Nearly are strongly interested in pursuing alternative education options for their children, with ā€œā€ in homeschooling demonstrating demand for alternatives to traditional schooling. Yet, a perception that alternatives are socially less legitimate represents a common barrier to action.

Stories have the power to change this. Narratives of real families, real learners, and real impact shift the way we think about education, transporting us from theoretical alignment to tangible action.

Implementing innovative educational approaches is not enough. Changing the global education system requires a new narrative of what education means in todayā€™s world.

Letā€™s start at the beginning

What comes to mind when you think of alternative schooling?

Be honest, itā€™s okay – Iā€™m not judging you.

If you imagined the stereotypical homeschooler – sheltered, awkward, or unsocialized – youā€™re not alone. Despite consistent research indicating the opposite to be true (), and an estimated homeschooling in the US alone, a found that negative stereotypes remain.

If research has repeatedly rendered such views as unfounded, why do these beliefs remain ingrained?

Put simply, people often fear change. Thereā€™s fear in doing things differently, in paving a different pathway. Following a literature review of decades of research into homeschooling perceptions, Watson commented that homeschooling is subject to stigmatization and stereotyping due to it being non-normative and unfamiliar.

Weā€™ve seen this in practice too. Krithika, a parent at ĢĒŠÄAPP, recently told us that a friend, upon seeing Krithikaā€™s daughterā€™s enjoyment at our innovative school, commented, ā€œI wish we could do what youā€™re doingā€, to which she replied ā€œYou canā€.

I can only imagine how many times homeschooling families have heard similar statements: ā€œYouā€™re so braveā€¦ā€, ā€œI just couldnā€™t do what youā€™re doingā€¦ā€, the list goes on. Youā€™d think they were sending their children to school on Mars (which, by the way, I imagine would be a pretty fascinating learning experience!), rather than simply seeking an alternative to a system that no longer works for them.

ā€œIf it ainā€™t broke, donā€™t fix itā€

But is the current education system really so bad? Why do families need alternatives in the first place?

There is a plethora of research underlining global dissatisfaction in the traditional education system. From declining learner and parent satisfaction, to outdated curricula, critics argue that we are stuck with a system designed for an entirely different era. It is difficult to imagine that a system premised on memorization, standardization and exams would be developed today, amid a changing world of personalization, emerging technologies and a need for human skills.

How do parents feel?

In 2025, Parentkind and found that 2 million children feel unhappy at school. That represents 20% of children. Interestingly, they found that the likelihood of children being unhappy doubles when children move from primary to secondary school, ā€œbecause they donā€™t feel what they are learning is relevant to their futureā€. Their research found that over half of parents want schools to prioritize teaching life skills, and nurture creativity and independent thinking.

Similarly a found that 75% of the emotions learners associate with school are negative, with the most common emotions cited being ā€œstressedā€ and ā€œboredā€. According to a , K-12 education satisfaction in the US is at an ā€œall-time lowā€, with being dissatisfied with the A-Levels.

These feelings have been reflected on a global level, with the Global Education Monitor (), finding people across 29 countries are more likely to describe the education system in their country as poor than good.

It strikes me as an interesting paradox, then, that despite such negative perceptions of traditional schooling and a general agreement that exams feel outdated, stereotyping of alternative schooling remains commonplace among parents. Is this resulting in a lack of action? Are families remaining in traditional schools simply for fear of change?

Innovative Schooling

You may be surprised to learn that innovative schooling has existed for decades. These are schools that reimagine traditional curricula, pedagogy and learning environment to offer a different way of learning. While each innovative school is unique, common characteristics include:

• Mastery-Based Learning: learners progress at their own pace. A philosophical focus on ability, not age.
• Interdisciplinary Learning: subjects are not taught in silos. Instead, learners develop skills through multi-disciplinary projects or challenges.
• Project-Based Assessment: learning is not assessed through exams. Instead, learners learn through applied projects and hands-on activities.
• Holistic Curriculum: academics are not placed ā€œaboveā€ soft skills and emotional development. Instead, learners embark on a holistic curriculum combining knowledge, skills and mindsets for future-readiness and whole-human growth.

Letā€™s take a look at some of the pioneers in this space:

Scaling Innovative Schooling Globally

These pioneering brick-and-mortar schools have paved the way for fully virtual models like ĢĒŠÄAPP. Overnight, access to alternative schooling has shifted from specific regions to the homes of families all over the world.

ĢĒŠÄAPP, Virtual: Established 2022

ĢĒŠÄAPP is an innovative online school where learners learn by doing and making the world a better place. Instead of exams, our learners learn through real-world projects. Instead of standardization, each learner has a personalized curriculum.

Drawing inspiration from pioneering innovative schools, ĢĒŠÄAPP not only reimagines the learning model and curriculum, but the learning environment and community itself, offering a full online learning experience: our school community now spans 40+ families across 6 continents. Our Founding Class have received 130+ university offers across 3 continents, and received $6M+ in higher education scholarships.

Results from regular parent surveys indicate that 97% of our learners like or love learning at our school (ĢĒŠÄAPP, 2026), a sharp contrast from research on traditional schooling, where parental satisfaction is at a ā€œā€. We provide an accredited alternative to the traditional education system, and weā€™ve proven success with higher education pathways around the globe.

So, whatā€™s the problem?

I contend that while dissatisfaction with traditional education is felt on a global scale by parents, stereotypes around alternative schooling currently prohibit mass market change.

Despite decades of innovative brick-and-mortar schooling boasting Ivy League acceptances, entrepreneurial alumni and clear evidence of learner and parent satisfaction, families pursuing alternative paths are still likely to encounter similar conversations to Krithika, or face some form of social judgment (well-intentioned as it might be).

The good news is, I believe stories have the power to change this.

Storytelling has entered the chat

When we launched ĢĒŠÄAPP, one of our early questions was how to best communicate with families seeking alternatives to traditional schooling. We hypothesized that initially, our audience would likely be homeschoolers, or those already outside of the traditional education system. We were wrong.

Following monthly experimentation cycles, we had one consistent finding: people loved stories. Interviews with our learners deep diving into their passion projects, conversations with parents, sharing their experiences with traditional schooling, even our Founderā€™s story of imagining a school where she would not have gotten in trouble for reading at the back of the classroom instead of paying attention to a lecture.

We repeatedly found stories to be the most effective way to communicate our mission to the world, and connect with parents frustrated with traditional schools. Intentionally placing storytelling at the core of our growth strategy has allowed us to scale from 20 learners in 2022 to 160+ learners, spanning 40 countries across 6 continents, and win 2 awards in the education space.

Now, this is not a novel conclusion, I am aware. In Diffusion of Innovations (1962) Rogers described this phenomenon as follows:

ā€œObservability is the degree to which the results of an innovation are visible to others. The easier it is for individuals to see the results of an innovation, the more likely they are to adopt it.ā€

Similarly, Meadows (Thinking in Systems, 2008) explores how systems change requires paradigm shifts, noting ā€œall it takes is a click in the mind, a falling of scales from the eyes, a new way of seeingā€. Applying this to todayā€™s context, I truly believe that stories hold the key to shifting global narratives around what education means, and in turn, generating tangible action.

With that in mindā€¦

Meet Ayrton

Ayrton is a learner at ĢĒŠÄAPP with a dream of becoming ā€œa man of The Artsā€. He hosts his own podcast, The Everything Exchange, where he interviews industry experts across fields spanning Cybersecurity, Education, and more. In his own words, ā€œthe goal is that there is something on there, for everyoneā€. He is a passionate movie reviewer and loves acting, hoping to balance acting projects alongside his online learning at our school. He recently attended the 1billion Summit in Dubai where he met entrepreneur Simon Squibb, and shared his dream to Simonā€™s 5.5M+ followers online.

Meet Alia

Alia is a learner at ĢĒŠÄAPP passionate about sustainability and the impacts of climate change. For her Advanced project, she coordinated a Sustainability Confest – a conference-festival hybrid event for her local community, designed to explore the impacts of climate change. She invited local storytellers, musicians and keynotes speakers to explore connection to land, with an attending participant noting ā€œwe were not only talking about community, but it felt like community.ā€

Meet Hamza

Hamza is a learner at ĢĒŠÄAPP passionate about engineering. Throughout his time at our school, he has developed a range of impactful projects in this field, from redesigning a space rover to improve durability in harsh environments, to exploring the sustainability of hybrid and electric powertrains compared to traditional combustion engines. He has recently been offered a place at University of Washington to study mechanical engineering after he graduates from our school.

Rome wasnā€™t built in a day

While it is nice to imagine an almost dream-like scenario where an understanding and trust for innovative schooling is built overnight, the likelihood is more nuanced: it takes time.

Of course there are certain hurdles that families quite rightly explore when seeking to understand alternative schooling. Socialization is of course top of mind for many parents (especially those exploring the online space), and global recognition of alternative school diplomas without exam-based qualifications is also important for families to consider.

In order to provide space for mindsets to shift, it is essential to build alternative systems to address such concerns. For example, we have found that homeschooling community groups, in-person extracurriculars and meaningful time with family and friends have proved key for learners moving into the alternative schooling space. Through our online parent community channels, we have seen parents coordinate their own in-person activities, with current parent-led trips in the works for families in North America and Europe.

Similarly, we have been intentional about our curriculum rigor, benchmarking certain advanced credits against the AP to give learners the option to prepare for these if required for higher education pathways. Alongside this, many universities (especially in the US) are becoming test-optional, and many exciting innovative higher education options are coming to the fore around the world (see: Minerva University, LIS & Tomorrow University).

Accreditation is another important factor for families, an area which in our experience has been highly supportive of our innovative model. We are fully accredited from WASC (as are many other alternative schools), and NCAA-cleared.

In short, changing perspectives requires a wide range of stakeholders, including schools, universities and regulators, with a shared passion for reimagining the education system for todayā€™s world.

Where do we go from here?

To generate meaningful change in education, it is not enough for innovative schools to exist. Despite global dissatisfaction with traditional schooling, for many families the societal pressure of conformity to a ā€œprovenā€ system is a real barrier to exploring alternative educational options. Sharing stories of real families, learners, schools and impact has the power to shift the way we think about education, replacing unfounded stereotypes with real action.

Iā€™d like you to think about alternative schooling again: what do you envision?

Its story is just getting started.

The post Can stories change the education system? first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

This NCAA approval stands alongside our international accreditation from WASC as another recognition of the academic rigor of our innovative schooling program. It truly is a testament to our commitment to supporting athlete learners and ensures a smooth transition from ĢĒŠÄAPP to college.

In this article, weā€™ll dive deeper into the NCAA clearance, what this means for our learners, and why is is essential for our athletes applying for college.

What does NCAA Clearance mean?

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is the organization that governs most sports in the US. It sets rules for college athletics, oversees competitions and championships, and establishes the academic eligibility standards that high school student athletes must meet to participate in NCAA Division I, II or III sports.

To become NCAA-cleared, schools submit a list of all their academic courses (known as ā€œā€). The NCAA evaluates whether each course meets their definition of ā€œcollege-preparatoryā€, and is taught at an appropriate level. They will explore factors including content level, facilitation, materials, assessment, and credits gained towards graduation.

Alongside this, schools typically also share supporting documentation around their curriculum, course outlines, examples of assessments, accreditation details and school policies.

In short, the NCAA clearance is a recognition that a schoolā€™s academic courses meet their standards for college-bound athletes.

Why NCAA Clearance Matters for K-12 Athletes

For learner athletes, academic preparation is essential alongside their athletic skills. Having access to NCAA-approved courses ensures that they can be competitively eligible for college sports. Learner athletes must complete a specified number of NCAA-certified courses and maintain a core GPA, meaning that a schoolā€™s NCAA approval directly influences their ability to play at the college level.

What NCAA Clearance Means for ĢĒŠÄAPP Learners

For learners at ĢĒŠÄAPP who are also aspiring athletes training at competitive levels, NCAA clearance opens up valuable opportunities to access sports scholarships at NCAA-participating colleges and universities in the United Statements. Many of our curriculum components, particularly in English, math, science, and social studies, are already NCAA-certified, with more in the process of being approved. This ensures that learners meet the academic requirements necessary to qualify for recruitment and scholarship eligibility.

What sets our model apart is that learners donā€™t have to choose between athletic ambition and a real-world education. Instead of a rigid, traditional timetable that often forces young athletes to compromise, our personalized, project-based, and interdisciplinary approach gives them the flexibility to balance training schedules with future-ready skills.

Case Studies: Student-Athlete Success Stories at ĢĒŠÄAPP

We are proud to have a diverse cohort of learner athletes spanning multiple countries:

Emily, Chilean National Rowing Team

One of our Founding Cohort members, Emily has been with ĢĒŠÄAPP since 2022. In that time, she has been selected for the Chilean National Rowing Team and competed in the Panamerican Games, winning all 3 races she competed in.

ā€I have been rowing since I was 11. It has been the only sport I have ever really committed to and I am really glad ĢĒŠÄAPP is fully supportive.ā€

Hursh, Tennis Player based in UAE

Hursh has been playing tennis since he was 4, and has won 9 under 14 tournaments, 5 under 16 tournaments, 2 under 18 tournaments and 1 adult tournament (and counting!).

ā€My experience with ĢĒŠÄAPP has been the most comfortable form of schooling for meā€¦the facilitators have been extremely supportive in regards to my learning journey and tennis journey.ā€

Deyana, Snowboarder based in Bulgaria

Deyana is a snowboarder based in Bulgaria, and recently achieved third place in two BorderCross races: the ā€œBoard Ryderā€ cup and ā€œOsogovoā€ Cup.

ā€œĢĒŠÄAPP has helped me so much to balance my snowboarding training and to actually be able to do my work. I have been to a couple of races, and they have been so supporting of helping me and also cheering me on.ā€

A New Chapter for Student-Athletes at ĢĒŠÄAPP

Receiving NCAA approval is a major milestone for ĢĒŠÄAPP. The recognition confirms our core courses meet the NCAAā€™s rigorous academic standards, giving our learner-athletes the foundation they need to pursue higher education and college athletics.

We are so proud of our learners, educators, and team for making this possible. Whether youā€™re a current learner or a prospective family exploring different options, our NCAA approval ensures learners are prepared academically for their sporting journey.

The post ĢĒŠÄAPP Receives NCAA Clearance first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

Were you looking for a more personalized learning journey for your child? Perhaps you were dissatisfied with the traditional style of teaching and learning? Or, what about preparation for the future?

In a recent survey commissioned by , researchers found that 80% of learners feel high school has not or will not prepare them with the skills they need for the workforce. While learners felt confident to enter college and university, they expressed concern for the application of their skills beyond higher education.

Couple this with the and emerging technologies like AI, and it is clear that ā€œThe Futureā€ for learners today is uncertain, and rapidly changing.

So, how can we expect the traditional education system (which has gone unchanged for the last century) to cover the skills learners need today?

Why future-ready learning matters

At ĢĒŠÄAPP, we have seen the impacts of learning outside of the traditional education system. Our curriculum is designed for the skills needed for the jobs and industries of the future, along with tools for whole-human flourishing, and human progress. We see education and learning as a way of life, not a checkbox system prioritizing grades.

Weā€™ve seen learners learn through real-world challenges, and develop meaningful projects which tackle problems they are passionate about. When the motivations for learning shift beyond memorizing for an exam, we see our learners love of learning and curiosity flourish.

Rethinking homeschooling: From textbooks to real-world learning

As homeschoolers, you too, likely share our mission. Thatā€™s why weā€™ve prepared a brochure for homeschooling families covering 15 future-ready ideas to complement your homeschooling journey.

Whether youā€™re already a homeschooling family, or if youā€™re looking to begin your journey, we hope that this guide serves as a starting point with tangible ideas and projects for you to get started.

Before diving into the guide, we thought weā€™d share four of our favorite ideas for you to explore:

Idea 1: Challenge-Based Learning

Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is a pedagogy , wherein learners learn by tackling a real-world challenge, and developing a meaningful project which solves a problem they are passionate about.

As Apple describes it:

ā€œChallenge-Based Learning [CBL] is an engaging multidisciplinary approach…that encourages students to…solve real-world problems. CBL is collaborative and hands-on, asking students to…solve challenges, take action, share their experience, and enter into a global discussion about important issues.”

How it works

In CBL, learners are set a broad interdisciplinary challenge. Some examples from our curriculum include Protecting our Oceans, Maintaining Global Peace, Ethical Technology, and Activism through The Arts.

Learners will then explore three main phases, as they engage, investigate and act on the challenge:

Application for homeschoolers

Homeschoolers can use CBL by turning everyday interests or local issues into projects – starting with a big theme, defining a challenge, researching it, and designing real solutions like prototypes or campaigns.

Idea 2: Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking helps learners see the bigger picture, and understand how things connect. Why does solving one problem sometimes create another? Why are some issues tangled and hard to fix?

How it works

Learners move beyond isolated facts to explore how different parts of a system interact. Where itā€™s an ecosystem, an economy, or a social issue, they identify they cause-and-effect chain, feedback loops, and unintended consequences.

Learners reflect on their assumptions and refrain problems by asking: whatā€™s really going on here?

Application for homeschoolers

Homeschoolers can use systems thinking to enrich science, civics, sustainability, or social studies. It can also shape how learners reflect on current events or even family dynamics. With more time for deep exploration, learners can untangle complexity instead of rushing to quick answers.

Idea 3: Learning through Storytelling

From ancient cave paintings to modern-day podcasts, storytelling has always been how humans make sense of the world. Itā€™s how we remember, connect, and learn.

How it works

Whether fiction or nonfiction, stories can introduce new ideas, cultures, perspectives, and emotions. Instead of answering test questions, learners narrate what theyā€™ve learned, experienced, or imagined through writing, video, voice or performance.

A good story can blend history, science, ethics, and personal experience, naturally connecting different areas of knowledge.

Application for homeschoolers

Storytelling fits beautifully into a homeschooling rhythm. Families can use daily reflections, oral storytelling, or even collaborative writing projects to capture learning in meaningful ways. Whether recounting a science experiment as a narrative or retelling a historical event through a personal lens, storytelling adds depth and creativity to any subject.

Idea 4: Building Emotional Agility

Emotional agility is the ability to recognize, understand and navigate emotions with intention. Coined by psychologist Dr Susan David, itā€™s about being open to your inner experiences and responding to them wisely, not reacting impulsively.

How it works

Emotional agility involves four key steps: Show up, Step out, Walk your Why and Move on.

Application for homeschoolers

Homeschoolers can integrate emotional agility into daily routines through journaling, reflective conversations, and mindfulness practices. It can also be embedded into project reflections, conflict resolution, or response to failure. Parents can model agility by sharing their own emotional experiences constructively.

Looking for more ideas?

Curious to dive into more future-ready ideas?

You can check out our full homeschooling guide below

Wishing you and your family all the best in creating inspiring learning journeys at home.

The post Future-ready topics you should be covering with your homeschooler first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

With remote work on the rise globally, more families are opting for digital nomad lifestyles, traveling and working simultaneously. In fact, that global digital jobs are expected to rise by 2030 to around 92 million worldwide. Couple this with a , and itā€™s no surprise families are opting to ditch their textbooks and seek new adventures.

So, what does it mean to be a worldschooling family? And, how can you ensure your children receive a consistent high quality and meaningful education while traveling full time?

What is worldschooling?

Put simply, worldschooling is a form of education through travel, global experiences, and real-world learning. It is an educational approach which prioritizes learning from the world around you – like learning Math through currency exchanges, or History through visiting global historical sites.

While different families take different educational approaches, from fully self-directed learning to alternative online options, the worldschooling experience is designed for learners to deepen their curiosity and understanding of the world, and apply their learning to real-world contexts.

Why are families choosing worldschooling?

There are many benefits to worldschooling, with families citing a variety of key reasons for choosing the nomad life:

• Ā Cultural Exposure: traveling the world facilitates increased cultural exposure and global citizenship, with learners connecting with people from a range of different backgrounds and cultures. It helps foster a global perspective and understanding of the world which is almost impossible to emulate in the traditional classroom.
• Ā Real-World Learning: worldschooling opens up a world (pun intended!) of opportunities for learners to connect their learning to real-world experiences. It helps avoid the age-old ā€œWhy am I learning this?ā€ and instead connects learning as part of a day to day way of life.
• Ā Flexibility: learners can progress at their own pace and explore topics they are passionate about. Worldschooling enables families to choose and shape their childā€™s learning experience to suit their needs and lifestyle.

While worldschooling may not be the right fit for everyone, and certainly requires more active engagement in your childā€™s educational and social activities, it really can open up a whole new perspective and way of connecting with the world.

Worldschooling approaches & curriculum options

So, what types of educational options are there for families who are looking to worldschool their children? As with traditional school, there are plenty of different options, with no one-size-fits-all solution:

Unschooling

Unschooling gives families complete freedom over their childā€™s educational journey by designing all learning activities themselves. Focusing on curiosity-led topics and primarily facilitated by parents, this option is for those who donā€™t want to follow any type of structured program or curriculum. While this offers a lot of flexibility, this may have risks later down the line if learners are hoping to attend university or college, and places the sole responsibility on parents to facilitate their childā€™s education.

Traditional School Programs

Many families choose to enroll in traditional online programs, or follow the traditional curriculum through a self-paced course. This allows learners to continue with their traditional school education, and complete relevant qualifications for higher education. This option works well for families who want to continue within the traditional education system.

Hybrid Learning Communities

For families who want to connect with other worldschoolers, hybrid learning communities can be a great option. Organizations like bring together digital nomad families across a range of countries and provide inspiring hybrid learning experiences.

Alternative online programs

But what about families who want structure and an accredited education without simply following the traditional school curriculum? If youā€™re looking for project-based and hands-on curricula, alternative online programs may be a great fit. Online schools like ĢĒŠÄAPP provide accredited diplomas while offering a project-based education that aligns with the values of worldschoolers: namely, connecting learning to the real world.

Case Study: Meet Vanessa, a worldschooling learner at ĢĒŠÄAPP

Meet Vanessa, one of our worldschooling learners at ĢĒŠÄAPP. She joins ĢĒŠÄAPP while traveling the world with her family, and is able to incorporate her passion for exploring the world within her projects.

At our school, we combine live interactive workshops with self-paced learning journeys, enabling Vanessa to balance traveling with regular social interaction with her friends and educators online. Our school community spans 30+ countries and 6 continents, meaning Vanessaā€™s peers reflect the diverse cultures and backgrounds of her traveling experiences.

±į±š°ł±šā€™s about her experience worldschooling while at ĢĒŠÄAPP:

ā€œHi, Iā€™m Vanessa and I travel the world while at ĢĒŠÄAPPā€¦I love ĢĒŠÄAPP, I have a few set online sessions that I have to attend, but the rest is up to me, I could do my work at 1 am or 1 pm, and it wouldn’t matter, as long as I get it done on time. But my favorite thing is the chance it has given me to follow my dream, seeing the world.ā€

Vanessa even explored her experience as a digital in a recent flourishing project, ā€œFinding Happiness Everydayā€, where she documented her joy in the little things traveling the world. Check out her journey below:

Getting started with worldschooling

If youā€™re a family looking to get started with worldschooling, hereā€™s a couple of quick recommendations to explore while planning your familyā€™s adventure:

• Choosing an educational approach: Identify which educational approach aligns most with your values as a family. Whether you choose the fully unstructured unschooling route, or opt for an alternative online program like ĢĒŠÄAPP, it is helpful to explore a range of different options to identify which is the best fit for your child. If youā€™re choosing an online school, we recommend choosing which curriculum excites you, checking the schoolā€™s international accreditation, and also making sure the program is available across multiple time zones as you move around.
• Joining worldschooling communities: Traveling can feel quite daunting, especially if you donā€™t have a strong community in other parts of the world. Worldschooling community groups can be a wonderful way to make friends, get travel tips, and feel a sense of connection, especially as you start this new way of living.

Preparing for Takeoffā€¦

To sum up, worldschooling gives families a unique opportunity to align a meaningful educational experience with traveling the world. It offers flexibility, experiential learning and enables learners to connect their learning journey with real-world experiences.

There are plenty of exciting educational opportunities for families to choose from, ranging from parent-led unschooling, to online alternative options which connect travel with a global community of friends.

So, I guess all thatā€™s left to say is: where are you off to first?

The post Worldschooling: What It Is & How It Transforms Education first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

If youā€™re a parent exploring online schooling for your child, then youā€™re in the right place. This article will explore everything you need to know about online schooling. From the all-important ā€œWhat about university?ā€ question, to more practical tips on choosing the right school for your child, weā€™ll be deep-diving into all things online education.

So, without further ado, letā€™s get into it.

What is online schooling? A simple definition for parents & learners

Online schooling gives learners the opportunity to receive a high-quality educational experience from anywhere in the world. As in traditional schools, there are many types of online schooling, and it is important that you focus on finding the right fit for your family.

From fully asynchronous models allowing total flexibility in pace and structure, to live interactive models bringing together learners globally, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Different online schools offer different curricula, learning methodology, accessibility, pricing and accreditation, so we recommend reflecting first on your priorities before beginning your search.

Are you looking to simply move your childā€™s traditional school online?

Are you looking for total flexibility and to play an involved role at home?

Or, maybe youā€™re looking for an innovative school grounded in project-based learning and real-world experiences?

Either way, there are plenty of options out there for you to identify the best fit for you.

Types of online schools: Which model is right for your family?

So, letā€™s take a look at what types of online schools exist. Weā€™ll be breaking down different online school options by curriculum and learning modality.

Traditional vs Innovative Curriculum

Traditional online schools

Traditional online schools take the classical brick-and-mortar educational approach and move it to an online setting. These schools follow set curricula (for example, IGCSEs & A Levels, IB, CBSE, or US curriculum), and tend to have a rigid schedule and structure.

Think of these schools as the traditional schooling system taken online. This option is a good fit for families who are looking to replicate and follow a traditional exam-based curriculum at home.

Innovative online schools

But what about families who are frustrated with the traditional system? Families who are looking for an inspiring alternative? Families who want their childā€™s learning journey to be personalizable, meaningful, and future focused?

If this sounds like you, then an innovative online school might be a fit for your child. These schools, of which ĢĒŠÄAPP is one, focus on project-based learning, real-world experiences and global collaboration. They tend to follow their own unique interdisciplinary curriculum and assess learning through projects instead of exams.

Synchronous vs Asynchronous

Asynchronous

Fully asynchronous online schools are completely self-paced, with no live interaction with other learners or educators. This typically requires families at home to be more hands-on and supportive in terms of time management, giving feedback on homework and coordinating social activities outside of school.

This can be a good fit for families whose priority is complete flexibility in their childā€™s learning journey, and who want to be involved in some level with their childā€™s education themselves.

Synchronous

Synchronous online schools incorporate live teaching for learners around the world. Depending on the curriculum, the teaching style and weekly structure may vary.

For example, traditional online schools often mirror a traditional school day, with lessons, assemblies, and exams. They tend to host live classes, assemblies and exams, all taking place in an online setting.

Alternatively, innovative schools like ĢĒŠÄAPP utilize synchronous workshops to bring learners together for collaborative learning, problem-solving and group projects.

Curious to learn more? Letā€™s take a deep dive into how we learn at ĢĒŠÄAPP.

Case Study: Learning at ĢĒŠÄAPP

ĢĒŠÄAPP is an innovative online school where we learn by doing and having a positive impact on the world. We are internationally accredited by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges.

Learning at our school is a combination of live interactive workshops led by educators and personalized self-paced learning journeys. We follow a learning pedagogy called ā€œChallenge-Based Learningā€, where learners learn by tackling challenges instead of traditional ,siloed subjects. For example, learners might learn Math by exploring space architecture in Designing Space Habitats, or explore Politics & Sociology through Maintaining Global Peace.

Instead of assessing learning through rote memorization or exams, our learners develop projects that align with their passions. All learners receive 1:1 career advisory and support, and embark on a personal journey to human flourishing and wellbeing.

We coordinate workshops by timezone, and currently have learners spanning 30+ countries and 6 continents.

How does online schooling work day to day?

So what does a typical day in the life look like for an online learner? How does online school actually work?

It is important to note that no two schools are the same, so different learners will have vastly different daily experiences in different educational models. However, we can offer a deeper dive into what learning looks like at an innovative online school, (our school!) ĢĒŠÄAPP.

At our school, learners learn through a balance of live interactive workshops (3-4 hours a day, four days a week), and self-paced learning journeys.

Live, Interactive Workshops

We replace traditional subjects with daily challenge workshops, where learners are tackling real-world challenges like Understanding Minds, Protecting our Oceans, and Activism Through the Arts.

On a weekly basis, learners also participate in:

• Flourishing Workshops: interactive sessions exploring self-development, wellbeing and personal growth.
• Quant Lab: workshops led by specialist Quant Facilitators diving into mathematical reasoning and problem solving.
• Pathway Advisory: a weekly session for our high schoolers exploring life beyond high school, university admission, personal branding, and more.
• Action & Discovery Lab: weekly sessions for our middle schoolers focusing on foundational skills in English and Science.

We never lecture at our learners. Instead, workshops are highly interactive and consist of lots of activities, discussions, and games. You can check out an example of one of our challenge workshops for theĀ Designing Space HabitatsĢż³¦³ó²¹±ō±ō±š²Ō²µ±š to see this in action.

Self-Paced Learning Journeys

Every learner at our school has a personalized self-paced learning journey. As part of the onboarding process, all learners meet with a curriculum specialist to plan their personalized curriculum based on their goals and passions.

At the high school level, learners choose from project-based Skill Units, which dive deep into specific areas of our curriculum. Learners progress through these at their own pace, and receive feedback from educators. Examples include Designing with Nature, Data for Sustainable Development Goals, and Philosophies of Happiness.

All learners also build their own Flourishing Journey, applying topics from our Flourishing curriculum to their own personal growth journey.

Our Curriculum: The Human Literacies Framework

But, how do we know if learners are progressing?

We follow our own unique curriculum, The Human Literacies Framework. It is based on research from OECD, WEF and extensively benchmarked against the American Common Core Standards, UAE, European and Australian Qualifications Frameworks to ensure rigor.

Learners are assessed across 8 main Literacy Areas: Thought, Flourishing, Discovery, Creativity, Action, Society, Quantitative & Technology.

Learners meet credit areas in our curriculum through project-based, formative assessments (through their challenges, skill units & flourishing journey). The result? A more holistic, personalized journey focused on skill development and mastery as opposed to memorization.

Benefits of online schooling for learners

So, why might families be exploring online schooling? There are lots of benefits to learning online:

• Flexibility: One of the biggest benefits of online schooling is flexibility. Learning online means families can maintain a consistency, high-quality education from anywhere in the world! In fact, we see many coming to us for this very reason. Similarly, for learners who are athletes, musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs, this flexibility enables them to fit school around their passions.
• Personalization: Online schooling can offer greater levels of personalization. At our school, all learners have a personalized curriculum and receive 1:1 feedback from educators on their projects. Our curriculum is designed to give learners choice and freedom to follow their passions and develop projects that align with their interests.
• Global community: With online schools, the world is truly your classroom. This is a fantastic benefit to online schooling, with diverse school communities spanning multiple countries, continents, cultures, and backgrounds. Some schools, like ĢĒŠÄAPP, also offer financial aid programs to ensure diversity in socio-economic background.

What challenges should you be aware of?

While online schooling can offer lots of meaningful advantages, it is not the right fit for all families. Families who choose online schooling can expect to play a more active role in shaping the social life and extracurriculars for their children.

However, thatā€™s not to say that online school is not social. Innovative online schools like ours opt for interactive live workshops instead of lecture-based content. At our school, learners are working together on group projects, games, and extracurriculars with plenty of time to bond. In fact, one of the things our families love most about our school is the global community of learners, with some of our learners even visiting each other in different parts of the world!

To support families with in-person socialization, we also partner with homeschooling communities globally through our Learning Hubs (in UK, UAE & USA). Learners in select regions can access in-person social activities, excursions, and even internships in their local cities through our community partners. We highly recommend all families who are exploring online school to connect with other homeschooling families and communities in their local area to enrich their childā€™s social circle.

Lastly, we also coordinate an annual gathering every year for families to come together offline and connect in person. We rotate continents each year to make it as accessible as possible for families.

How to choose the right online school for your family

As weā€™ve explored in this article, there are many different types of online schools, each serving families with different educational priorities. When choosing the right online school for you, we recommend reflecting on the following questions:

• What curriculum do I want my child to follow?
• What style of learning works best for my child?
• How many hours a week do I want my child to be learning?
• What accreditation and graduation outcomes do I want for my child?

Most online schools offer open days or opportunities to chat with their ĢĒŠÄAPP representatives to learn more. This can also be a great way to ensure the schoolā€™s values and priorities align with your own.

FAQs about online schooling

Before we wrap up, letā€™s delve into some frequently asked questions about online schooling:

• How much does online school cost? The pricing of online schools varies depending on the school and learning style. Fully asynchronous schools (with no educator communication) tend to be cheaper than models that combine live workshops and self-paced learning. That being said, many online schools (including ĢĒŠÄAPP) offer financial aid programs, making them accessible to all.
• Is online school accredited? Many online schools are accredited – you can usually check out their accreditation on their website. ĢĒŠÄAPP is internationally accredited by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges ().
• Can online students go to university? While it varies depending on region and university, universities are generally accepting of online schools. Some may require learners to take external qualifications such as the APs, A-Levels or IB. At our school, some of our learners choose to prepare for the APs & SATs to meet this requirement. For more depth on this topic, see Rayaā€™s article on diploma recognition for online schools.
• Can parents be involved? Different schools will offer different degrees of parental involvement. For fully asynchronous schools, parents will likely be more hands-on than in schools that offer live teaching. At our school, there is no obligation for parental facilitation – instead, we look for collaboration with families to ensure learners are supported at home with things like socialization and a comfortable working environment. At the middle school level, we also offer session plans as an option for parents who want to facilitate some workshops offline.

Final thoughts: Is online schooling right for you?

So letā€™s recap – is online schooling the right fit for your family?

In this article, weā€™ve taken a look at three main models of online education: traditional school online, fully asynchronous, and progressive online models. Each offers different strengths and represents varied educational values. Many families who opt for online education do so because of the increased flexibility, personalization, and global outlook these schools provide.

It is important to emphasize that there is no one-size-fits-all model for education, so it is essential that you reflect on your familyā€™s educational values before you make a decision.

We highly recommend connecting with schools which you feel align with your values, and connecting with their ĢĒŠÄAPP Team to learn more.

Explore online learning at ĢĒŠÄAPP

Are you exploring ĢĒŠÄAPP as an option for your childā€™s educational journey?

Weā€™d love to hear from you! If youā€™d like to chat with our ĢĒŠÄAPP Team to learn more, please reach out toĀ admissions@sofhumanity.com to book a time to chat.

Weā€™re excited to learn more about you and your familyā€™s educational goals.Ā 

The post How does online schooling work? A beginners guide for parents & learners first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

You’d probably think of rows of desks, assemblies, and (slightly questionable) school dinners. You’d almost definitely think of textbooks, exams, and lectures. And, in most parts of the world, you’d be right.

Despite unprecedented exponential growth in technology and our world becoming increasingly digitized, the global schooling system has remained unchanged since the industrial era. With a continued focus on memorization and standardization within localized communities, our traditional system is antithetical to our society at large, which is global, diverse, and unique.

But, learning does not have to be this way.

In this article, we’ll explore the rise of online learning, and cover everything-you-need-to-know as a parent considering online schooling for your child. Using ĢĒŠÄAPP as a case study, we’ll deep-dive into global recognition, higher education, learner satisfaction, and how to find the right online school for you.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s begin.

What is an online school?

Different Types of online schools

As with brick-and-mortar schools, there are many types of online schools, which range in curriculum, learning model, schedule, price, time zone, teaching style and more:

• Traditional online schools: These schools take the traditional system online. They tend to teach a standardized curriculum, have a fairly rigid curriculum & structure, and focus heavily on exams.
• Asynchronous online schools: These are schools with no live workshops, with completely asynchronous learning. They typically include recordings of lectures, and fully asynchronous communication with educators.
• Progressive online schools: These are schools that innovative their curriculum as well as modality. ĢĒŠÄAPP is an example of a progressive online school, with learners learning through projects and internships, collaborating with learners globally, and having flexibility in schedule through live interactive workshops and self-paced learning.

Global Recognition and higher education

A common misconception of online schools is that they are not ā€œreal schoolsā€, and that it is impossible for learners to go to university if they have not attended a physical in-person school. This is not the case.

While it of course depends on the school you choose, many online schools are internationally accredited, and offer globally recognized qualifications and diplomas. For example, ĢĒŠÄAPP is internationally accredited by WASC, with graduating learners receiving a US High School Diploma. Our advanced credits are benchmarked against the AP exams (which are globally recognized), giving learners the option to complete these if they choose to do so for university admission.

You can learn more about what accreditation means for families in Dr Kevin House’s recent article: Deep-dive into WASC Accreditation and What Kinds of Advantages It Presents.

Additionally, many virtual schools also have school licenses in their country. For example, ĢĒŠÄAPP is licensed as a virtual school out of the US.

Why do families choose online schools?

Flexibility & Accessibility

In a post-pandemic world, it is unsurprising that we are seeing a huge global shift towards remote working and digital nomadism. At present, nearly . With projecting that by 2025, 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely (an increase of 16.8 million people from pre-pandemic rates), and an estimated , this trend is showing no sign of slowing.

So what does this mean for families? In short, it’s all about flexibility.

Whether you are a fully remote digital nomad, a hybrid worker, or a 9-5 officer worker, traditional schooling means you are tied to one area on a fixed schedule (at least during term-time). For many learners, attending a school building every day, from 7:30am – 4pm, 5 days a week, can feel extremely prohibitive.

So, it is unsurprising that these families are looking for alternatives. They’re looking for a credible, inspiring, and flexible school for their child. Unlike the traditional online schools (which typically take the traditional school schedule and place it online), at our school we learn through a combination of live workshops and self-paced learning. With around three hours of fixed workshops four-days a week (yes, four days a week!), we give families freedom to fit their schooling around their travel, work and other commitments.

Meet Vanessa, a digital nomad attending ĢĒŠÄAPP

Meet Vanessa, a digital nomad who is travelling the world with her family. She joined our school as she was looking for a flexible and meaningful online school to complement her nomadic lifestyle.

Personalization

Another key benefit to online learning is its personalizable nature. Traditional schooling systems are not fit for all, and are leaving many families globally dissatisfied. With a finding that satisfaction in K-12 education is at an all-time low, and reporting that ā€œoutdated and repetitiveā€ curricula are failing to prepare learners for the future, progressive online schooling provides an alternative to memorization and exams.

ĢĒŠÄAPP couples online learning with an innovative, project-based curriculum, which is personalized to each learner. This means that each learner can focus on their passions and interests, and tailor their curriculum to meet the post-graduation pathway of their choosing. Our curriculum is also mastery-based, meaning learners progress based on ability, not age.

Meet Brielle, a budding entrepreneur from Dubai

Brielle is one of our high schoolers based in Dubai. She has a passion for making a positive impact, and has been developing projects which tackle global issues including global illiteracy, and food insecurity.

Through tackling the Food, Water & Energy Security challenge at our school, Brielle developed an AI-powered app which connects fertilizer companies to restaurants, tackling food insecurity through circular economy principles.

The flexible nature of our school has enabled her to present her project at Museum of the Future in Dubai, and pitch at GITEX, the world’s largest technology conference.

Global Experiences & Collaboration

One of the biggest challenges with traditional schooling is its locality. A physical campus inevitably limits the diversity of perspectives, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds within the classroom.

Alternatively, by its very nature, online schooling is designed to connect learners across the world, and facilitate global collaboration. Through group projects, internships, and extracurriculars, online schooling enables learners to make friends from around the world, and develop a global perspective and understanding of the world around them.

Our school brings together learners from 23 countries across 5 continents

With learners from 23 countries across 5 continents (and counting!), ĢĒŠÄAPP is designed for global collaboration, and positive human progress.

Time for extracurriculars and passion projects

Traditional schooling leaves little room for and provides no formal recognition of, extracurriculars or passion projects. Many high school athletes, musicians, artists, game developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs are unable to receive recognition of their accomplishments within their school transcript. Adding to this, they have limited flexibility to dedicate time to their craft and are unable to combine these passions within their day-to-day schooling career.

Again, progressive online schooling provides an alternative. With flexible schedules and a personalizable curriculum, our school enables learners to earn credits through evidencing extracurriculars and passion projects.

Meet Emily & Hursh, high school athletes living in Chile & UAE

Emily (from Chile) and Hursh (from the UAE) are both athletes attending ĢĒŠÄAPP. Emily is a rower, winning multiple medals in the Chile National Rowing Championship. Hursh is a tennis player, winning 5 u16 tournaments, 2 u18 tournaments, and 1 adult tournament to date.

Both Emily and Hursh joined ĢĒŠÄAPP to enable their continued education alongside their sporting commitments.

Getting started with online schooling: Tips for parents

Sound like online schooling might be a fit for your family? Here are some top tips we recommend when exploring online schooling for the first time:

• Make a list of priorities: Why are you choosing online schooling? What is a non-negotiable for your family? Maybe this is flexibility in schedule, a personalized curriculum, or something else. This will help you determine which online schooling approach is right for you.
• Identify the right curriculum for you: Whether you opt for a traditional model online, or a fully progressive model like ĢĒŠÄAPP, be driven by your priorities and educational values.
• Join a socialization community: We partner with homeschooling communities globally to facilitate socialization, in-person activities, extracurriculars and events for our learners. Make sure you connect with other online schoolers, or develop a socialization plan to complement your child’s schooling experience.

Online schooling: Your child’s journey awaits

Now, if I ask you to picture school, what do you envision?

I hope this deep dive into the world of online schooling has opened up a horizon of new possibilities for you and your family. Through heightened personalization, flexibility, space for extracurriculars, and diversity in perspectives, families globally are turning to online schooling to complement their lifestyles.

Through online schooling, education becomes interconnected to travel, exploration, and real-world experiences. Far from learning being confined to the four walls of a classroom, this approach integrates learning into everyday life, giving you and your child a new way of viewing themselves, their life experiences, and the world around them.

The post From High School to Home School: How online learning is changing education first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

Enter, panic mode.

For parents with high-school-age children, this ā€œfearā€ is typically enhanced even further. With exams, university preparation, and career discussions around the corner, these stressors only become more exacerbated when your child is not in school. It is easy to get caught up in what other families are doing with their free time and start spiralling. Hello to panic-booking tutors, strict revision timetables, and intense academic summer school programs.

Surely there’s another way?

The Future of Work

In an exponentially changing world, we know that now more than ever, it is vital young people are prepared for their future. With the digital skills gap set to cost G20 countries up to $11.5 trillion in cumulative GDP growth if not addressed (Accenture, 2018), typical knowledge-based courses, or exam preparation alone is simply not enough.

Moreover, the World Economic Forum’s data (Future of Jobs Report, 2023) on the most important skills for workers in 2023, among which the top skills feature Analytical Thinking, Resilience, Creativity, Motivation & Curiosity, suggests that an unwavering commitment to grades may be doing our young people a disservice.

With 80% of learners feeling that high school has not or will not prepare them with the skills they need for the workforce (Global Strategy Group, 2021), now more than ever, parents are turning to extra-curricular and supplementary educational programs to enhance their kids’ educational journey.

The Origins of ā€œSummer Schoolā€: Summer Learning Loss

Coupled with this, some research suggests that ā€œSummer Learning Lossā€ (sometimes referred to as ā€œsummer setbackā€, or ā€œsummer slideā€) can be a real problem for learners (, Summer learning loss: What is it, and what can we do about it?, 2017).

With one study finding that learners lose, on average, 25-30% of their school-year learning over the summer (cited in , 2017), it is important that all learners are kept intellectually stimulated during their summer break.

So, how can you ensure that the summer program you choose will actually benefit your child?

Summer Learning: A Changing Landscape

Historically, ā€œSummer Schoolā€ was a relatively narrow term used to refer to additional school during the Summer holidays. Such programs typically focussed on content, or subject-based knowledge, with the primary aim of preparing children for the next academic year.

With a plethora of courses available today deriving from these origins, it should come as no shock that many summer programs focus on developing knowledge only, and take a relatively standardized approach to teaching and learning.

And, with literally millions of options (Google provided me with over 47,100,000 results upon searching for ā€œSummer School for High Schoolersā€), it can be really hard as a parent to identify programs that align with your educational values, and your child’s personal goals.

So, as a parent, how can you cut through the noise and find the right summer program for your child?

Cutting Through The Noise: Finding Your Why

For parents looking to adequately prepare their children for life beyond high school, it is easy to get caught up in the panic surrounding exams and grades. It can be helpful to zoom out and identify what you are really looking for.

This could include asking yourself some challenging questions, and exploring the following themes:

• Curiosity: What are my child’s interests? Do they have a particular passion they want to explore?
• Real-World Experiences: Is my child adequately exposed to real-world experiences? Have they participated in any internships, or received any mentorship from industry leaders before?
• Skill Development: Is my child equipped with the skills they need for the future of work? Or is a focus on memorization deprioritizing other areas like leadership, creativity, or empathy?
• Emotional Intelligence: Is my child emotionally intelligent, and able to identify their purpose and goals?
• Personal Branding: Does my child understand personal branding, and are they able to craft their own CV, resume, and LinkedIn profiles?
• Career Advice: Is my child exposed to a range of different post-graduation opportunities, or have they been focussing on one pathway only?

Upon reflecting on the themes above with your child, it can be helpful to draft a checklist of areas for growth and further development, which can then be great in narrowing your search.

From Knowledge, to Skills & Experiences

A great starting point is to identify programs that focus on combining knowledge, skills, and practical experiences as opposed to purely lecture-style content.

Not only does this ensure your child will actually be applying the knowledge they are learning, but this allows them to build up their own portfolio of personal projects and internships, and to expand their professional network.

Learning Through Challenges

For example, at our , real-world experiences are interwoven into the learning journey. Learners learn by tackling a global challenge (ranging from Ethical AI to Future of Medicine), and identifying a sub-challenge they want to investigate and solve (for a deeper dive into this learning methodology, see my earlier article, A Glimpse into Challenge-Based Learning).

This approach relies on learning in the context of reality, as new knowledge and skills are developed with the purpose of tackling complex global problems.

Real Experience & Industry Expertise

Additionally, identify courses that guarantee real-world experiences like internships and mentorship.

All learners in our programs receive mentorship from industry experts, whose role is to guide and support learners on their personal projects with industry expertise. We also provide all learners with a guaranteed micro-internship at the end of the program, meaning learners can apply the knowledge and skills they have developed to a real problem a company is facing.

Imagine your child receiving guidance on their Designing Space Habitats project from an expert in the Space Industry, or working for a pioneering Fin-Tech firm after embarking on the Conscious Capitalism challenge. When learning is viewed in this way, you’ll find it is no longer captured in a report-card, but through cutting-edge, exciting opportunities.

From One-Size-Fits-All, to Personalization

Another common struggle among parents and learners is a typically standardized approach to higher education, which is interwoven throughout the education system. Whether this is geared towards specific universities or industries, it can be difficult to find out what is really the right pathway for your child.

In fact, with 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 not even having been invented yet (Institute for the Future, Dell Technologies), it is even more important that your child is equipped with the skills and mindsets to identify their own purpose, and to flourish as a whole human, as opposed to training for one niche industry.

Why not identify programs that explore today’s much-needed social-emotional skills? From collaborating with others to leadership and self-reflection, programs that incorporate elements of human flourishing represent what is so commonly lacking from an exam-based system.

All programs at ĢĒŠÄAPP focus on the individualized journey each learner is embarking on. We understand there is no one-size-fits-all, and instead, encourage each learner to develop their own self-reflective tools through our flourishing workshops. During our Summer School, each learner will embark on their own personal journey of self-discovery, designed to reduce stress, and increase self-understanding and motivation.

Summer 2024: Your Child’s Future Awaits!

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to say goodbye to the summer holiday ā€œscariesā€, and hello to empowering your child with the tools they need for their future.

One thing’s for sure, this is just the beginning of their journey.

The post Summer School Programs for Ambitious Learners: Finding the Right Program for Your Child first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

With parents globally wanting their children to flourish, learn, and enjoy their schooling, many are starting to question whether a traditional brick-and-mortar school is the best option in todayā€™s world. In fact, there was an estimated home-educating children in the US alone during the past academic year.

With in the US citing dissatisfaction with academic instruction within schools as a main reason for home-educating, this growing trend in education shows no signs of slowing down.

So, I hear you ask, how can I decide whether home education is right for my child?

Well, youā€™re in luck. This article will explore different types of homeschooling, examine the benefits and challenges of homeschooling high schoolers, and lay out some tips and tricks for new homeschooling families.

Keep reading to learn more!

What is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling is an approach to education that takes place at home, as opposed to a physical in-person school. It has been a growing trend in education from the 1960s US to becoming a more worldwide phenomenon in the 21st century.

With experiencing negative feelings towards going to school, many families have questioned the effectiveness of traditional brick-and-mortar education for its standardized, narrow, and one-size-fits-all approach.

Homeschooling, on the other hand, provides flexibility for parents and learners. It encourages personalization and application of learning to the real world. As found, only 37% of the knowledge we learn in schools is used later in life. Can homeschooling provide an effective alternative? Does homeschooling provide an inspiring and meaningful learning experience for teenagers?

Letā€™s take a deeper look.

It must be noted that, like in-person schools, homeschooling comes in many different forms, each with its own benefits and areas for improvement.

Just some examples include:

1. Unschooling

An approach where learners are guided by their own interests. Parents using this approach do not tend to follow a strict curriculum, but instead, encourage their children to explore their passions. This approach really focuses on agency, flexibility, and personalization, though a drawback may be a lack of qualifications or real-world work experiences after graduation.

2. Traditional Curricula Online

This approach is most aligned with what many of us experienced during the pandemic – children are enrolled in an online school that follows a traditional curriculum. While this approach could encompass greater flexibility than an in-person experience, this approach to homeschooling is typically the least flexible and hands-on. Learners are working towards exams, albeit from the comfort of home.

3. Traditional Curricula Delivered by Parents

Like the Traditional Curricula Online option, this approach involves parents taking a standardized, exam-based curriculum and delivering it at home. Despite more scope for connecting with parents, and potentially a more interactive learning style, this approach still ultimately focuses on exams and grades when learners reach High School age.

4. Progressive Curricula Online

An option that has been growing in popularity over the past few decades is Progressive Curricula Online. This is an approach where a learner is enrolled in an online High School which has a progressive learning model.

Typical features of such a school may include an interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum that focuses on real-world experiences instead of exams and grades. Learning here could be assessed by projects, internships, and extra-curricular activities, and has a focus on igniting curiosity, and providing a flexible and personalized learning journey. There are a growing number of progressive online schools, of which is just one option.

This approach reimagines what education can be, and places learner agency and flexibility above standardized approaches. A common misconception about these schools is their lack of recognition. At ĢĒŠÄAPP, our curriculum is benchmarked against the AP exams, and all learners graduate with a High School Diploma and (which can be converted to a GPA Transcript).

So, how, as a parent, can you decide what is right for your child?

Why Choose Homeschooling for High School?

When deciding whether or not to homeschool your child for High School, it is important to evaluate their needs and wants. Start by thinking about the following questions: Are they thriving in their current environment? What works well for them? What isnā€™t working so well? Do they like school? If so, what do they like about it? Are there any elements theyā€™d like to change?

Drawing on your answers, letā€™s dive into two of the most commonly cited reasons families choose homeschooling: Flexibility, and Personalization.

Flexibility

There is growing recognition, particularly following the pandemic, that families and learners are craving more flexibility in their schedules. Attending a brick-and-mortar school restricts learning to specific days, times, and subjects. This connotes that learning is a fixed concept, and can only happen on the terms of the schoolsā€™ opening hours and subject offerings. This approach leaves no room for flexibility: What about extracurricular commitments? Family time? Maybe your child works better in the mornings or the afternoons?

Homeschooling can be a great way to encourage flexibility and agency in your child. By curating their learning experiences to suit their schedule, learning can happen on their terms, and complement their passions instead of conflicting with them. It also opens up flexibility for you as a family – think about how your routines may look different if learning can happen anywhere.

For example, one of our learners, Nathaniel, recently joined ĢĒŠÄAPP from a holiday in Mexico!

Personalization

Homeschooling also allows parents and learners to personalize their learning journey. Particularly if you take an unschooling or progressive curricula route, homeschooling can open up endless possibilities to learn.

This is particularly important for high school learners, who are typically curious and seeking out their next steps beyond graduation. By allowing them to personalize their education to their interests, homeschooling can unlock new skills, passions, and projects as your child is no longer conforming to a traditional standard of what education and learning should be.

For example – maybe your child is really passionate about tackling climate change, but also has an interest in biology, genetics, and the brain. Imagine them learning those skills through a project focussed on the impacts of pollution on human cognition, or developing a research proposal and presentation to raise awareness for the issue. Maybe your child loves art and wants to understand equitable access to resources in lower-income countries – imagine them learning by creating a portfolio of works to explore this.

Homeschooling in this way removes the restrictions of traditional education and instead encourages and facilitates personalized progress and in-depth learning.

Getting Started with Homeschooling

So, weā€™ve outlined some different homeschooling approaches and discussed some of the benefits homeschooling can bring to high schoolers. But how can families get started with homeschooling?

Find some helpful steps to consider for your family:

1. Research Legal Requirements

Depending on where you are in the world, there will be different legal requirements for homeschooling your child. For example, Emiratis in the UAE can only do homeschooling if registered with the Rahal program. And, in Germany, homeschooling is illegal if you are not registered with a state-licensed school. Make sure to do your research before you make the switch. A great way we recommend is joining local homeschooling online community groups. Here you can find families who homeschool in your area, connect with them, and ask all of your questions!

2. Choosing an approach

Next up is choosing which type of homeschooling approach youā€™d like to follow. This can be split into two elements: first, choosing a learning model, and second, choosing a curriculum.

Choosing a Learning Model

Remember earlier when we outlined different learning approaches including unschooling, online schooling, and curricula taught by parents? Think about what is going to work best for you and your child. Perhaps you would like to be their learning facilitator and guide? Or, maybe youā€™d prefer for your child to enroll in an online school for an extended ecosystem of educators and support.

Some families may choose to incorporate a mix of different approaches by combining online courses with parent-led hands-on learning experiences. Donā€™t forget that each familyā€™s journey is different – that is the beauty of homeschooling!

Choosing a Curriculum

As your child nears High School age, it is important to think about what type of curriculum youā€™d like to follow, if any. Again, think about what is going to work best for your child. There are a host of different options for different types of learning. You may choose to follow a traditional exam-based curriculum, or you may be drawn to more progressive and interactive approaches.

This involves research – we recommend first outlining your priorities and working from those. Some questions we recommend asking yourself include:

• How does my child learn best?
• What does my child enjoy about learning?
• Are there any specific qualifications my child would like to obtain?
• Which ways of evidencing learning are most appealing to my child (ie – exams, projects, presentations, etc)?

Once you have clarity on the above, this should help narrow your search. For example, if your child enjoys hands-on interactive learning which can be heavily personalized and evidenced in multiple ways, yet would still like an option to obtain qualifications, you may choose to look into Progressive Online Schooling.

3. Find Your Community

Before launching into your homeschooling journey, join a homeschooling community group. This could be online or in-person, and it is a great opportunity to learn from each other, as well as to provide your child with some new homeschooling friends. Homeschooling families at ĢĒŠÄAPP have really emphasized to us the importance of this community feeling – by becoming a homeschooling family you really are joining a global tribe of like-minded families and friends!

4. Socialization Opportunities

To complement your homeschooling community, make sure to plan other opportunities for in-person socialization for your child. This could be a continuation of their current extracurriculars – sports, music, arts, and more! These donā€™t need to be tied to educational topics but are more to ensure your child is getting in-person experiences and connections with other people their age.

5. Preparation for Post-High School

Even if you take the unschooling route, it is important to think about how your child will be prepared for life post-high school. This could include seeking out internship or work experience opportunities for them, introducing them to professionals from a variety of industries, or working on building out their own portfolio of projects to build their personal brand. Often, homeschooling learners are actually more employable than traditional learners as they are encouraged to think creatively and innovatively, as well as being more open to alternative ways of thinking and learning. Research from the confirmed this, indicating that homeschoolers do better in tests than regular schoolers, and do better in college.

Endless Possibilities: Your Journey Starts Now

To conclude, homeschooling could be a fantastic option for your teenager if they are seeking a personalized, flexible, and real-world approach to learning.

Whether they are looking for something more structured through a traditional online curriculum, or are excited to work on meaningful real-world projects, there are endless possibilities that you as a parent can explore for your High School journey.

We wish you all the best on your homeschooling journey and hope that we can play but a small part in it.

The post Homeschooling: A Guide for Parents Considering High School Alternatives first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

ĢĒŠÄAPP is flipping that narrative.

By providing termly micro-internship opportunities for our learners, every single learner at ĢĒŠÄAPP has the opportunity to participate in a guaranteed micro-internship every term for their entire High School period.

By the time our learners graduate, they will have worked with around 12 different organizations, in some of the most upcoming innovative and progressive industries to ensure they are prepared for life after High School. We source all of our learnerā€™s internships through our extensive network of partnerships and connections, ensuring that our learners work with innovative and leading organizations from around the world.

Curious to find out what kinds of internships our learners have been participating in recently? Read on to learn about Cohort Jupiterā€™s experiences at and .

Lemu

Half the learners tackling the Our Common Humanity Challenge were paired with Lemu. Lemu is a data-based digital platform where technology and nature co-exist. They have designed an app for individuals to explore, connect and invest in nature. Lemu bridge organizations that protect biodiversity with individuals & companies enabling them to comprehensively support local conservation initiatives globally, making a positive, verifiable impact on the planet.

Given the scope of the climate crisis, it is imperative that as many people get involved as possible. Whether this is through education, sharing content, or funding, all of these outcomes can be achieved through Lemu. Lemu is particularly interested in attracting younger users, due to the fact that such individuals are likely to be more engaged with similar initiatives and projects.

±į±š°ł±šā€™s where our learners came in!

Their challenge: Attracting more Gen Zs and Millennials to Lemu, developing its visibility among young users, and ensuring a real impact against climate change.

Our learners immediately got busy! Keep scrolling to learn about their solution.

The Solution: TikTok & App Information Carousel

Through taking a deep dive into Lemuā€™s social media presence, our learners found that interest from the target demographic, ie. Gen Z and Millennials, could be boosted.

TikTok

Their first solution? Expanding the reach of Lemu through the popular social media platform TikTok. Our learners identified TikTok as a key actor in galvanizing younger climate activists. By conducting research into the ways in which TikTok can be utilized to spread the word about Lemu, our learners proposed the following avenues:

Prototype Video

Our learners created this video to showcase Lemu, and attract young users. The video takes the form of an advert, and can also be extended to other social media platforms:

TikTok Trends

Alongside this, our learners identified the power of online trends, and their ability to quickly send companies viral. By using popular trends, our learners created this video to spread the word about Lemu in a way that is relatable to younger activists:

Hashtags

Finally, our learners researched the relevant hashtags which could help improve Lemuā€™s visibility on TikTok:

#naturecommunications #nature #naturecaptures

With guidance from our learners, Lemu is now ready to take on TikTok!

Information Carousel

Another suggestion from our learners was adapting the appā€™s sign-up page. Our learners highlighted that upon downloading the app, there was little information explaining the purpose or goal of Lemu. Our learners proposed inserting an information carousel to combat this issue, and to spread the word about Lemu:

To complement the TikTok campaign and app information carousel, our learners also prepared a detailed report evidencing the findings from their research around Lemuā€™s visibility to younger audiences.

Over the course of the two weeks, our learners developed their market research, social media strategizing, and design skills, all whilst promoting sustainability!

Life Project 4 Youth

The second group of learners on the Our Common Humanity challenge were partnered with Life Project 4 Youth. Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y) Alliance is a federation of 17 organizations in 14 countries, whose mission is to develop innovative solutions for the professional and social inclusion of young people from extreme poverty and victims of exclusion. LP4Y supports the inclusion of thousands of young people and their families in 48 programs, 19 Training Development Centers, 6 Little Angels Academies, 6 Green Villages, 2LP4Y Labs, in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and America.

With half of the 1.2 billion youth globally today facing exclusion, LP4Yā€™s mission is more important now than ever. As the job market is closed to so many of todayā€™s youth, raising awareness surrounding this social exclusion is crucial for global development.

The challenge proposed to our learners related to creativity: How can LP4Y create simple and efficient messages to spread through social networks?

The Solution: A Social Media Re-Vamp!

Following a delve into LP4Yā€™s social media content, our learners identified a number of gaps. As a result, the solution our learners proposed took the form of a social media strategy, and the suggestion of adding a social media intern to LP4Yā€™s team.

Social Media Strategy

Our learners reviewed LP4Ys current social strategy and found that there were certain areas which could be improved upon and that this, consequently, would generate more activity, more followers and more engagement. Accordingly, they developed a social media strategy to propel LP4Yā€™s social media to reach a wider global audience.

Their recommendations included:

• Branching out to YouTube, TikTok, Instagram & Snapchat
• Posting at optimal times as proposed by market research
• Targeting different ages via different platforms (for example, Facebook for adults, Instagram & TikTok for younger users)
• Setting post goals:
  • minimal text
  • cohesive color scheme
  • simplicity
  • bolder & stand-out content
• Setting follower goals:
  • keep up with trends
  • conduct further research into the proposed audience
  • launch competitions
  • connect with relevant influencers

Social Media Intern Job Description

To carry out the social media recommendations, our learners also proposed the opening of a new role to the LP4Y team – a social media intern. Our learners prepared a job description and outline of the roleā€™s responsibilities.

The social media policy report & intern job description were well received by the LP4Y team, who said they were 100% satisfied with the work done by the ĢĒŠÄAPP learners!

All in a dayā€™s workā€¦

After only one term at ĢĒŠÄAPP, our learners are already growing their skills and experience through real-world internships. With feedback from the intern partners highlighting their satisfaction with the work produced, it is clear these micro-internships are powerful for harnessing the youth perspective for innovative organizations. We canā€™t wait to see what our learners develop nextā€¦

Want to partner with our learners? Get in touch via hello@sofhumanity.com to learn more.

The post Micro-internship: High school term 1 first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.

On September 5th, 2022, 20 high school learners embarked on an adventure. Spanning 9 countries, and 8 time zones, and joining from a mixture of educational backgrounds, our founding Cohort Jupiter are an eclectic and curious bunch.

In their quest as pioneers, these learners undertook personalizable, flexible, and most importantly, meaningful learning journeys. ĢĒŠÄAPPā€™s alignment with learner agency, holistic assessment, and innovative education directly challenge traditional models, which unquestioningly associate learning with memorization, rigidity, and conformity.

And, our emphasis on human flourishing in the midst of a has been endorsed by both our learners and their families as a fundamental pillar of our curriculum, one which is all too commonly sidelined in lieu of ā€œacademic successā€.

At ĢĒŠÄAPP, learners embark on challenges instead of courses. The journey so far has been pretty epic, with our learners tackling challenges spanning two broad themes – Our Common Humanity, and The Future of the Internet, Media & Democracy. Our challenge-based learning system means that, instead of learning being segregated into specific disciplines (such as Math, English, Science), our learners learn crucial content through challenges that encompass a range of topics.

And that isnā€™t even the best part – not only is each challenge personalizable to each learnerā€™s interests, but at the end of each term, our learners participate in internships with real organizations to exercise the skills and knowledge they have gained.

But, I hear you ask, what do the learners at ĢĒŠÄAPP actually learn? And this type of education canā€™t possibly be recognized by universities or employers? Right?

Our learners will all graduate with a High School Diploma, and aĀ , which is gaining significant global traction from some of the worldā€™s most elite universities, includingĀ . Unlike a traditional grade-based approach, this transcript evidences the transferrable skills learners have evidenced through tackling their termly challenges.

For more depth on the global recognition of challenge-based learning, see Raya Bidshahriā€™s article onĀ challenge-based learning.

So without further ado, letā€™s dive into Cohort Jupiterā€™s first term at ĢĒŠÄAPP to see challenge-based learning in action.

Our Common Humanity

What is it that makes us distinctly human? Which qualities separate us from the animal world and machines? How do humans successfully co-exist with a decline in biodiversity and a rise in machine learning? These are just some of the questions our learners have been grappling with this term.

In this challenge, our learners have learned about what makes humans unique. As well as the biological and emotional aspects of human life, learners have investigated the human characteristics of belief, religion, culture, and rituals.

They approached the challenge from the lense of biology, anthropology, technology, psychology, and more.

Upon engaging with the big questions surrounding evolution, genetics, language acquisition, technological innovation, and artificial intelligence (to name but a few!), our learners have each chosen a ā€œsub-challengeā€ to tackle.

Here are some of the projects and solutions our learners are working on:

• Brielle has designed an educational solution for children prioritizing work over education due to poor living conditions in low-income countries
• Arthur has developed a training plan designed to shift the Welsh value system and change perceptions of ā€œfailureā€ to tackle the lack of motivation during childhood from families, which has led to generational cycles of poverty
• Elliana has used machine learning to develop an online platform that identifies injuries from physical child abuse

Following the development of their own projects, our learners have all participated in a micro-internship with . Life Project 4 Youth Alliance is a federation of 17 organizations in 14 countries whose mission is to develop innovative solutions for the professional and social inclusion of young people from extreme poverty.

The challenge for our learners: Create simple and efficient messages which can be used to generate awareness of youth exclusion globally.

Stay tuned for next monthā€™s blog post to find out how they got on!

Future of the Internet: Media & Democracy

As the internet and media continue to evolve into public online spaces, how will the role of democracy continue to adapt?

In this challenge, learners tackled the future of the internet from multiple disciplines. They explored history by questioning how the role of the media has shaped past societies; learned literature, media, sociology, politics, and more, through investigating how writers and artists have experienced mass surveillance and privacy issues in different societies.

By questioning how the internet influences different political systems around the world, our learners have not only explored external components but have taken time for introspection; reflecting on the impact the internet has had on their own lives.

Following this multidisciplinary dive into the future of the internet, our learners formulated their projects:

• Carina has written a policy paper to tackle climate change misinformation and denial
• Sidhi has developed an app and tech-business solution to threats posed by cookies
• Hejab has created a podcast exploring collective illusions in online spaces

Our learners were then partnered with – an organization using intelligence to uncover actionable insights. Likening themselves to a ā€œconductor of a world-class symphonyā€, Rethinkery uses technology to explore and act on growing trends.

In a post-pandemic world, Rethinkery set our learners the ultimate challenge: Explore the ways in which remote work could be improved over the next 5-10 years.

Curious to find out how our learners approached this? Make sure to come back next month, where we will be exploring term oneā€™s micro-internships in greater depth.

The skyā€™s the limit

It truly has been a jam-packed first term for Cohort Jupiter. From developing their first projects to connecting with like-minded changemakers from all over the world, one thingā€™s for certain – our learners are only getting started.

The post A Glimpse into Challenge-Based Learning first appeared on ĢĒŠÄAPP.