My one and only daughter graduates on May 15th from high school. We didn't homeschool all the way, but we did homeschool in 5th grade and then from 8th-11th. She has been taking all dual enrollment classes for her senior year. Although I am thrilled with how homeschooling went for us, I'm also sad it is coming to an end. Does anyone else feel this way?

Overall, I think many Outschool teachers are there for educational purposes and not just to make money. This summer, an influx of teachers from one specific ESL site came in, and they don't seem to be concerned about copyright laws, or they erroneously think that for profit teachers have the same rights as a classroom teacher. When I first checked into applying to Outschool, and my daughter took some classes there, it wasn't like this. There is a glut of teachers now, and many academic instructors are being overshadowed by this new lot of classes, many of which are not following copyright laws.

I am talking about classes on Outschool that are read aloud classes or where the teacher is using a book or book characters in a hands on class such as crafting or art. Images are frequently used, and that is a definite copyright issue. For Fair Use, even commercial teachers can use excepts from a book or movie ( I believe it is no more than 25% of the material), but images and songs are further copyright protected.

Actually, this isn't true. Since I have been approved as an Outschool teacher, all the Zoom meetings are mandated to be recorded. Also, it is not a small number breaking copyright laws. Just look up classes using Paw Patrol, Disney characters, Hamilton materials, and books not in the public domain. AS a for profit teacher on Outschool, it is NOT fair use to read a book in a class or discuss unless the student are required to buy the book. There are quite a few classes for little especially that are openly violating copyright laws. That is a huge ethical concern to me.

I know not everyone will agree with me, but it an ethical concern to me. I am all for using entertaining methods for teaching classes if you are creating your own materials or getting permission from publishers, musicians, videographers, etc.

These teachers are definitely not in compliance under fair use. Many Outschool teachers assume they can use the same materials as classroom teachers, but they can’t. Outschool teachers are for profit and cannot use most books, videos, music, etc. without consent.

I recently applied and was accepted to be an Outschool teacher. I’ve been a classroom teacher and now a virtual teacher for over 20 years. I have decided not to teach on Outschool because of unethical and illegal practices that are not only condoned but seem to be encouraged. Because Outschool is for profit, there are a number of classes that were approved on Outschool that cannot be legal according to copyright laws. For example, there are numerous Disney themed classes and Harry Potter classes. Within the last couple of weeks, Universal sent a cease and desist letter to a Outschool. They are slowly deleting those classes because they legally have to, but many other classes with copyright infringements remain. I am really sad that this is happening and cannot support this. I know that many homeschoolers use Outschool, and I just wanted to let you know what is happening.

My senior daughter is taking dual enrolled French class because she waited until this year to do her foreign language. She will be able to take French I and French II at the state college, and that will count for 2 years of high school French. However, because of Covid, her class is all online. She does have a book and videos in the online course for help. The only interaction she has with the teacher is when she does oral quizzes and test to check for pronunciation. Obviously, this is not the optimum way to learn a language. I would love to know if anyone has any suggestions for working on the conversational part of the language?

It is so hard for moms to see their kids hurting😔. Although it won't help right now, my daughter made some of her best friends by dual enrolling at a state college. She found her tribe you might say. Of course, Covid means that her dual enrollment classes are all online now, but we do let her frineds come over, and we let her go out (with a mask) with friends sometimes. She started at the state college at 16. If Covid weren't an issue, dual enrollment might be a good option.

Would he enjoy biology experiments/demonstrations better? Could you use the Rainbow Biology material he has already done and add labs to make a full credit of high school biology?

Mysteries were a big hit with my daughter at that age. She loved the Westin Game by Ellen Raskin. Another author that wrote in the 1960s and 1970s that my daughter and I enjoyed was Irene Hunt. Her books Up a Road Slowly and The Lottery Rose had a major impact on my life. She also writes historical fictions such as Across Five Aprils and No Promises in the Wind. Just as a precaution, some of the themes in these books are difficult (child abuse (not sexual), losing a parent, and poverty). Have you read Tolkien's books yet? Another author my daughter enjoyed was Laurie, Halse Anderson. She has a number of books out, but we only read Fever 1793 and Chains.

I worked for the Network of International Schools, the organization that Northstar is a part of, in Korea many years ago. I can assure your, they are a thriving organization, and I have heard very little negative about this organization. It is a Christian, online accredited school with a solid reputation.

I can't help you with this, but I find it so funny that my 83 year old dad and his 86 year old sister both have I phones and couldn't live without them. My dad and i were on face time just last week. I guess we are a tech savvy family.

I didn't start home schooling until 6th grade. For the middle school years, we had specific class that were still somewhat interest led. For example, in history for 6th grade, we focused on topics she enjoyed rather than time periods. History was as much hands-on as she wanted it to be. She is a visual learner, so videos and even computer games like Minecraft were a part of her curriculum. We did not use one source as a spine. We used lots of sources. I also did not worry about time. She didn't do an hour of history a day. We might do 2 hours on one day and none the rest of the week. Or we might to 20 minutes one day, 30 the nest and an hour the next. We were not required to keep track of hours, so we didn't. What I did focus on in middle school was building the skills she would need for higher level learning. We worked on writing, geography/history skills like map reading and timelines, science labs and math. She also started taking college level tests in 7th grade. She took the ACT in 7th and 8th grade and the PSAT in 9th grade. Now, my daughter happens to be a good test taker who does not have test anxiety, so this route might not work for everyone. High school has been more structured but still somewhat interest led. Her electives have definitely been her choice. Last year she took a life skills class with a co-op, a financial literacy class, and and art history class at home. For English, I have required certain things such as some Shakespeare and poetry, but the other short stories and novel have been her choices. Math is the only old one out because I am not skilled in it, and she does have a certain aptitude for mathematical concepts. I hired a tutor that she has been working with for over a year now. Math is not her best subject, but with the tutor, her ACT score in math improved 4 points this summer. Dual enrollment is not for every student, but my daughter has thrived in her college classes. This year and next, most of her high school classes will be at the college. She should graduate with an AA degree at the same time as she graduates from high school. In Florida, dual enrollment classes are free, so this is saving us a lot of money too. I would say that the best thing I did as a home schooling mom was to trust my daughter and let her choose areas of study even as a high school student.

I am coming at this topic from the end of home schooling. My daughter is 11th grade and dual enrolled. Most of her high school classes this year are at the college with the exception of ACT/SAT prep, bible and literature (1/2 credit courses), and Algebra II with a private tutor. We do still have a home school are and materials at home, but i am working on clearing out. Next year, all her classes will be at the college as she will be doing a full load of classes. I have so many books to move out! If I were starting over with younger kids, I would be more unschoolish in their younger years. I would teach phonics and some basic math skills, but i would let everything else be interest led until at least age 10 or so.