Homeschool parents are finding ways to use the internet to enhance the schooling aspect of homeschooling. The mystery of lesson planning is solved by a quick search. Frugal homeschoolers can save their budget with free printables and unit studies ready to download. Students who bore easily with textbooks can take a break playing online educational games. YouTube helps many frustrated students who need tutoring in just about any subject. Adventurous homeschoolers can be whisked away on virtual field trips. Many art museums, zoos, and historical locations offer an online peek children will enjoy. Consider looking up a country you are studying or a time period for a visual aid that will help solidify the lesson for your child. Even Netflix can help reinforce a child’s understanding through a large selection of documentaries. Entire classes and curriculum are at your fingertips which is especially helpful in the upper grades or for children with special needs. Through these means, homeschoolers are finding ways to incorporate the Internet and social media everyday. I know I use it daily.
Quick Reference Guide
Facebook: search for homeschool groups and pages that offer support, guidance, and curriculum trades.
Twitter: has groups for homeschool moms who meet on a regular basis for encouragement.
Pinterest: visually appealing way to search out arts and crafts, science experiments, printables, resources, ideas on teaching, storage solutions, and more.
YouTube: tutoring videos for almost every subject as well as videos on history, classical music, and documentary shorts.
Netflix: documentaries to enhance study.
Web Resources: free printables, free lessons, educational games, curriculum reviews, lesson plans, homeschool blogs, downloadable curriculum, encouragement, updates on homeschool law, learning style assessments, classes, supplemental resources, visual aids, tutoring, and virtual field trips.
Have you used the Internet and social media in your homeschooling? What has your experience been?