Online schools, e-learning and tutors

[inappropriatelyemployed]

If anyone has suggestions for good online learning sites, online schools (I know someone has mentioned a few before -zzzz? Bochead?)Also sites to contact tutors.

If you look over on home ed there are a few reviews of various online UK schools from a NT home edders perspective, but still handy.

For secondary it's now possible to join online US high schools such as Stanford ohs.stanford.edu/ This could turn out to be a better option than intensive exams based on Gove's latest fantasy for anxious kids trying to get the UCAS points for Uni at some point. (kid gets an American High School Dip at the end, including AP subjects if needed). It covers some seriously academic areas such as a decent science curriculum and latin for those frustrated by the dumbed down standard SS offering.

(My kid will never be considered gifted but I could see Stanford suiting the smartest subsection of the Aspie community to a T).

Online programmes:-

The MN favourite Headsprout - both levels.
Mathletics to stay in line with the NC
Maths whizz - again to follow the NC
Plymouth Uni do a whole series of Primary lesson plans based on the NC which can be well handy.
Rays arithmetic - useful for language based maths problems but 18th Century document. (Just haven't found a modern course that hits quite the same spot for problem solving yet).

KHAN ACADEMY - free and to be found on youtube! So many topics, so little time. I totally adore Khan academy, (DS loves science). Lessons from primary to college level so a child can follow an interest to the bitter end.

School House Rock - the songs are on youtube. Great for learning times tables and English Grammar Rules in a fun way.

For Obsessions/topic work/special interests

ISEB - british computer society
coursera.org - college level topics (I do these but good music courses sometimes for beginners).
www.homeschoolshare.com/lapbooking_resources.php - lapbook plans and reading lists

Literature www.amblesideonline.org/ great online library of good classics in pdf format & an adaptable general Primary curriculum based on old school, common sense principles (18th & 19th Century, old school stuff).
civitas.org.uk/shop.php Has some nice History books etc too (these cost though!)

I like the Accelerated learning French course.

She walks off scratching her head and wondering wtf she's doing sending her DS to school when its obvious most of his learning happens at home as that lil lot was off the top her head.

Faberooni! I will look at all of that. We do Khan Academy which I love too as I'm useless at maths.

Conquer Maths - huge discount for home educators too.
Brainpop (subscription)
Primary Resources (free)
English Biz (free) for GCSE
Shmoop
BBC Bitesize

Have you been on Education Otherwise forums yet? There is a resources section there and information about discounts.

I get tutors through University Tutor and UK Tutors. I use university students for a lot of reasons, mainly that they're willing to work to my specification and what ds needs, rather than what teacher training dictates. Much cheaper too so it's more affordable if you need more than one tutor, though you need to have some flexibility to accommodate their own studies etc.

I've got a list of resources somewhere from when I helped the LA compile an information pack - will see if I can find it.

Thanks - keep it coming!

I assume that LAs should have a list of resources that children out of school can access to?? Or is that too much to hope for!

laughs long and hysterically to "LA should have a list of resources"!

I employ an Ofsted registered nanny two days a week to help me tutor my son. She's never been a teacher but she's very good and has empathy for him. She does a mixture of tutoring him and looking after him so I can go to work 2 full days a week. She's also far more creative and sporty than I am so they do a lot of crafty activities together and anything I don't feel able to cover.

Joining in with rosielou's hysterical laughing .

The information pack I helped my LA to compile was shoved in a cupboard and forgotten about. They are woefully uninformed. Bear in mind, there is NO designated budget for elective home education so most of them will go no further than their statutory obligation to identify children missing education and by doing so satisfy themselves that EHE children aren't among them. Resources have been cut so far back that they barely have enough money to provide for those in schools, let alone the pesky buggers who aren't.

You'll get far more information from the HE community than your LA, wherever you live.

I know - sill question but when you said you'd compiled a list, streaky, you got me thinking.

The thing is that I am not HE - he is technically on the school roll and the LA is technically obliged to provide him with an education. So I am trying to come up with a list of resources - tutor and online learning to create a 'package' as it were!

Rosie - did you employ the nanny privately? DS could certainly do with a 'buddy' or someone to do stuff with that is not entirely academic. How did you find her?

Yes, you're right that the 'home and hospital' tuition services should have more resources and will likely be better managed than EHE, because it's budgeted for. But you're also right to devise your own package and push for it as hard as you can. Home tuition from LAs can be a postcode lottery (as so many here have experienced) so it makes sense to go in with that in mind and ask for what ds needs. You want him to thrive, not survive, and he'll need appropriate resources for that to happen.

IE - I originally employed her through an agency as DS's afterschool nanny but then when I decided to home ed, she was very willing to switch her hours to 2 full days. It could be worth trying a local childcare employment agency? Or even something like gumtree. Or, trying a uni student (as they should be off now) to cover summer?

It works for us because she does a lot of the stuff I'm hopeless at doing and it means I can work for 2 days a week to pay the solicitor

www.clicknkids.com/Public/Logout.php?sessiondone=yes

Phonics and spelling programme that's reasonably priced.

Another home ed summer camp - this time in Devon (I'm sticking to the more laid back welsh one this year as I think it fits DS better but others may prefer the devon one as they are aimed at different audiences)

www.powerwood.org.uk/_/welcome_powerwood_week.html

National curriculum based games (for the school alienated child that just wants to be left alone?) www.poraora.com/ free so worth a rainy afternoon sometime?

Another free Uni site for those special interests www.edx.org/ MIT posts on this one ; )

The OU also has a few free courses.

Anyone come across a mob called Academus which offers online teaching?

Just to respond to the question about Academus.
I am a Maths & Physics teacher with Academus. We have two branches:
a) Alternative Provision for Children
b) Independent School
I teach in the Independent school.
The teaching suits well a learner who for any reason does not find "normal" school works for them. Maybe a home learner, living in a remote area, mobile or abroad looking for an English education, chronic health condition etc.
We provide a full curriculum based on the English National Curriculum. Learners access teaching via the internet using an online classroom.
Hope this helps.
Richard

Do Academus provide a recording of the lesson is the child misses it? Is the recording the actual live lesson or a shorter version of the main lesson objectives?

thanks, lots of useful resources, (some I have not come across before)

I looked into Academus and felt their promises simply didn't stack up.

Yes Academus provides a recording of the full lesson to registered students. Hope that helps.

The only problem I have with Academus is that they never call you back. They either want my money or they don't but I am fed up with waiting for a call. I called them a year or 2 ago and they didn't get back to me then. If they contact me I will let you know what I think.

rjwhiridge give them a message to call me.

Interhigh has people in their who know what they are doing. They know the school well. Academus seems to have 1 receptionist and 1 person calling who ever. It doesn't sound that big to me. It sounds like a struggling company.