Nine Reasons Why You SHOULD Be Homeschooling with YouTube, and One Reason You SHOULDN’T.
YouTube: Dangerous Enemy or Powerful Ally?
In my blog post, “YouTube Schooling: Powerful Ally or Dangerous Enemy,” I explored the use of the social media platform as a powerful and useful learning tool. In our homeschool, we utilize free content for nearly every subject.
While I defend the use of YouTube in our homeschool as a learning aid, I want to make clear our use of the platform is not without caution. Make no mistake, YouTube safety is paramount. Parental controls and parenting monitoring are a must. For more on how our family stays safe on YouTube, check out my blog post here.
Reason # 1: Virtual Science Experiments (or Less Mess = Less Stress)
I love a good science experiment!
From the awesome wonders of looking through the lens of a microscope as the grainy oblong image of an onion skin sample comes into focus to the thrill of a baking soda + vinegar volcanic chemical reaction creation bubbling over in my kitchen sink, science rocks!
In our homeschool, we love science so much that we create videos on our YouTube channel to share our learning experiences with others.
But some days I just don’t have the energy (or patience) for the mess.
Voila! Virtual science experiments a la YouTube it is!
Some days I go straight to Bill Nye “old school.” On other days I research the topic we are studying, screen videos, and put together a playlist parent-approved playlist. We watch the video together, pausing along the way to discuss the steps of the scientific method.
Reason # 2: Explore New Places
When we began our journey as a homeschooling family, we were quite excited by the prospect of “travel schooling” or “road schooling” as it is often termed. We planned trips based on subjects we were studying in either history or science. And then…
The world shut down. 😔
While our travels have been relegated to stateside adventures only (and are now fewer and farther in between), we can still experience distant lands (both near and far away) all from the convenience of our home. While the virtual experience is not as exciting as an immersive one, it is definitely more affordable!
Reason # 3: Learn A New Language
A young friend of our family has challenges with expressive verbal language skills. His main form of communication is American Sign Language. While visiting our friend’s home for a playdate one day (our son is friends with the child’s older brother), he was fascinated watching the little boy communicate with his mom via American Sign Language (ASL). The experience sparked curiosity about different forms of communication that later grew into a flame of interest for learning ASL.
An added bonus? Many colleges accept American Sign Language as a foreign language component for admittance.
YouTube offers a plethora of content for learning a new language. A quick search can lead you to numerous tutorials. Gather some basics and as your skills grow, practice them with a friend.
Reason # 4: Make History Come Alive
Today, history is one of my favorite subjects, but that was not always the case. When I was in high school/early college years (way back in the 90s when dinosaurs still roamed the earth), I viewed history as a core requirement I had to complete in order to earn a diploma. It wasn’t that I necessarily found it uninteresting, per se. It was more that I felt overwhelmed by it. Growing up, I felt history was this huge expanse of information that seemed insurmountable to remember, an endless list of dates and names with no real context or personal meaning.
Upon reflection, I see how the manner in which I learned history (or in which history was taught to me) was more of the problem. While the elementary years of history education made sense (i.e., learning about communities in general, my personal community, and working my way out to the bigger world around me), the later years felt as though I was hop-scotching through time without an anchor. It was like being given a 10,000-piece puzzle and being asked to assemble it without the benefit of looking at the picture on the box. Sure, it can be done, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a joyous experience. Thus, when it came time for us to teach history in our homeschool, we chose a program that approached history chronologically.
Granted, there is also a maturity factor to consider. Perhaps I enjoy history more now simply because I have experienced more trips around the sun. The accompanying life events of these revolutions have afforded me two crucial components, appreciation, and perspective. Harking back to my aforementioned early education years, I remember my late father wistfully longing for The History Channel to become an addition to his small-town cable company’s lineup.
Reading about history can be enjoyable. There are many well-written historical fiction books and history curriculums focused on drawing young readers in and keeping them engaged. There are wonderful movies that allow us to transform our classrooms into time machines and transport our lessons to bygone eras.
YouTube is another addition to our teaching toolbox. A quick search provides us with opportunities to:
- tour historical sites
- virtually visit museums
- view videos of historical figures
Uncover ancient burial grounds in the Valley of the Kings, witness a Civil War battle reenactment in Colonial Williamsburg, or trace the footsteps of John Cabot and Henry Hudson as they search for the Northwest Passage all from the convenience of your living room.
Reason # 5: Share Your Knowledge with Others
I view the homeschooling community as one giant village. (And I am quite thankful for my “village people.”) I am indebted to the brave moms and dads who take the time (and courage) to share insider tips and tricks from their homeschooling experiences. Having a sense of community helps recharge my batteries at the end of a difficult day.
We all have some knowledge to impart. Take a look at your strengths and consider sharing some wisdom with the homeschool community. If you can update your social media status, you can create educational content for YouTube. All you need to get started is your cell phone.
Reason # 6: Help Struggling Readers
In our homeschool, we LOVE to read! Our curriculum is literature-based. While our son is a strong reader, he struggles with some visual tracking concerns, as his eyes fatigue quite easily. While we work on strengthening exercises in Occupational Therapy, we also utilize audiobooks. Audiobooks give his eyes (and Mama’s voice) a much-needed break while allowing the book adventures to continue.
While audiobooks are a wonderful resource, there are times when I want my son to benefit from “following along” with the text as it is being read to him. Enter the Read Aloud.
Think your child is too old to be read to? Not so fast. Homeschool mom of six and best-selling author of Teaching From Rest and The Read-Aloud Family (and founder of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast), Sarah Mackenzie touts the practice as a way “to help nurture warm family relationships while also raising kids who love to read.”
Reason # 7: Art & Music Tutorials
Want to learn to draw or paint but do not have access to classes near your home?
Perhaps you would like to play a musical instrument but cannot afford to pay for lessons in your homeschool budget right now.
YouTube to the rescue!
Art YouTube Channels for Kids That Moms Can Approve Of (meagangetsreal.com)
Reason # 8: Physical Education Videos
I don’t know about you, but in our house “brain breaks” are a necessity. We take mini-breaks for quick bursts of exercise multiple times a day. Movement is an essential component of learning for ALL students but is especially important for students living with sensory integration issues. In short, Movement Matters.
Reason # 9: Meditation and Relaxation
Just as we need movement breaks to “wake up” our system, get the blood flowing, improve focus, and all-around positively impact learning, we also benefit from guidance in helping us calm our systems down so we can rest. A few years ago, our family made a wonderful addition to our sleep hygiene routine. While we may not get to it every night, we certainly make use of it when it is needed most. We use guided imagery videos. I often stretch out on the floor underneath the bunk bed of my son’s bedroom in a comfortable position to join him in the bedtime ritual. We dim the lights and close our eyes to allow our ears to take center stage as the focal sense. I have experienced an improvement in my sleep quality from this practice. (What parent DOESN’T want improved sleep quality?)
Here are a few of our favorites:
One Reason You SHOULDN’T Use YouTube in Your Homeschool
While there are plenty of advantages to using YouTube as a teaching tool in your homeschool, there is ONE reason to AVOID using it.
If you are unable to properly monitor your child’s use of YouTube, then I would discourage using it.
Kimberly, IOH Mom
The world is a BIG place and the internet is no exception. If you would not allow a stranger to come inside your home to spend unsupervised time with your child, then why would you allow unfiltered access to the internet?
Unfortunately, predators are cunning. They know just how to hook your child in.
Just as electronic devices come with parental controls, YouTube videos should come with parental monitoring.
While YouTube has safety settings that parents can set ahead of time, I still discourage simply setting these controls and handing over a device or the remote. In 2019, YouTube made great advancements toward the protection of children with policy changes to its content made for children based on the platform’s previous violations of the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). However, some content may still pose concerns due to each individual child and/or family’s sensitivities and/or values.
Let me share a personal example. While the family-oriented show shall remain unnamed, the illustration of how each child has individual tolerances and sensitivities may prove beneficial. One character on this particular show (i.e., a “mean teacher”) brought about a few sleepless nights in our home. As an adult, I had previewed the show through the lens of an adult and felt it was relatively innocuous. While the “mean teacher” in question was a less-than-friendly caricature of a person, she presented as “scary with a mean face” to my son. While the content on this family-themed adventure show was not what we would consider “inappropriate” in our home, the effect it had on our child was. As a result, we talked about these uncomfortable feelings and decided to no longer subscribe to the channel.
Conversely, other content not labeled as “kid’s content” can prove to be quite educational and fun. However, choosing these videos will require a bit more legwork on the parent’s part.
While I admit that researching and previewing videos can be a bit time-consuming, it is well worth the benefits. Here is how I do it:
- Type in your topic of interest
- Choose a few videos from your resulting search
- Preview the video
Find videos you like and want to use in future lessons. Make a Playlist!
- Underneath the video click the “Save” button (or to the right of your video in your search results)
- When the pop-up menu appears, select “+Create New Playlist”
- For more instructions on how to create specific playlists, click here.
What if you do not have time to preview your videos right then? No problem.
- Hover your cursor to the right-hand corner of your video until you see three vertical dots appear.
- Click “Save to Watch Later”
With proper parental guidance and monitoring, YouTube can be a useful ally in your homeschool!
Be the Village
No single individual has all the answers. No parent is an island. I am very grateful for my “tribe” of extended family members and close friends who walk with me on this rocky road. While my inner circle is intimate, I take great comfort in knowing that those whom I welcome to walk beside me on this parenthood journey possess grace, faith, discernment, and the fierce protectiveness of a lioness who nurtures, guides and guards ALL the cubs in her pride.
Get involved. Spread the word. Be an active participant to help stop human trafficking, online predators, bullying, and sexual abuse.
Connect. Reflect. Protect.
Coming Up
While this post concludes our current series on YouTube Schooling, be sure to check back with us in June when we explore another non-traditional homeschool method, Movie Schooling.
Looking for more inspiration from folks supporting their communities or homeschool moms willing to impart a bit of advice? Check out our podcast series over at YouTube! The Salt and Light SERVE Spotlight highlights outreach, service, and volunteerism, while Shelf Indulgence Book Chats offers intimate conversations with fellow homeschool moms who also happen to be authors.
Let’s Keep In Touch
Be sure you do not miss a blog post by signing up for my email list, liking my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages, or subscribing to my YouTube channel.
Like what you see here? Sharing is caring!
Blessings,
Kimberly
IOH Mom
This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement. Thanks for visiting!
