Parenting Pointers: Online Schools

I don't write about this on the blog much, but my "real job" is as a German and math teacher for an online school, Minnesota Virtual Academy. MNVA is a public, tuition-free school for kids kindergarten through grade 12, with curriculum provided by K12 Inc.. K12 Inc. also provides curriculum for three other online schools in Minnesota, and also for schools in nearly every state.

K12 curriculum is widely recognized as a very robust, strong curriculum. As a teacher, I can attest to that. I enjoy the flexibility of teaching online - not the same way my students do (who enjoy being able to work at midnight if they want to), but in the way that I can truly focus on the kids who really need my help. In an average school, the teacher sees a given class of about 25 kids for 200-300 minutes per week depending on the class schedule. After direct instruction is taken out, that doesn't leave a lot of time for individual attention in most schools. With teaching online, I can have open office hours where kids can work with me for 10-15 minutes, similar to before and after school time - but I can also set aside dedicated half hour appointments with just individual students or small groups of students, without worrying about any other interruptions.

My students seem to enjoy learning this way as well. They like being able to breeze through a subject that's easy for them, and spend more time on the subjects that are harder. They enjoy learning without the distractions of other students. Many of my students are able to take classes part-time that aren't offered at their high school, such as German or AP Statistics, and still attend their regular high school for the rest of their classes.

Online learning also works well for students who have been homeschooled, but are getting to the point where the content is too difficult for parents to coordinate, as well as students that have health issues that prevent regular school attendance. We have many successful special education students as well, and also students who choose to learn online because the social environment in their former school was not healthy.

Online schools also have opportunities for interaction. There are teacher-hosted events throughout the state, as well as all-school events (our school hosts prom, as well as a skating party and a spring picnic, for example). Even if location prevents students from attending face-to-face events, there are many successful online clubs, both at the state and national level.

If you're looking for an alternative option for your child because their traditional school isn't working, look for your state's school and explore some of the other options available.