Online high schools are great places for both children and adults to get their educations. Some of the most common online high school attendees include:
- Teens who cannot attend brick-and-mortar high schools
- Homeschooled teenagers
- Adults who have not graduated high school yet
There are a few benefits of going to an online high school vs. traditional education.
- Flexible schedules
- You do not need to attend an online school during the same standard hours that most studentstypically go to school. This feature also allows each student to learn at their own pace.
- Class Variety
- Online high schools often offer a wider variety of courses than standard brick-and-mortar high schools. This benefit is great for homeschool students because it means that they still get all the benefits of being taught in a home environment without being limited by the knowledge or interests of their home instructor.
- Environment Control
- Virtual high schools are being selected more and more because some students do not do well in traditional classroom settings. With current shootings and school violence, it is easy to see that being at home would be a benefit that includes safety.
Any time there are benefits, there are always drawbacks. Online high school is no different.
- Costs
- Some online high schools can cost a lot of money.
- Socialization
- Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks for online high schools is that students get far fewer physical interactions with each other. However, students can join hands-on classes like dance or sports teams in their community to help with healthy interactions as well as select an online school that has a chat feature for classmate interactions.
- Self-motivation required
- Unlike standard classes where the teacher is there to push everyone along, online high schools require students to have self-discipline, do the work on time, and stay focused and on task.
If you are considering enrolling your child in online high school, take a moment to ponder why you want to make that decision. If it is for one of the reasons listed in the benefits, that is likely a good starting point for your decision-making process. You also want to think about your child’s situation and disposition. Do you believe that they will enjoy online high school? Do you think the class style is the right structure for them? Talk to your child and see what they prefer. Discuss with them the benefits and the drawbacks. This decision ultimately affects their life the most. After talking it over and weighing the options, you may find that online high school is the best option for both you and your child.