‹  Educator Handbook

  7 min read

Week in the life of an Outschool homeschooler
Find out how homeschoolers use Outschool to make your classes more homeschool friendly.

According to a survey conducted by Outschool, the demographics of homeschooling have changed post-COVID-19. The pandemic has changed the way we see education, especially homeschooling. Since then, the U.S. has experienced a rapid increase in the number of families that choose to homeschool, more than doubling pre-pandemic numbers. 

Fortunately, Outschool has always been a place for every kid, with any interest to learn and grow. Many homeschoolers pride themselves on their flexible schedules and interest-based learning environments, so Outschool is a natural fit for many families.

But have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a homeschooler on Outschool? 

As more families shift from traditional schooling to taking academic classes online, enjoying extracurriculars virtually, or getting additional 1-on-1 help, parents are using Outschool to fill a need.

Homeschoolers using Outschool

If you haven’t checked out Outschool’s parent blog, you should take a second to head over there. Filled with lots of great advice and tips for Outschool families, it’s also a great resource for any educator looking to see what challenges families are facing in education. 

On the blog, you can find an entire section dedicated to homeschooling. It includes stories from parents about why they choose to homeschool, advice on evaluating homeschool curriculum, and resources for families. As an educator, you can use the same information presented to families to make your classes stronger. 

For example, if you offer life or social skills classes, you may be interested in learning why it’s important to teach your kids soft skills, not just academics.

If math is the bread and butter of your online classes, or you’re interested in breaking into this area, understanding “new math” skills may give you ideas to help you reach a larger audience.

Of course, learning how to use gamification to make homeschooling more fun can be used for every subject on Outschool. 

But before you start changing all of your classes to meet the needs of homeschooled learners, keep in mind that Outschool serves learners all over the world with various schooling situations. What you can do is focus on how to make your classes more attractive to all learners.

A week in the life of an Outschool homeschooler

So, what does a “normal” week look like for a homeschooler who uses Outschool? Well, the truth is that it’s a little different for everyone. Some families believe in unschooling, while others follow a more traditional approach. Some may follow a particular method, although many of those families say they don’t stick to that very closely.

According to Online School Mom, one of the greatest benefits of using Outschool is the flexibility it offers.

“My kids have participated in online Outschool classes in the car, airport, doctor’s office waiting room, car mechanic, outside on the deck, and even under the bleachers at their sibling’s gymnastic competition.”

Let’s take a look at the different ways homeschool families are using Outschool.

Outschool as a supplement

For some homeschooling families, Outschool is a great supplement to what their family is already using at home. This might be for extra academic help, 1-on-1 tutoring, or just time to socialize with other learners. 

Elizabeth Agemotu shared on Inventus Learning that one of the biggest reasons she uses Outschool is “to supplement an academic area that needs more attention” and that her family continues to use Outschool today.

“Outschool has been our go-to resource when we seem to hit frustration or resistance with certain learning goals.”

Take this opportunity to offer 1-on-1 tutoring, life skills, language learning, or themed classes. If you have experience in one of these areas, consider building one-time or ongoing classes for learners to join. Be sure to look at what’s trending and think about how you can make it relatable to homeschoolers. 

Outschool as curriculum

Academic and extracurricular Outschool classes allow some families to enroll in a full curriculum or take multiple subjects online. They may sign up for math, English Language Arts, social studies, and science online. Knowing that the “core four” are covered frees families from worrying about putting together lesson plans and searching through thousands of curriculum options at home, and allows some parents to work while their children are learning.

As an educator, you can do some market research by seeing what core academic classes already have high enrollments on Outschool and identify where your classes could meet families’ needs. These include full-year online classes, classes by level such as elementary, middle, and high school, and curriculum-specific classes such as IEW writing and Singapore math.

Learn more about how homeschoolers are using Outschool classes as a curriculum on the Outschool blog:

Outschool in place of in-person learning

In some parts of the United States, there are sponsorships for learners to take classes in place of in-person learning that meet their state’s requirements. Parents can access these funds to put their scholarship dollars toward their chosen schooling needs. Homeschooling families may use their education scholarship account funds for eligible academic classes and 1-on-1 tutoring on Outschool.

You can help families pay for your classes with state scholarship funds. If you hold any teaching credentials, advanced degrees, or other certifications related to what you teach on Outschool, you can upload your documentation to your profile via the Educator Dashboard. 

Curious to learn more about ESA? If you’re in one of these states, check the requirements to see what is needed so that you can participate in offering classes specifically to these learners.

Don’t wait! Upload your certifications, licenses, transcripts, or copy of a degree today. Homeschool families are looking for the right fit for their learners and budgets — and you might just be it!

Outschool for interest-led learning

Not all homeschoolers come to Outschool looking for academic classes. Some of them may be involved in a co-op or a hybrid learning program, or do their academic learning straight from the books. However, even these learners want classes that spark their interests.

Some homeschooling families have been able to use Outschool to tap into their kid’s passions. The Naficy family, for example, started using Outschool when schools shut down only to quickly realize the benefits that online learning provided for each of their kids. While not part of typical traditional brick-and-mortar learning, their son Cyrus started his own business after taking an entrepreneurial class for teens.
The Steller family saw the benefits of online learning when their daughter Maria began ukulele lessons on Outschool. Encouraged by her talented instructor, she won 1st place entry in her category for the Unionville Music Competition.

Want to learn more about how real homeschooling families use Outschool?

So, what are you waiting for? Start creating classes for homeschoolers today!

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