Okay kiddo, sometimes parents want to teach their kids at home instead of sending them to school, that’s called homeschooling. And sometimes, people live really far away from schools or they can’t go to school because of health reasons or other things, so they can learn from home using distance education.
In Australia, homeschooling and distance education are both legal ways of learning.
Homeschooling means that parents or carers take on the responsibility of educating their children. They create a learning plan and timetable to cover subjects like maths, English, science, history and more. They can even hire a tutor or join a homeschooling group to help them teach.
Distance education is a bit different. It’s a school that you can attend without actually going there. Instead, you can learn from home with the help of teachers and online resources. It’s like going to school from the comfort of your own home!
Both homeschooling and distance education require students to be self-disciplined, organised and motivated. It’s important to be able to manage your time and to stay focused on your studies. But it also means you can learn at your own pace, take breaks when you need to, and focus on subjects that interest you.
In Australia, homeschooling and distance education are overseen by state and territory education departments so that children still receive a proper education. Homeschoolers are required to register with their state or territory’s education department and must follow a curriculum that meets national standards. Distance education students also follow a school curriculum and receive support from their teachers.
So there you have it, homeschooling and distance education in Australia are different ways of learning that can be great for kids who want to learn from home or who can’t attend a regular school.