Anyone have good education sites to recommend?
By heathcliff
@heathcliff (1415)
United States
June 15, 2009 12:58pm CST
This will be our second year of homeschooling, basically on our own (we don't subscribe to any online program, for instance). My biggest concern last year was not knowing alot of good support services online that were free.
The internet makes learning at home so much easier than it must have been years ago: my kids have access to basically everything they could ever want when doing research. Most of the support systems, however, cost money. I couldn't believe how much LEXUS/NEXUS costs still! (Not that my kids really need that level of access yet.)
I'd just like to know some good free sites that offer tests and learning guides. If you can think of anything I should look at, please let me know.
4 responses
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
18 Jun 09
Well, I don't know how old your kids are, so this might be a little young for them. But for some educational play for children who are just learning the alphabet and just learning to read and in that general area, I'd suggest starfall.com. Playing on that site for half an hour a day did my son so much good as far as learning the basics of reading. They weren't even starting the reading part of the process in school (just the ABC's and the sounds they make) when my son brought me a book and read it to me on his own.
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
19 Jun 09
My kids are older, but I appreciate the thought and response!
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
15 Jun 09
There are a lot of sites out there! I am a former educator and would love to help. I would check out discovery.com. They should have a lot of very useful information. There are math "homework help" sites. I cannot remember them but I would love to go back and look through some of my old stomping grounds. mathcounts.com should have some challenging math problems if your children are junior high age. I'll have to think about it awhile to see what I can remember. I also home schooled my children for some time but it was pre-internet days! :)
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
19 Jun 09
Looks like a couple really good sites there. Thank you!
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
15 Jun 09
There are some great sites out there, PBS for example has a ton of great things.
Are you looking for learning games or research sites? I actually have a ton of great websits on my home computer that I could suggest if you would let me know what you are looking for.
Have a great day
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
19 Jun 09
PBS looks good. I'm also looking for sites that have pre-made tests to gauge what they are learning.
@merylvdm (3)
• United States
18 Jul 09
A good place to post questions is on the Welltrainedmind forums (www.welltrainedmind.com)Every time I've wanted to know anything, I would post and get a quality answer.
You should also see if there is a homeschool support group in your area. I belong to a fantastic one and when I was first homeschooling, I got loads of advice from others.
I don't bother to test my kids that much - but I do get them to enter contests. I wrote an article on that which might interest you (www.squidoo.contests-for-students). I find contests stretch my kids and if they do OK (not necessarily win, but hold their own) then I know I am on the right track
