The following is an essay written by ViewPoint Christian Academy high school student, Cassandra Penny. She makes some great points about the advantages of online homeschooling. This article was written by Cassie for an English assignment and is published here with her and her parent’s permission.

Different forms of homeschooling have been used for centuries. In recent years, the use of the internet has become so prevalent that it is considered a necessity. Because of this, online schooling has begun to make its debut. Parents have begun to see the positive results that can stem from their children staying home. This has caused many families to convert to online schooling from public schools. Schooling online from home grants its students with many advantages and benefits.

Students who school from home have a more flexible schedule than those in a brick-and-mortar school. They have the option to do school in the morning, night, or any time in between. If anything is to come up, homeschooled students are able to tend to the situation and complete their schoolwork at a later time. They can also make a schedule that suits them best. They may not want to do school on a specific day of the week, like Monday or Friday. Fortunately, for them, they can set up their schedule so that they make up that missed day during the other days of the week.

Diligent students may find themselves finishing their tasks for the day earlier than they would at a regular school. They even have the option to work ahead and finish school for the year early. This can be extremely beneficial to students who want to go to college. If they finish high school early, they can start college early, finish early, and continue to be successful in their career.

Many parents are wary of online homeschooling because they want their children to have a social life. According to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, around 62% percent of homeschooled families are Christian. If a family falls under this category, they most likely have a church that they attend, which is a great, wholesome, place to be social. Many churches also have youth groups for preteens-teens: a perfect opportunity to have a social life. For families who are not religious, most public schools have different sports teams and are welcoming to homeschoolers who want to join. Other alternatives include co-ops and the YMCA and similar membership clubs,

Another concern of many parents is that their children will not get proper education because they do not have a real teacher teaching them in a real classroom. Many online schools have teachers that are available when help is needed. Some online schools even have teachers that give online seminars/lessons.

In short, schooling online from home presents not just its students, but their families as well, with many benefits. Students are able to work their school schedule so that it fits them well. They can also work ahead and finish their schooling early. For a social life, they can join a church youth group, and they can also join sports teams from other schools near them. Students are also able to access help from teachers online. This form of homeschooling is a great way to build independent, diligent students.