How Can an Online Summer Program Benefit Your Child?
What do you think of when you hear the words ‘summer school’? Do you think of students cooped up in a classroom with little ventilation, poor lighting and a monotone teacher? Well, not anymore!
Summer school has come a long way. And these days, it doesn’t even require students to leave the comforts of their home. With online education gaining so much momentum in the last few years, it’s becoming a top choice for homeschooling families who seek more flexibility when it comes to summer study. So what is online summer school like?
An online summer school program offers the flexible scheduling that both you and your child crave so no one has to miss out on any of the fun or worry about falling behind on academics. With this freedom to log in when it’s most convenient for them, an online program can allow students to learn at a time when they feel most productive, pursue side projects and interests, and effortlessly manage an otherwise hectic schedule. But the benefits don’t stop there.
If your family usually goes on vacation during summer break, an online summer program won’t interfere with your plans and you won’t have to worry about your child having to miss summer school sessions. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection to bring the learning along and log in during long road trips or layovers.
And whether your child is in elementary, middle, or high school, an online summer school can also provide that educational boost that he or she needs to reinforce a difficult topic, acquire good study habits, graduate early or even pass to the next grade level. Keep reading to discover all the benefits of online summer school.
Top Benefits of Online Summer School
Prevent learning loss – For many students, summer is a time to relax and focus on fun not learning. But that can have a negative impact when fall rolls back around. Summer learning loss is real and incorporating summer study into your plans for the next few months will help your child go back to school ahead of everyone else and ready to learn.
Better grades / advancement – If your child’s grade weren’t exactly stellar during the school year, an online summer program can give them the opportunity to improve their overall grades with further practice. In addition, many students on the brink of failing a grade attend summer school to help them advance to the next grade level. Be sure to check with your local school district before starting an online summer program to ensure it’s acceptable.
Reinforce a core subject – Sometimes students struggle with one particular subject like math or reading comprehension. Summer school can help them gain better understanding by focusing on that one problem area. Being able to take their time and delve into each individual aspect of a particular area will help your child retain information and improve their skills.
Learning new skills – Perhaps your child wants to learn a foreign language, explore a new subject, tackle a writing course, or try their hand at art. With all the free time available, summer allows them to focus on enrichment classes and you can find tons of them online.
Getting ahead – There are a number of online programs that offer condensed summer courses in a number of subjects, electives, and more. So if your child wants to get a head start on next year’s material, why not encourage them to do so?
Increased confidence – Online summer learning empowers students by giving them an advantage, in return, students feel confident when heading back to the classroom come fall. With the previous year’s material still fresh in their minds, they’ll be able to focus on new concepts, rather than having to rack their brains while trying to figure out what the teacher is talking about.
Promotes independent learning – As students get older, they crave more independence and less help from mom and dad. With an online summer program, students can take control of their learning. This will allow them to become more independent and learn how to be accountable for their schoolwork and take responsibility for their grades.
How Much Does Online Summer School Cost?
Costs will vary depending on the program you choose. As you’re doing your research, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Are there any contracts?
- Does my child need to adhere to a schedule?
- Is there a certain number of work they should complete per day/week?
- Is there a money-back guarantee?
- What is included?
The Time4Learning online curriculum gives members access to 6-week summer plans for grades K-8 that take the guesswork out of summer learning. The monthly cost for a Time4Learning membership is $19.95/month per student in grades PreK-8. This includes access to a comprehensive curriculum in math, language arts, science and social studies. High school is $30/month and includes four courses. Students progress at their own pace and can access the curriculum 24/7. This way, they can log in when it’s convenient for them throughout the summer.
The monthly fee also includes access to detailed lesson plans, printable worksheets, and student records. In addition, Time4Learning offers a 2-week money-back guarantee and members can cancel their account anytime.
How do you get a high school dipolma for your child, if you decides to start homeschooling and not following any set programs etc. But just pulling resources from different sites like yours, on the internet. We are thinking of homeschooling but it seems so overwhelming, especially with all the negative Nellies breathing down youe back. Kindly thanking you in advance.
Hi Judy! Since homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, the parent (as the teacher of record) can issue high school diplomas. You’ll want to make sure that you know what your state requires for graduation. Here is a good link that can give you more info: https://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/high_school.shtml You can even download a transcript template there, to make it a little easier on your when you’re ready to start completing the transcript. 🙂
Good luck! If you any additional questions at all, please reach out to us!