As long-term eclectic homeschoolers, we’re very familiar with outsourcing learning at our place. We’ve used language tutors, art classes, various sport and recreation opportunities, learning co-ops, and driving instructors! Most of these involved travelling to different locations, and waiting… With a large family, that has meant a lot of driving, and a lot of waiting!
Outschool is convenient way for us to outsource learning. It’s an opportunity to try a wide variety of classes and meet other children from across the world from the comfort of our own home (or wherever we are – because our classes have been easy to access from mobile devices). Unlike a lot of regular face-to-face classes and online subscriptions and curriculum, we haven’t had to pay an up-front lump sum, pay insurances, or purchase equipment or materials, so we find Outschool to be a very affordable option.
Where there are materials required for classes, they have always been items we have easy access to – pencil, scissors, felt tip pens or crayons, playdough, counters, and cardboard, for example. A list of requirements and printables are provided before the lesson so we can prepare in advance. Some teachers offer some further printables and links to continue exploring a topic after the class, which saves me a lot of time!
We choose Outschool classes to fit with our themed learning, to learn new skills, to explore interests, to grow, and to cover basic skills in a fun way. All classes offer social connection and an opportunity to learn some geography as students swap their state or country locations. There are even Outschool clubs aimed at social connection, which can be very important for homeschoolers.
Some Outschool teachers offer a full curriculum where children log in multiple times each week to meet with the same group of students to learn together. For families who are home a lot, this would offer a lovely rhythm to the week and inspire both learner and parent with related activities. For example, this Full Kindergarten Curriculum would be a great support for a parent needing some structure for their little one. If something like this was available when I had young children and a newborn baby, I’d welcome the opportunity to enroll my young learners! Likewise, there were certain times during my teen’s highschool years they would have thrived through accessing ongoing online classes, particularly for writing, maths, and science, either in group sessions or through 1:1 tutoring which is available, accessible, and affordable through Outschool.
As a home educator who regularly works from home, I enroll my daughter in up to three classes on each full day in my home office. It takes very little time for me to set her up with any materials and click the link to login to Zoom. I’m nearby but able to do my own thing for up to 45 minutes while she is fully engaged in learning activities with a fun and attentive teacher. After the classes she is often very willing to pursue further related learning and finish off any art activities or similar that the teacher has provided, and later in the day we sit and chat about what she learned and look at her worksheets and art together.
Outschool is a game-changer for me as a long-term home educator looking for very flexible options to supplement our homeschooling. Every day I can see how it would have fit into our now-grown children’s home learning as well. I think that with over 100,000 classes, there is something for everyone!
