Many parents interacting with their sixth-eighth graders under normal circumstances are struck by how independent these kids are and yet how much support they still need to be on-task. Thus, you’re not just evaluating whether something looks like a good mix of teacher-guided and student-driven instruction. You’re also asking yourself what kind of day-to-day manager you want or need to become to your not-so-little kid.
The difference between homeschooling and distance learning
People often use the terms “distance learning” and “homeschooling” interchangeably, but they are quite different from each other.
In “traditional” homeschooling, the parent is the primary teacher. You are responsible for sourcing the curriculum, creating a teaching schedule, grading the work, and maintaining student records. When executed effectively, it can be tailored to the specific needs of your child and be very successful. The downside, however, is that it can be extremely time-consuming for the parent, and the quality of the education is wholly dependent on your personal level of teaching expertise and organization.
With “distance learning”, the parent’s role is more akin to the facilitator of the teacher-student relationship. A professional program delivers the curriculum directly, a certified teacher will grade and record assignments in a Learning Management System, and the parent is responsible for assisting the child in staying on track.
Why accreditation isn’t optional at this stage
Many families naturally put cost at the top of the list when comparing programs. We get it. But when your student completes a grade level, will you have recognizable credits backed by a third-party standard, or will you face an uphill battle when making the transition to high school? This is especially true if you plan to enroll your student in a public or private high school or need to meet NCAA requirements for collegiate sports eligibility.
An Accredited Online Middle School is more likely to offer a curriculum that creates a seamless transition for your child. It’s also less likely you’ll be left stuck with “unusable” progress at the end of the academic year. Accreditors associated with well-regarded programs in the “real world” often provide reputational protection for the schools under their umbrella. These institutions take the accreditation process seriously and are usually not afraid to tout it if they have passed the test.
Evaluating your student, not just your schedule
There were roughly 3.1 million homeschooled students in the 2021-22 school year (National Center for Education Statistics), but all that number makes clear is that the secret is long out of the bag; this is a mainstream educational choice now. What that number doesn’t reveal is how many of those families found a program actually suited to their student.
Middle schoolers can be wildly different in how much external structure they require. Left to their own devices, some kids this age can already handle totally asynchronous learning – completing weekly assignments and signing in for pre-scheduled office hours when they want extra help – and thrive doing so. They work on their lessons in order, start with enough time to finish, and move quickly through things they already know.
Conversely, other middle schoolers of the same age will give themselves a full day to complete a task if nobody’s watching, and in the meantime will have an unhealthy balance of screen time and snacks. They will whip through their reading in ten minutes, pet the dog during their online lesson, and then shoot some hoops without having yet written their spelling words five times each. These students require a teacher in a regularly scheduled live virtual classroom to have the same assumption that they would be in a physical school.
The social piece is a real design problem
One of the most common questions parents have is whether children will be socially isolated. Peer interaction is not unimportant – it’s essential for middle-schoolers. They develop socially and emotionally from their interactions with peers.
Peer groups are essential at this age, so avoiding isolation does need to be a priority. Build local connections with or through the curriculum, so your child has friends to make outside scheduled classes – and a local friend can be a real blessing to you as a parent, too.
Matching the model to the whole picture
The most suitable learning model for your family is not the most popular, the cheapest, or the one your neighbor has chosen. It is the one that works practically within the constraints of your schedule, your child’s level of self-motivation, your availability to engage, and the academic requirements you have to adhere to.
Consider your family’s routines first. Then, make a decision.
