Soon after the Great Recession of 2008, there was a lot of noise surrounding the ethics and practices of big firms on Wall Street. There were numerous calls for the rolling of heads of top banking and investment firms due to the recklessness that was witnessed on their part. For all the hue and cry that went out, the underlying issue seems to have been missed out. Several fingers were pointed at those responsible for making Wall Street a safer place for Main Street. But the key question here is, “What would you do if you were to walk in their shoes?” Given the kind of pressure Wall Street executives have to deal with, would you expect them to focus on the ethical management of your money or on their own, personal interests, which entail big, year-end bonuses?

Now, before you jump to any conclusions, we’re not trying to justify the actions of those who were entrusted with the responsibility to oversee the practices of Wall Street, and for those of you who are wondering what online homeschooling has to do with it, your doubts will be clarified in a couple of minutes. There is absolutely no doubt regarding the recklessness of their actions, but aren’t those on Main Street to blame as well? Did they not harbor dreams of making it big by playing the stock market? Having dreams is not wrong; expecting to get there via shortcuts is. The stock market involves significant risks to which average investors generally turn a blind eye in their hope of making a fortune and striking it rich. Metaphorically speaking, our education system is not very different.

A lot of parents place the responsibility of education on our schooling system. While they may be the primary providers of education, parents too, need to be aware of surrounding circumstances and the needs of their children. In light of the far-reaching impact of globalization, we need to understand that a high school diploma is no longer going to help our children cut it in the real world. Online education is the new tool that is going to help our children in their fight to adapt to this new world of education that has transcended all physical and geographical boundaries. Pointing fingers and placing blame on someone else is always the easier thing to do. Sitting up and taking notice, and making the effort to adapt is a lot harder. But in the long run, that is what delivers solutions as opposed to dwelling on the mistakes of others.

Education and learning are no longer restricted to the four walls of a classroom. Children these days have access to so much more information than ever before. The Internet has made it so much easier to deliver information to remote locations, which has certainly encouraged the adoption of online homeschooling and distance learning techniques. In fact, academicians across the United States have been advocating the setting up of online high schools, online middle schools, and even online elementary schools for quite some time now. Even recent research and statistics have offered positive reinforcement for the use of online education and distance learning techniques in helping students secure their high school diplomas and other degrees.

But how does this, in any way relate to the issues being faced by Main Street? Well, it all begins with education. Financial education is the solution for Main Street to avoid being taken for a ride by Wall Street. Brokerage firms and investment bankers will promise you the moon; it’s their job. But it is up to you to differentiate between a sales pitch and a real investment opportunity, and that is something you can achieve only with the right financial education. Similarly, earning your high school diploma is only the first step in your educational journey. Employers today are looking for a lot more in potential employees and the more you have to offer, the better are your chances toward building a successful career.

Online high schools, online middle schools and online elementary schools in the country offer you opportunities that were once out of reach. Students now have access to a much wider range of course material, better teacher-student interaction, flexible study schedules and the opportunity to get in touch with students from all over the world. Online education and distance learning platforms have opened up so many avenues for students that the possibilities are limitless. It is up to us to ensure that our children explore these options and make the most of them. After all, opportunities these days are hard to come by and one needs to make the best use of those that do. The important aspects to consider here are that online learning solutions aren’t just limited to students from online high schools.

While adapting to online environments is a lot easier for high school students, those who believe that online learning solutions are limited to Advanced Placement programs and extra college credit are sadly mistaken. Online middle schools and even online elementary schools are making waves in the educational world in terms of grooming students to be better learners and better all-round achievers. The focus for the design of such web-based solutions is primarily the cognitive development of students while ensuring they have access to a flexible environment that facilitates the overall development of a child. Adapting to change can be hard and it is no secret that most people would rather cling to old-school ideas than put in the effort to adapt to new ones.

However, more than being just a choice for us, online learning methodologies seem to be the new way forward. With technology receiving a major boost and new innovations flying off the drawing board every single day, we cannot help but accept and adopt these new-age environments that are more suited to our lifestyles and are better equipped to provide our children with exactly what they need to succeed in the real world. After all, isn’t every aspect of our lives now transitioning to the web?