their own home. They can study when it’s most convenient for the family, and they’ll have access to qualified, professional teachers who are dedicated to their success.
Con: Cost
Because a private online school is for-profit, the cost of tuition can be hefty. While financial assistance may be available, parents still have to take on the added expense. If you can’t dip into savings to pay for tuition, then one option to help pay for the cost is to take out a student loan from a private lender. You can find competitive rates without having to start repaying until after graduation.
Con: Isolation
Children may feel lonely if they are always learning at home. Without extracurricular activities, their entire world becomes confined to the house. For any homeschool parent, the need for peer socialization is one of the hardest to meet. Make sure you have a strategy before you put your child online full-time.
Con: Behavioral Disruptions
Learning to be a remote student takes work, and children may protest at first. Little ones could be prone to tantrums, and older students may procrastinate or flat-out refuse to study. Self-discipline is crucial for any online student, so parents have to be able to actively help their children develop the skills they need to work independently.
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