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What Are the Different Types of Homeschool Math Courses?

Kasey James
Kasey James

There are several types of homeschool math courses that will allow students who learn from home to practice this subject. Some homeschool math courses require the parent to act as the teacher while others use an outside teacher to provide the home-based education. Other home math courses use tutorials, practice guides, and specific lessons to teach the foundations of math.

Many parents choose to be their children's math teacher at home and create a math course that suites the learning style of each child. Homeschool math curricula can be purchased along with worksheets that allow the student to practice the learned math concept. Physical math manipulatives such as counting blocks or fraction tiles can be used to demonstrate new mathematical theories as well.

Tweaking the math curriculum to better fit the student's interests and learning style is a major advantage of homeschooling.
Tweaking the math curriculum to better fit the student's interests and learning style is a major advantage of homeschooling.

Homeschool math courses can also be taught using video lessons. Video lessons are short videos where a teacher presents a new math lesson either on the television or computer. The homeschooled student watches the video first and then completes practice work to demonstrate the knowledge learned. This allows the parent to review the lesson after watching the video.

Parents who home teach may opt for math tutors if they don't feel qualified to teach the subject at advanced levels.
Parents who home teach may opt for math tutors if they don't feel qualified to teach the subject at advanced levels.

There are some homeschool math classes taught online. These classes usually have a small group of home-based students who are around the same age and at the same grade level. The math class is taught similarly to a physical classroom, but the students are able to stay at home using their computers. The class may meet at a specific time and be expected to turn in classwork and homework. The parent may help his or her child, but the main lessons will be given by the online teacher.

Some parents hire a tutor to homeschool their kids.
Some parents hire a tutor to homeschool their kids.

A math cooperative is a group of students receiving homeschooling but taking mathematics courses outside the home and with other students. Many times, a homeschool parent who is proficient in math will teach the entire group of students. This allows the student to learn from a math instructor and get socialization at the same time. Math cooperatives usually meet a couple times a week at a specified location. Homework may be given and turned into the teacher at the next class.

You can also opt to offer your child supplemental math instruction through a tutoring company. Many tutoring companies offer consistent and personalized instruction with accredited tutors. When comparing tutoring companies, such as Mathnasium vs Kumon, consider the level of service they provide and if they have the resources and teaching skills that your child needs to thrive. If you don’t feel that the large tutoring companies can give your child adequate support, you can also seek out independent tutors to help with homeschooling.

Homeschooling parents may teach all subjects except for math because they do not feel skilled in this area. Parents may choose to hire a private math tutor to conduct a homeschool math course. In this case, the tutor will usually provide the lessons and classwork to the student on a daily or weekly basis.

Discussion Comments

Animandel
I think math is a tough subject for most parents. We just forget it after we leave school--other than the basics. I used to wonder how some of the people who were home schooling their kids were able to do it, or why they were allowed to do it. However, I can see now that with online courses and tutors most families can pull off home schooling. That still does not mean all parents are capable of during this.

I worry that some kids are going to fall behind or not learn everything they need to learn because they are taught at home by parents who didn't have their acts together and were not prepared to monitor their kids.

mobilian33

No matter what the reasons, some kids don't learn well with certain teachers. That's why I think it is good that there are other ways these kids can learn and get credit for their work so they can get a high school diploma, and then get a job. Kids and parents used to be at the mercy of teachers and the school system, but now homeschooling is changing that.

My nephew is always getting into trouble in school. I know he is not a perfect kid, but what kid is? Anyway, the teachers and principal can't handle him and their solution is to suspend him from time to time or put him in after school discipline. This just makes him hate school even more.

If my sister doesn't do something he will eventually just drop out and then it will be almost impossible for him to get any decent paying job. If you don't have at least a high school diploma then not many people are going to hire you.

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    • Tweaking the math curriculum to better fit the student's interests and learning style is a major advantage of homeschooling.
      By: xalanx
      Tweaking the math curriculum to better fit the student's interests and learning style is a major advantage of homeschooling.
    • Parents who home teach may opt for math tutors if they don't feel qualified to teach the subject at advanced levels.
      By: Emanuel
      Parents who home teach may opt for math tutors if they don't feel qualified to teach the subject at advanced levels.
    • Some parents hire a tutor to homeschool their kids.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      Some parents hire a tutor to homeschool their kids.