Online Homeschooling

Asperger’s Syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder. Children diagnosed with Asperger’s show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Unlike autistic children, Asperger’s children preserve higher levels of linguistic and cognitive development.

Children with Asperger’s are not mentally challenged. In fact, many of them are gifted. They are however socially impaired and need a lot of patience and one-on-one adult interaction, both of which are not typically available in a traditional school setting.

Aspie children are essentially socially impaired and have a very hard time socializing with other kids. With ongoing training and lots of adult feedback and assistance they can learn basic social skills, but they’ll probably always seem “different” to other kids, which often means rejection, bullying and taunting.

Many parents to Aspie children decide at some point that public school is simply not a good environment for their child. For some families, small private schools provide the answer, while for others, homeschooling is the perfect solution.

Aspie kids often flourish when homeschooled because they are removed from a stressful social situation and can focus their energies on academics, and on gentle, guided socializing. Unlike the harsh classroom environment at school, the homeschooled Asperger’s child can experience positive social experiences through family activities and homeschool group activities, where, unlike school, parents are there to help, guide and give gentle feedback.

3D online homeschooling is especially suited to Asperger’s children because many Aspie kids flourish in an online 3D environment, which they perceive as safer and less threatening than face to face interaction. Research shows that face-to face interactions are extremely difficult for people with Asperger’s while interactions via computer virtual environment technology are more manageable because they tend to be slower than face-to-face interactions. Slowing down the rate of interactions may provide users with autism-type disorders with time to think of alternative ways of dealing with a particular situation, thus reducing their anxiety level.

Of course, we are not recommending that kids with Asperger’s be totally removed from in-person social situations. But we do believe that the combination of online, special needs homeschooling and gentle, supervised real-life social exposure is very beneficial to Aspie kids and enables them to reach their full potential, academically and socially.

Choosing homeschooling for a middle school child makes a lot of sense. Your child has probably developed a strong need for independence by now. Homeschooling helps your child to feel more independent and more in control, because she can work and manage her schedule by herself. All you need to do is supervise.

The rigid structure of traditional schooling and the often-ruthless social atmosphere are very hard on many middle schoolers, and especially on the more sensitive, creative and techie types. The ease and flexibility that homeschooling offers take a lot of the pressure off these talented students and allow them to work at their own pace and to free themselves from the stress of trying to measure up to impossible social standards.

Online homeschooling, and especially 3D online homeschooling, is absolutely wonderful for middle schoolers. Your middle schooler probably loves technology, breathes technology and finds it very hard to let go of technology. How wonderful for him to be able to incorporate exciting 3D technology into his education! Instead of trying to get away from his boring studies to play video games or text his friends, he can create virtual worlds and message other homeschooled friends as part of his studies!

Another important aspect of homeschooling that makes it especially suitable for middle schoolers is that it allows your middle schooler to be creative and to use self expression via the creation of 3D avatars and various virtual objects.

Middle schoolers need to be challenged. They hate to be bored (can you blame them?) and become bored very easily. Dry repetition of facts drives them crazy! Another hands down victory for online homeschooling, and especially for 3D online homeschooling, which keeps students engaged because it’s fun and interactive.

WiloStar3D’s virtual world homeschooling program has been specifically designed to meet the needs of homeschooled middle schoolers. It provides students with a challenging technology and with student-centered multidisciplinary approach to virtual learning. The WiloStar3D online homeschooling middle school curricula is designed around an integrated 3D virtual reality approach to language arts, science and social studies. Each middle school course has been designed to address specific academic standards. The WiloStar3D middle school program is fully accredited so that if your child chooses to transition to a public or a private school later, their transition will be smooth.

When choosing a homeschooling program, you as a parent naturally want it to be accredited.

An accredited homeschool program is accredited or certified by an outside agency. Homeschool programs do not have to be accredited, but accreditation has significant value because it means that the school’s program and its curriculum have been evaluated and approved by a third party.

Online homeschools that obtain accreditation demonstrate to students and to parents that they are committed to the highest education standards possible. Obtaining accreditation for an online homeschooling program takes time and effort by the school and is a demonstration of the importance that the homeschool places on guaranteeing the quality of their academics.

Choosing an accredited online homeschool makes a real difference. When your child attends an accredited homeschool, you know that they are learning material appropriate for their grade level and that they will be able to easily transition into any other educational program or institution, including college. You also know that your child will have a full curriculum and will thus develop important time management skills, just as they would in a more traditional educational setting.

When choosing an accredited homeschool program for your child, you are more likely to receive a transcript and grades, and your child will probably receive a homeschool diploma upon finishing the program. Both would later enable your child to demonstrate academic achievements and to receive scholarships.

Choosing an accredited homeschooling program is one of the best ways to make sure that the school applies rigorous standards of excellence to its program and that it takes pride in providing the highest level of enrichment and education.