Why Our Homeschool Has Said NO to Online Homeschool Curriculum

This post is part of my 10 Days of Homeschool Tech series.  Don’t miss the rest of the series! 

Choosing a computer-based or online curriculum for our homeschool seems like a perfect fit for a family that embraces technology in their homeschool.

But we don’t.

I’m not against outsourcing homeschool classes online.  In fact, I think there are some really good reasons to do it.  My oldest kiddo has taken at least one online class in each of the last four years.  For our family, though, an online curriculum isn’t something we’ve chosen to use.

{For clarity, I’m referencing programs like Teaching Textbooks, Time 4 Learning, Acellus, etc.}

5 Reasons We Don’t Use Online Curriculm

1. I really enjoy learning together. Whether it’s working one-on-one with one of my kiddos on their math or gathering on the couch together as we enjoy Story of the World, I just enjoy that time together.
2. Because of the way it’s designed, it’s simply less adaptable to the individual. That’s not a knock on the curriculum, but a reflection of its limitations. Computer-based curricula are not designed to be very adaptive to the child. If it’s clear that my child has mastered a concept, I can easily skip ahead. If they show an interest in a country or ruler that we are studying, we can take side trails to learn more about it.  A math problem not making sense?  I can present different ways to solve the problem. Computer-based curricula just can’t do that.  And that’s a big deal-breaker for our homeschool.
   
   
3. At least one of my kiddos would fall into a passive learning state. Obviously, he’d actively engage to press the keys for the answers but the actual learning part? That part would be passive. He would read it enough to answer the questions but he wouldn’t retain the information. That won’t be true for all kiddos but it isn’t the way that mine learn and retain best.
4. My next reason may seem counterintuitive I really believe it would end up being extra work for me. I still need to keep up with the material that’s being taught, and then I would also have to keep up with how they’re doing on it, check for true mastery and comprehension, and ensure that the work is being done appropriate place. If I’m doing all of that, then I’m losing some of the advantages computer correct. For many homeschool parents, these wouldn’t be a consideration. That’s my personality, though.  For our family, I feel that’s necessary at an elementary level.
5. Lastly…frankly, I just don’t want to spend our limited screen time on computer-based curriculum. As much as we embrace technology, including as an aid in our homeschool, we do have limited screentime. While computer-based curriculum wouldn’t replace their free-time screen usage, I don’t want to add to their time on screens without a compelling reason.

What if…?

Things change.  We move.  My husband is injured and I need to work more.  Something changes with a kiddo.  We have to adapt and be willing to set aside our ideals sometimes. 

So would I ever use an online curriculum?  I hesitate to say no because life certainly has its way of hearing a statement like that and throwing a wrench in your plans!

If I had to make changes, my preference would be to outsource classes to a live teacher–in-person or in an online class.   An instructor I trust to teach my kiddos well and honestly evaluate their progress would be my preference.  I trust a person to make an accurate assessment far more than I trust a computer.

I don’t unilaterally rule out such a curriculum for all of eternity.  But I don’t foresee a time when we choose it first.

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