An Excellent Online Homeschool Program Changes Everything

The right online homeschool program can transform how our children learn, offering personalized instruction and comprehensive curriculum that adapts to their unique needs. Here’s how.

When we first started homeschooling 15 years ago, I had NO idea how to choose a curriculum. In fact, I bought an all-in-one curriculum that my friends were using, thinking it would work for us too.

The truth is, it was laborious and worksheet heavy. It was the exact opposite of what my children needed to learn effectively.

Over the years, I learned more about what worked and what didn’t. I learned what my children needed most to make real educational progress. Also, I learned that what worked for me as their teacher is just as important a consideration as what worked for them.

The solution that worked best for all of us? Online learning.

I felt guilty about it for years.

I thought in order to truly support my children and give them the best education possible, we needed to be screen free and working together around the dining room table for 4-6 hours each day. I saw all the pictures of other homeschool families and felt like we were failing.

But the truth is, learning online was the opposite of failing. It is what helped us succeed, despite our unique circumstances and learning needs.

My children gravitated to the multi-sensory aspects of learning online. They felt a sense of independence. And I loved how accessible online learning was for us despite the unpredictability of our schedules.

The Right Online Homeschool Program Changed Everything

For the longest time, I had this picture in my head of what “real” homeschooling looked like. Mom and kids gathered around the kitchen table with beautiful handwritten work piled up around them. When I compared our reality to that ideal, I often felt like I was taking the easy way out with online learning.

But here’s what I discovered: online learning wasn’t the easy way out. In our experience, it was the smartest way in.

The Unexpected Benefits of Online Learning

Personalized Pacing Unlike traditional textbooks that move at a predetermined pace, online learning adapts to each child’s needs. This meant my youngest could take extra time with reading comprehension without feeling behind. This eased his anxiety and increased his confidence as a learner.

Multi-Sensory Engagement Online platforms engage multiple senses in ways that traditional workbooks simply can’t. My visual learner thrived with interactive diagrams and videos, while my kinesthetic learner loved the drag-and-drop activities and clickable interactions.

Instant Feedback Remember waiting weeks to get graded papers back in school? Online learning provides immediate feedback. My kids knew right away if they understood a concept or needed more practice. This immediate reinforcement helped build their confidence and prevented small misunderstandings from increasing any anxiety around the learning.

Built-in Motivation My kids love screen time. Online learning harnessed that natural attraction and channeled it into educational pursuits. This decreased resistance and create a much more effective learning environment for my children.

Flexibility for Real Life Life happens. Online learning adapted to our real life in ways that rigid curriculum schedules never could.

Breaking Free from Homeschool Curriculum Guilt

The truth is, my guilt wasn’t really about screen time or online learning.

It was about comparison.

I was measuring our success against someone else’s methods instead of looking at whether my children were actually learning and thriving. The reality check came when I noticed my kids retaining information better than ever before. They were asking deeper questions, making connections between subjects, and most importantly, they were developing a love for learning that had been missing with our previous curriculum approaches.

Online learning wasn’t failing my children. It was meeting them exactly where they needed to be met.

IXL’s Online Homeschool Program

Today I want to share with you a learning platform that has everything you need to offer your children a robust, engaging homeschool experience online.

IXL is a complete, online K-12 curriculum that includes all of the following as part of their Core Subject Plan:

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Optional Add-on – Spanish

IXL is a trusted, proven educational resource that has been used by millions of students, in traditional classrooms and homeschools alike.

What Sets IXL Apart

Comprehensive K-12 Curriculum IXL covers all core subjects from Kindergarten through 12th grade with an optional Spanish add-on.

Complete Skill Library and Engaging Content The program includes an impressive 17,000+ interactive skills across all subjects, more than 1,300 video tutorials, and 120+ educational games. This means that interest-led, child directed learning is easily accessible, allowing your learner to pursue any and all of their interests with a vast collection of educational resources.

Adaptive Learning Technology The platform adjusts to your child’s skill level in real-time, providing more practice when needed and advancing when mastery is demonstrated. It’s seamless and ideal for struggling learners.

Personalized Diagnostic Learning The platform is also designed to create a personalized experience with real-time feedback and step-by-step instructions and explanations. IXL’s diagnostic assessments identify your child’s strengths and areas for growth, then create a personalized action plan to guide their learning journey.

Flexibility That Works for Every Family

IXL works well as a complete curriculum or as a supplement to other materials because the platform adapts to your family’s needs. You can follow IXL’s recommended skill plans, align with your state standards, or pick and choose skills that complement your existing curriculum.

The platform works on computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Learning can happen anywhere (including doctor office waiting rooms and trampolines – if you know, you know).

From Guilt to Confidence In Your Child’s Education

Looking back, I wish I had embraced online learning sooner. The guilt I carried for years was based on assumptions rather than results.

The switch to online learning meant my children thrived as they learned more effectively than ever, and developed crucial 21st-century digital literacy skills along the way.

Try IXL In Your Homeschool

I am excited to share that just in time for back to school Different By Design Learning readers will receive a special discount of 25% off IXL.

This discount makes it easier than ever to give your family access to one of the most comprehensive online learning platforms available.

Remember, there’s no “perfect” way to homeschool. There’s only the way that works best for your unique family. Online learning could be a wonderful option for your family and IXL is an excellent place to start.