Many families are considering homeschooling their children during these unprecedented times. For parents who need their child or children to learn independently while they are working, this decision can be especially challenging. And for those families newly choosing homeschooling, many want to choose programs that will keep their children on track to return to school next year or even next semester. In response to those needs, I have compiled a list of programs, virtual schools, and curriculums that can meet those needs, and I have also included a potential daily schedule.
On the other hand, if you are considering homeschooling long-term, have the time and resources to be engaged directly with your child’s learning for most of the day, and are not concerned about needing to send your child back to public school in the future, that is awesome! But this isn’t the article for you. ;) Or if you have a child younger than 3rd grade, this probably isn’t the right information for you, as younger students need more parent or caregiver involvement in their education. Please feel free to reach out to me directly for help with planning a program that can work for you and your child, especially if you have a neurodivergent child.
Each of the curriculums and programs in the resource list below have unique pros and cons, and there is no way to objectively select a single, best program. My children have had great success with some and have really disliked others. Most of them offer free trials so that your child can test them out before you make a decision. And don’t forget that you can change things up at any time during the year if a program isn’t a good fit. The good news for kids with learning differences is that most of these programs are individualized and leveled to each child’s ability level. Students can also work through them at their own pace.
Full Curriculum On-line Programs (Covering Multiple Subject Areas)
Khan Academy: Free lessons in most subject areas and for most grades. Some people use this as their primary curriculum, while others use certain subjects only. It is mostly offered as a series of videos, with your child working through them and achieving mastery by taking assessments as they go. They are working on aligning all lessons to common core standards; many already are. https://www.khanacademy.org and https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/
IXL: Membership-based lessons in most subject areas and covering most grade levels, starting at $19.99 per month. We have never used these lessons, but they are very popular. It advertises itself as adjusting to your student’s needs and pace as they work to complete lessons. https://www.ixl.com/
Time 4 Learning: Membership-based lessons in most subject areas, spanning all grade levels. This is another program we have not tried but have heard about several times. It advertises itself as being interactive, engaging, and has games and activities. www.time4learning.com
Moby Max: Engaging, on-line lessons in many subject areas. This is also listed in the supplement area, but some families use this as a core curriculum. https://www.mobymax.com/
Virtual Schools and Tutoring Services: The following are tuition-based virtual programs that provide your child access to a teacher, curriculum, and sometimes opportunities to socialize with peers.
Modulo: This brand-new program provides your student with a teacher to check-in with, a hand-picked curriculum designed to meet your child’s needs and learning style, and connection via Zoom with peers at least twice per week. https://www.modulo.app/
Varsity Tutors: My children have been attending Varsity Tutor’s free summer camps and have enjoyed many of them. They are now preparing to offer a virtual school option for homeschoolers, consisting of on-on-one tutoring with a teacher, as well as the option to take live, small-group classes in areas that interest them. https://www.varsitytutors.com/school-at-home
Seasons of Seven: This virtual Waldorf school is opening in response to the pandemic as a way to bring displaced teachers and families seeking a Waldorf education together. Lessons will be provided via video and will be asynchronous, but teachers will be available to the students and parents. Students will also have Zoom meetings with peers. The Waldorf methodology values holistic education and includes an emphasis on story, nature, and art. https://www.homeschool-life.com/3103/index_public
WiloStar: Wilostar is an online school that has developed a reputation for being a good fit for students with Aspergers and/or those who are more visual and kinesthetic learners. Students attend a literal virtual school with 3-D classrooms. They also work in 3-D spaces to create worlds for learning. https://wilostar3d.com/
Oak Meadow: Oak Meadow is another Waldorf-inspired provider of curriculum and also hosts a virtual school. Learning is asynchronous, with materials provided by the school for the students to read and interact with. A teacher provides feedback. Grades 5 and up can complete most of their work independently. https://www.oakmeadow.com/
Global Village School: Global Village School is similar to Oak Meadow, in that it provides materials and a teacher to provide feedback to students. This school has a heavy focus on environmental and social justice. https://www.globalvillageschool.org/
More Online Programs, By Subject Area:
Math
Beast Academy: https://beastacademy.com/ This is a paid subscription, and it can be used as a stand-alone math curriculum or as a supplement. It is good for learners who enjoy problem-solving and complex thinking. It consists of a comic-book lesson, practice activities, reinforcement videos, and assessments.
Mr. D’s: Mr. D’s offers live math classes beginning with Pre-Algebra and continuing through highschool. https://www.globalvillageschool.org/
Language Arts
No Red Ink- No Red Ink is an on-line grammar program for grades 5-12. It is free. https://www.noredink.com/
Spell Zone- Phonics-based, progressive lessons, starting at $29.99 per year. https://www.spellzone.com/
Science and Social-Studies
Discovery Tech-Book- Like a text book but with videos, reading, assessments, and learning activities built right in. For grades K-12, standards aligned. https://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Supplemental On-line Resources
Epic: On-line Books and Read Alouds. https://www.getepic.com/
Prodigy: Fun, online math enrichment game. https://www.prodigygame.com/
Outschool: On-line classes with live teachers offering a wide-array of subjects. Students get to interact with peers, as well, unless you sign up for a video recorded class. https://outschool.com/
Scholastic Resources: This is something new that we might add to our day. Lots of videos, articles, and ideas for each day that schools are closed. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/teaching-tools/articles/resources/scholastic-learn-at-home--free-resources-for-school-closures.html
Varsity Tutors: Hosting both free and paid Zoom session for students on a wide variety of topics. https://www.varsitytutors.com/
Sample Schedule, 3rd Grade and Up
8 am- Breakfast
8:30- Morning Meeting (with Parent or Caregiver)- Review daily checklist, progress, and expectations for the day
8:45- Movement Time (with parent or caregiver, if possible)- Walk, Yoga, etc.
9:15-12:00- Work through checklist, taking breaks as needed.
For a 3rd or 4th grader, they should be able to finish within 1-2 hours, depending on the number of breaks taken.
For a 5th-7th grader, they will likely work for around 2 hours.
For 8th grade and up, they will likely work for around 3 hours and may need to finish some work after lunch.
12:00- Break- Lunch, movement, and go outdoors, if possible
1:00- Flex Time- Completing daily work (older students); taking a fun elective class on Zoom through Outschool or Varsity Tutors; or creative work, such as crafts or projects
2:00 pm- Free Reading or Educational Documentary