By: Tom Goulding
Everyone learns at a different pace, and sometimes students need a bit of extra attention. Today, we’re going to go over a few options for third-party or online resources and what that means for the classroom. Let’s get into it.
Khan Academy
We start with the obvious one - Khan Academy is a nonprofit started by Salman “Sal” Khan, who holds three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard. The platform has over 3,000 instructional videos that viewers can pause, take notes and repeat as many times as they need to get the concept down. And it’s totally free to use.
Khan Academy was originally created to offer tutoring services to those who couldn’t afford them or had little access to formal education. Now, the growing platform is a premier option for classrooms and teachers. As a website stacked with useful content designed for grade school kids, it’s an easy way to up your teaching abilities.
Whether you brush up on your knowledge of a subject or think that it will help your lesson plan, Khan Academy is an effective way to boost the curriculum. It covers most essentials like math, science, language arts and more. Materials are also available in multiple languages, so if you have students who want or need to study in another language, the option is available. Aside from English, other offered languages include Spanish, French and even Vietnamese.
AP courses are even offered by Khan Academy for college credit, where students are prepared for the AP exams they’ll take at school with their peers.
You could log on this second and find a course that breaks down how parabolas work during your instruction hour. With videos, reading and interactive activities, Khan teaches students in exciting and fresh ways and can serve as inspiration for you to enhance your lessons.
Khan Academy alternatives
Khan Academy has set itself apart from the competition, but there are other options. Here are a handful of helpful resources to consider as you’re building out your lesson plan.
Time4Learning
As an interactive education platform designed for homeschoolers, Time4Learning strengthens student learning through presentations, interactive games and printable materials. Though not entirely free, it’s a resource that can be fallen back on when guidance is needed for teachers, parents and students.
YouTube
As a free resource, YouTube is a juggernaut when it comes to teaching your students. Not only does it have millions of educational videos, but it’s also the second most used search engine with 2.6 billion monthly users. You and your kids are likely already familiar with this site, and it can be used to enhance your student’s learning when vetted and applied properly.
HMH
A resource is only as good as how you use it, and HMH definitely can hold its own. Its free options include class activities and lesson plan ideas, which can help when you need to keep things fresh for your students. They also have a dedicated initiative for social responsibility, outlining their impacts on the community at large.
Wrap-up
Third-party and online resources are important supplementary materials when you need an extra push to accomplish your lesson goals. Khan Academy and other online resources are a great way to engage your students when something different is needed. Whether you encourage them to use resources like these in their free time, assign homework on their sites or use them during teaching hours, third parties can be your best friends.