Online schooling gives families, and parents specifically, an excellent opportunity for involvement in their students’ learning. Enrolling your student in virtual high school seems scary at first. However, online high school programs are designed with your students’ success in mind.
Many parents find that traditional public schools are not meeting the academic or social needs of their student(s). In those cases, parents turn to online high school education to help their student(s) receive their high school diploma. On this page, you’ll find some tips and tricks for online parents to make sure your student(s) succeeds in a virtual environment.
Traditional vs. Online High School
High school programs can very pretty dramatically when it comes to how they’re taught to the students. However, online high schools and traditional high schools share basic school offerings like core courses, electives, and direct teacher interaction. What makes online education different is its unique ability to cater to individual student needs.
Virtual learning has become a welcomed alternative path to traditional education. A major advantage of online learning lies in its flexibility and its focus on each individual high school student’s needs. It offers students the freedom to be able to learn independently, customizing a curriculum and experience to accommodate individual learning styles. This type of personalized learning sets online education apart from its traditional counterpart.
Chances are that you as a parent have done your best to make sure your student(s) succeeds in traditional schooling. Some of those same tactics will have an equally positive impact in online education.
Involvement
Staying active and involved in your child’s education is essential to success. Involvement means different things to every parent. Some parents prefer to keep tabs on everything from homework and grades to attendance and participation. Some parents like to check in with their child’s teacher every few weeks to see how things are going. Some parents just want to make sure their child has the grades they deserve.
There is no one right way to be involved in your child’s education. However, some level of involvement is absolutely necessary. Something as simple as sending an email to your child’s teachers at the end of the quarter can make a huge difference.
While there is no defined expectation of how to be involved, there is definitely a wrong way. Being over-involved and micromanaging your child’s education can make them resent learning and could lead to negative outcomes. Try to strike a balance between being involved and letting your child have some educational freedom.
Research
It cannot be understated how important doing research into online programs is. You want the best for your child. Make sure the online program you enroll them in meets their needs. Each online high school program is going to be different. Some may offer credit recovery courses, some may offer AP courses, and some may offer a comprehensive list that includes both.
Doing your research allows you to ensure that you’re making the right decision for both you and your student(s). Virtual schooling offers many benefits, but it is not for every student. Try to find information about course structure, coursework, and how a day in the life of an online student looks. This information will give you a good snapshot into how well your student(s) might do in that online program.
Engagement
Doing your part to keeping your child engaged in the learning process is often the difference between success in online schooling and failure. Try to encourage your child to engage in learning practices that make sense. Attempt to remove as many distractions as possible during coursework. Try to encourage that they stay in regular contact with their teachers. If your child thinks something is too difficult, do your best to help them understand.
While these aren’t revolutionary tactics, they are important. The most successful online students are those that remain engaged in the learning process throughout their high school career.
Getting Started
Getting started in online education can be daunting. That’s why everyone at Achieve Virtual is here to help! Learning online creates flexibility and provides many creative learning opportunities that are not found within most traditional public schools. Online learning also offers parents a unique opportunity to stay more involved in their child’s education.
If you have questions or need help getting your child enrolled in an online education program designed with student success in mind, give us a call at 317-622-0915.
