Anyone do Distance Education?

[Froggy]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Distance Education? I have an 11 year old with a school phobia. He was going to a regular primary school up until 2009, when I began home-schooling him. I actually didn't realise that Distance Education could be an option until after we'd registered and commenced Home Ed.

I have found home-schooling him to be quite overwhelming, especially since I had a baby in mid-2009. I am teaching him for 6 hours a day, then I spend hours each night & practically all weekend working out his lessons (even with the help of an online school for maths & school-oriented workbooks) to ensure he meets the strict NSW minimum curriculum requirements. My husband works long hours, but helps out as much as he can.

His old school & his paediatrician have suggested Distance Education as an option, but I'd love to ask some questions of those who have had experience with it. Has anyone here done/ is doing Distance Ed? It would be wonderful if you had experience with the NSW system, & Dubbo DE in particular, but ANY advice would be wonderful! If you can help, can I please bombard you with questions (I guess mostly to do with how time-consuming it is)?

Thanks!

Froggy

(I have posted this in a couple of different sub-forums because I didn't know exactly where to put it, so my apologies in advance for repeating myself!)

[Trillian]

I did a distance ed subject through Dubbo when I was at school - that was 16 years ago now so the info may not be relevant now considering we have such magical things as skype now ROFL.

I found it really easy. I was learning a second language and everything was sent to me - no doubt it is all done via the net and email now so that will be different for a start. And I would have phone sessions with the other 5 in my group and the teacher - again this would be done with skype now. All the work was set out in such an easy to follow way that I would just take myself off to an empty classroom and do my work. I think it would be a million times easier to do it these days though.

[takingtime]

I had a friend do year 10 11 and 12 through Dubbo DE. She handled it really well and had alot of contact with teachers over the phone and the Internet. She can't speak highly enough of it. That was 9 years ago now though so i'm sure the way they deliver lessons has changed again with new technology. As Trillian said now days they have Skype as well. Good luck with it all.

[Phteven]

My son is doing distance education at the moment.

You would still spend time delivering the lessons but would save on the time you spend lesson planning.

[ShayMitch]

I tried distance school on my child but didn't went smoothly. At first my son when to community school but I encountered a lot of problem with regards to the school's system of discussion and manner of handling the students. Then I decided to try distance school, but still didn't work. I thought that school is school and home is home. I wanted my son to feel at peace when he is at home. And its really different to have social interaction and seeing other people and meeting new friends. So I decided to enroll him in a private school where his needs will be fully met and teachers will really focus on the students and their development.

[krysalyss]

My niece and nephew do distance education (through Brisbane Distance School or a similar name). When I talk to them about it, I get suspicious they are being paid to market the school, that's how well they talk about the system. They are pretty advanced kids and I get the impression it is easier to be a bit flexible with the program. The parent is the tutor but the kids have lessons/lectures online. We have considered living overseas and if we do go somewhere without an international level schooling system, we would probably use distance education. I think education wise there is no disadvantage to doing it, but I guess kids will all have strengths and weaknesses in how they learn and there is more need for self motivation.