Nuclear Education

Online education has been touted as the new wave of education for the future. As more and more colleges and universities hop onto this virtual bandwagon, the opportunities for students increase both in terms of quality and quantity. Nowadays, it doesnâ??t matter whether you live in a small rural community, if you are trying to complete your education while juggling a host of other responsibilities, or even if you are looking for extremely specialized niche degree programs, online education is your best bet. As the number of students who enroll for online schools and colleges grows annually, colleges step up their efforts simultaneously to deliver the best designed degree programs that come along with a host of other benefits.

Propagating the ease of â??school at home,â?? online education can be your best option if:

You have other responsibilities besides your education â?? For stay at home parents, students who are already working, business men who travel a lot, students can study anytime, anywhere, and on their own schedule. As long as you have Internet access and a computer, you can plan your studies around your other schedule. And while it does offer great amounts of flexibility, an online education program does not mean less work. You have to be committed to take out time for your research and online lectures and fit in your assignments whenever you get the free time to do so.

You cannot physically be on campus or at a particular location â?? Whether this is due to prohibitive travel times or budget constraint, there is no need to commute daily to school or relocate to the city of your college of choice. You can be at home, at work, or even on the road and complete your work on time.

You do not have the money to fund an expensive college education â?? Online degree programs are significantly cheaper than the more traditional programs offered by colleges. You can now enjoy in your own home the benefits of an education without many of the financial hardships that are often associated with attending school. In addition, you will also save on traveling and accommodation and even childcare.

You need individual attention â?? Most college courses have too many students attending classes to assure any real one on one interaction with the professors. Internet education offers course material that is accessible 24 hours a day and students have the ability to re-read lectures and discussion as often as they require. Online students also have more interaction with their professors as email correspondence is vital in this method of teaching. In this way, a rapport between student and teacher builds up and proves useful in determining ones strengths and weaknesses.

You need to be up to date on a diverse range of study material â?? Many careers today demand recruits to be exposed to a larger field of knowledge than just their specific major. Online education offers up-to-date theory along with practical knowledge. Online healthcare programs, for example, offer on site practical training at a nearby hospital or clinic along with its theory based course material. Students also get exposed to knowledge and a broader range of content due to online access and e-content. Teachers are located all around the world and offer a world view on events and discussions that are invaluable in creating a diversified approach to education.

You want to be skilled with the latest technologies â?? By just using the Internet to attend class, students improve their online skills. Research and communication techniques are developed along with several other skills that prove important when applying for a job in todayâ??s competitive market.

You benefit from team learning â?? Online graduate programs offer chat rooms and forums for students to interact with each other. Discussions, newsgroups and emails all encourage constant communication for problem solving and instruction. Instructors are also more approachable and open to online meeting and brainstorming sessions. Many online students feel that their education experience is much richer as a result.

All in all, online degree programs offer a host of benefits to interested students. And while the traditional forms of institutions will never be totally eliminated, itâ??s easy to understand why people are terming this type of education as the next big thing.

In America, there was a time when the idea of homeschooling raised eyebrows of concern and could result in a visit from social services. A lack of trust by the government and public in general in a parent’s ability to educate their own children made homeschooling a bit of a stigma.

Even today in some circles, there are still many “old school” thinkers that go so far as to say that homeschooling is tantamount to deliberate child abuse. As ridiculous as that sounds to most of us, overcoming such ignorance has been a problem for some parents looking into homeschooling.

Overseas, it can be much worse. Homeschooling is illegal in Germany, a law instituted under Hitler and still enforced today. German families who choose to home school must do so in secret and run the risk of arrest; or worse, having the state take their children away.

Performance of home schools versus public and private schools

It doesn’t take much effort or investigation to discover that homeschoolers excel above their public school counter parts in nearly every category. According to a study conducted by Dr. Lawrence Rudner:

• The average home schooled 8th grade student performs four grade levels above the national average.

• One in four home school students are enrolled in a grade level that is above their age level.

• In every grade and in every subject, home schooled students outperform both public and private school students.

Other studies confirm these findings, showing that home schooled students have a much higher college entry rate, score higher on SAT’s and ACT’s, have a higher rate of college graduation, and earn higher incomes in the workforce.

These numbers come despite the fact that about 25% of parents in America who choose to home school either never attended college, or attended but never received a degree. An additional 7-10% have only an Associate degree.

Why do homeschooled children perform so well?

The advantages to homeschooling are many, and are quite revealing as to why homeschooled children do so well.

One on one attention – Whenever a child needs assistance, the parent is there to give him or her full attention, whereas in public schools a teacher must divide their attention between dozens of children.

Ability to focus more time where needed – If a student excels in math, but flounders in science, then a parent can very easily devote as much time as is needed to teaching science. Public schools are regimented, with each subject receiving equal time regardless as to the performance of the student.

Homeschooled students move at their own pace – If a student excels in math then they can advance much quicker than students in a public school, where all students are required to move at the same pace.

Diminished distractions – The parents control the environment, and there is no peer pressure from other students trying to talk a homeschooled student into doing things other than school work or study.

Do parents need some kind of special training or certification?

Some states highly regulate home schools, requiring training and certification in some instances. However, studies show that there is virtually no difference in performance between homeschooled students in highly regulated states versus homeschooled students in states with little or no regulation.

The truth is that homeschooling is gaining in popularity and as such, more and more information and help materials are becoming available. The modern homeschooling parent can now effectively teach their children, regardless of the parent’s own education level, thanks to pre-developed curriculums such as those provided by Heritage Home School Academy.

Parents today can use these curriculums to guide their children. Some curriculums are so effective that parents can study ahead of their children in any subject for which they are lacking and effectively teach the same subject to their children. Furthermore, many children often “learn to learn,” reaching a point where they are able to teach themselves and follow a curriculum with little interaction required from the parent.

Each year more families choose to start homeschooling, spreading knowledge about its benefits, and erasing old stigmas along the way. For more information about homeschooling and home school curriculums, visit Heritage Home School Academy.

Homeschooling vs Public School Can We All Get Along?

Homeschoolers and the public system can (and do in many communities) comfortably and successfully work side by side and in the best case scenarios, these two entities actually become benefactors of each others time and talents. As homeschoolers, having the respect of a local educational community is an essential factor in this co-existing equation and is readily achieved by following three very basic, yet vital, steps.

First homeschooling  parents make a point of meeting and talking with the local school  principal. Explain to him or her why the family has chosen homeschooling vs public school and discuss any long term educational goals which may eventually include entering your child into the public school arena.

This would also be a good time to inquire about other homeschoolers in the area, their relationship with the school system, their successes with re-entry, and their possible participation in public school activities such as band, chorus, art programs and physical education. The conversation will also give the principal an overall view of your genuine commitment to homeschooling and the education of your child. Secondly, make friends with the school librarian. He or she can be one of your child’s greatest allies in learning resources! A librarian who is happy to teach a homeschooling student how to use the school library is generally also willing to keep the family informed of new book titles that become available for a particular area of study as well as any upcoming book fairs, clubs, and so forth. This relationship could provide your child with regular access into the school building itself, thus allowing him or her not to seem isolated from the school, but instead befriended by it.

Thirdly, participate in an active, visible homeschooling group. If there isn’t one, consider forming one. The obvious reason for homeschoolers to get together with other families who are homeschooling is to provide support and camaraderie for both the children and the parents, but a secondary and no less valuable reason is the public image the group will no doubt choose to put forth. Providing the public with the opportunity to see a group of conscientious mothers, raising respectful children who are active in community events, charitable causes and educational endeavors, speaks volumes. Homeschooling vs public school – It’s your choice.

As the number of homeschoolers throughout the United States continues to grow, the public school system is being forced to consider the opinions and needs of homeschooling families but how much nicer it is to meet out of respect rather than force, to find a common ground rather than a source of contention and to build a sense of unity in education through mutual understanding. Tested and retested, the steps presented offer tried and true techniques that will assist homeschoolers and the public school system in achieving a successful working relationship in which all those involved benefit. And that’s education at it’s finest! Homeschooling vs Public School- It’s a Choice.

For more information and resources on homeschooling vs public school visit http://www.homeschoolingvspublicschool.info