If your child is no longer enrolled in a traditional school setting, finding a way to continue their education alone can be intimidating. If you can barely remember how to do long division, how are you supposed to teach your high schooler calculus? Before you panic, take a few deep breaths. You can do this! You don’t have to be Einstein to give your child a good education. You need to know your options and lean on us at Anything Academic. Allow us to show you a universe of options and then narrow them down to exactly what works for you.

Homeschooling with a child-led curriculum

Child-led learning works best for parents who want to have a large, highly active role in their child’s education but may not be sure where to start creating a curriculum.

So, what is child-led learning? It’s a teaching strategy that gives your child the power to choose what they want to learn about. If your son or daughter is a computer whiz, create a curriculum focused on technology or coding. If they love art, focus on history through the lens of famous artists. If they’re interested in science, start a garden or make a huge mess in your kitchen doing science experiments. Instead of filling out worksheets or completing boring written assignments, you and your child can visit museums or explore nature together. Your child chooses the subject matter, and you create lessons based on their personal interests and strengths. This method is very flexible and keeps education fun and customized to match your kids’ interests and potential career goals. 

Online School

Does the idea of designing a curriculum or acting as your child’s personal teacher sound overwhelming? Then maybe it’s better to leave teaching to the pros.

An online school is a good option for busy parents or those who aren’t ready to be full-time teachers. Full-time digital learning is becoming more and more common in the 21st century, and there are some great programs out there tailored to meet the needs of nontraditional students. If you think this is the right plan for your child, start searching for online charter schools in your area. There are also great private online schools, both locally and nationally.

A quick search on Anything Academic will show you the online schools that meet your criteria best.  Some are free and state-funded, while others charge tuition. All of the information is broken down for you when you search with us. There are also hybrid schools that may have physical locations but don’t require regular student attendance. You can choose whatever you decide to go with.

 If you choose to move forward with online school, make sure you have the necessary materials at home first. Your child will need a functional computer and a good Internet connection. Also, consider the cost of tuition if you’re enrolling in a paid program. You can compare all of this in one place when you let us help with your search.

Just want a “little” help but not ready to commit to a full online curriculum? Find a great online learning resource and take a few online classes from an e-learning provider. Let your child find the “right” class that suits their interests.

Need help with just one class? Can’t teach English? Find a single subject on an e-learning platform. Anything Academic can help you find what you need as you search for multiple e-learning platforms—no need to search them out. We have them here waiting for you!

Teaching and Tutoring Services

Hiring a teacher can be a great option if you want to ensure your child’s needs are met but need help making it all happen. A private teacher can work with you and your student to make learning fun and exciting. Budgets are negotiable, and you can compare the cost of a private teacher with a tutor and online school when you search for Anything Academic. You might be surprised by what you’re able to get!

Tutors are usually used to supplement education, not entirely replace it. This is a good option for parents interested in teaching some subjects themselves but isn’t confident with other more complex topics (I’m looking at you, calculus!). Tutoring can also be a great way to back up online or virtual school.

You can find tutors to work with your child in-person or online, depending on your needs and goals. Tutors are a great way to supplement learning if you’re in a brick and mortar school as well. They can offer individualized attention to areas where students need it and enrichment in areas where their school might not be challenging enough. Anything Academic has both local and virtual tutors waiting to help you in all of these areas.

Join a Learning Pod

Learning Pods are gaining traction in the wake of Covid-19.  Many parents are uncomfortable sending their children back to public school but lack the desire, time, and/or ability to independently homeschool their children.  Learning Pods pool several like-minded families together and hire a teacher to lead the pod.  This is a great option for working parents. Many times learning pods will hire a teacher and split the cost among the pod.  Anything Academic can help you initiate a Learning Pod in your area or find an existing pod that your family could join.

Join a Co-op Homeschool Group

Some homeschool groups combine efforts to offer a day of school together once a week. Parents offer classes based on their areas of expertise. You might be surprised to find that several formally trained educators choose to homeschool their own children rather than send them to public school.  If you don’t have an area of academic expertise to contribute to the course offerings, perhaps you have special knowledge in other areas. You could offer a foreign language, gym class, or home economics course. These are valuable skills to bring to the group! 

If you feel completely out of your element teaching other people’s children, you could be the teaching assistant in a full class and learn helpful teaching methods while you’re at it.  This type of hybrid homeschool model can help parents who want to homeschool but don’t want to go alone. They also offer support, community, and socialization to parents and students both. Anything Academic can help you find a homeschool co-op group in your area that is right for you.