Parents: How Can You Help Your Cyber Student Stay on Track?

Posted on February 6, 2017February 6, 2017 by Matt Hillesland

As a parent, you are your child’s first and foremost teacher. You play a major role in your child’s education, and your actions and behavior can really influence your child’s academic success. Studies show students succeed at higher rates when their parents are involved in their education. With your help and support, your child can maximize their potential and perform well in online school. Here are a few ways you can help your child stay on track and accomplish their goals in a virtual charter school.

Create a Comfortable Learning Space

Since cyber students aren’t in a traditional learning environment, such as a classroom, it’s important to create a comfortable study space where they can eliminate all distractions and focus all of their attention on their studies. Work with your child to determine where they can focus and learn best. Your child may perform best at home or at the local library. If your child chooses to work at home, then set up a quiet and comfortable space that’s specifically designed for learning. Here they can set up all of their equipment, including their computer and notebooks, and completely concentrate on their schoolwork.

Encourage Your Child to Get Help from Teachers

Cyber schooling vastly differs from learning in a typical classroom setting. While online students have teachers and learning coaches who are readily available to provide instruction and guidance, students need to reach out to them when they need help. At 21st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCS), we have 56 hours of teacher availability per week (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday). Typically, students who struggle in cyber schooling are those who either aren’t putting in the six to eight hours of learning a day, or have questions but aren’t reaching out to teachers for help. Encourage your child to reach out to their teachers. We have a Virtual Office, where students can sign in and get the help they need. There is always a certified teacher available in each subject.

Monitor Your Child’s Success

At 21CCCS, parents have their own account where they can log in and see what their child has completed on any given day. Here you can also monitor your child’s grades and progress. Utilize this portal to help your child stay on track. We offer a parent orientation to teach you how to use this portal, and teachers and learning coaches are also available to help you.

Celebrate Your Child’s Accomplishments

Be enthusiastic about your child’s education and offer praise for their accomplishments. Whether they improved their test score or Aced a class, celebrate your child’s achievements to show that you’re proud of them and to motivate them to keep up the good work.

Supporting your child can help put them on the path toward success. Contact us today for more advice on helping your child succeed in cyber schooling.

How to Manage School and Work

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Matt Hillesland

One of the major benefits of a Pennsylvania virtual charter school is having the flexibility to set your own schedule. This makes online schooling very desirable for students who need to work while pursuing an education. School and work are both your obligations, but balancing your academic responsibilities with your work commitments isn’t always easy. Fortunately, there are a lot of students who are in your shoes, and it can be done. Here are a few tips to help you manage school and work.

Build a support system

If you’re a student with a job, building a strong support system can help you succeed. You do not have to go at this alone, so surround yourself with people who will support you. Along with your friends and family, reach out to your teachers and learning coaches to make them aware of your work obligations; they can help you develop a school schedule and routine that work for you.

Find a flexible job

Find a job that will accommodate your busy high school schedule, including your schoolwork and extracurricular activities. It’s usually best to choose a job with a fixed schedule, so that you aren’t constantly moving your school routine around week after week. Let your work manager know about your academic obligations and the maximum number of hours you can work each week. Also make sure the job allows you to request off when necessary; request off work well in advance if you need extra time for big tests and assignments.

Be mindful of deadlines

While virtual charter schools offer flexibility, academic deadlines are very concrete. Be mindful of your deadlines, and be sure your work schedule allows you to meet them. As soon as you receive your syllabus, create daily to-do lists to prioritize your responsibilities. Again, utilize your teachers and learning coaches. They can help you craft a work schedule around your deadlines.

Stay healthy

Managing school and work can be stressful, and being overly stressed can take a toll on your body. Make sure you are living a healthy lifestyle to avoid feeling burnt out. Eat well, remain active, and get seven to eight hours of rest every night.

Transitioning from a Traditional to Online School

Posted on November 15, 2016November 15, 2016 by Matt Hillesland

With the rise of technology, online schooling has become a popular option among students of all ages. While online education is common at the university level, it has become prevalent at the high school and middle school levels as well.

A lot of students grades six through 12 are considering making the switch from traditional to virtual schooling because they feel it better suits their lifestyle and academic needs. For someone who has spent most of their years in a traditional school, the switch to an online school can seem like a big transition. Consider these tips for a smooth transition to online learning and to get the most out of your educational experience.

Designate a Specific Learning Space

While PA cyber schools don’t have distractions like class clowns and bullies, it’s important to create a designated home study space, where you can remain focused on your school work. This space should be someplace quiet, where you won’t be distracted by family members or the television. A desk in a secluded home office, for instance, makes a great learning space.

Commit to a Schedule

One of the major perks of being a cyber school student is getting to set your own schedule. With this, a cyber charter school offers great flexibility, allowing you to learn when it’s best for you. But, because you are responsible for setting your schedule and completing your schoolwork on your own time, you need to be very organized and create a daily schedule.

Whether or not you’re someone who needs to balance work and school, reach out to your teachers and learning coaches to help you build a schedule. Your teachers and coaches can help you create a schedule around your other obligations to lay the foundation for academic success.

Utilize Your Resources

A key difference in online schooling is you aren’t being taught by a teacher in person. Just because you can’t raise your hand to ask a question or speak with a teacher after class, it doesn’t mean your teachers aren’t available whenever you need them. In a cyber charter school, teachers are always available, but you have to reach out to them. Your teachers and learning coaches are just a click away, so maintain open communication with them and ask for help and guidance whenever you need it.

How Can Online Education Benefit Gifted Students?

Posted on October 5, 2016February 3, 2023 by Matt Hillesland

Online schooling is on the rise in the United States, as many students, parents, and educators are realizing its benefits. Cyber schools offer students increased flexibility, convenience, personalized learning, and fewer distractions. How online education can benefit gifted students is a topic that is often overlooked. Traditional schools often lack a systematic way to address the needs of gifted students, but virtual charter schools provide instruction based on a student’s ability, not their age. Read on to discover how online education can benefit the gifted.

Get Ahead

A traditional classroom setting can be restricting for highly capable students. In a large classroom, instruction is usually taught at a pace that suits the majority of the students. The gifted have a quicker learning rate than the average student, and can therefore be held back by this type of environment. Learning at too slow of a pace can leave gifted youth feeling bored, frustrated, and unenthused.

On the other hand, online education allows gifted students to work independently and at their own pace. The learning environment is based on the individual, not the group. Students can spend as much time on a subject as they need and enjoy personalized curriculum based on their ability and passion.

Explore Your Interests

Due to the scheduling and logistical restrictions on traditional schools, they often lack the types of classes that highly capable students are interested in taking. Online schools can go beyond the basic classes and offer courses that allow gifted students to explore their passions and interests. Cyber school students have a greater variety of courses to choose from and reap the benefits of higher level and more specialized subjects.

No Distracting Classmates

From the bully to the class clown, disruptive students get in the way of their classmates’ learning. Fortunately, online schooling eliminates these distractions. Also, online schools don’t have the social pressure of a normal school environment, enabling students to remain focused on what matters most— their education.

Online schools can provide numerous advantages for gifted students. To reap these benefits, enroll in our Pennsylvania virtual charter school. 21st Century Cyber Charter School is one of the highest-performing cyber charter schools in the state. Contact us to learn more about academics and enrollment: 484-875-5400.

5 Back to School Tips for Online Students

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Matt Hillesland

After a summer full of fun and sun, students across Pennsylvania are gearing up for Back to School. The new school year provides the perfect opportunity for online students to start fresh and set the stage for a successful year. Our Pennsylvania virtual charter school is sharing five Back to School tips for cyber students.

Get Organized

Start the school year off the right way by getting organized. Most cyber students work from home, so it’s beneficial to create a designated learning space. Assigning a specific place for school allows students to eliminate distractions and fully concentrate on their studies. Choose a comfortable, quiet space that offers plenty of room for your notebooks, computer, and other supplies. Also get organized by creating physical and/or electronic folders for each course, and use a planner to keep all of your schoolwork and social activities in order.

Set Attainable Goals

Setting personal goals can increase your motivation and improve your performance. Perhaps you want to make Honor Roll, get a B on your math exam, or improve your time management skills. Set short-term and long-term goals that are attainable, specific, and measureable, and determine the steps you’ll take to achieve them. For instance, if you want to improve your time management skills, you can make a list of each task you need to complete each day and assign them a specific time slot for when they’ll be completed.

Along with setting goals, decide how you’ll reward yourself for achieving them. Having an incentive will help you work harder toward accomplishing them. Talk to your parents about your goals and what they can do to help you reach them.

Establish a Routine

Many students choose a Pennsylvania virtual charter school because it offers greater flexibility than a traditional school. This flexibility puts students in charge of managing their time. Establishing a routine for your schoolwork can help you stay on track.

Get to Know Your Teachers

At 21st Century Cyber Charter School, your teachers and learning coaches are here to help you succeed. Just because you’re not in a traditional classroom setting doesn’t mean your teachers and counselors aren’t available to offer assistance and guidance. Get to know your teachers, principals, and other school staff and learn how you can reach them. 21CCCS also provides every student with a learning coach, who helps keep track of your progress and communicates with you at least on a bi-weekly basis to ensure you are receiving the instruction and guidance you need.

Check Your Tech

21CCCS students are supplied with all the technology they need for their schoolwork, including a Macbook, tablet, calculator, and more. When you receive these items, take the time to familiarize yourself with them, as well as any computer programs or software you may be using for your courses. Our new student orientation will help you with this.

Is a Cyber Charter School Right for Your Child?

Posted on September 8, 2016September 20, 2016 by Matt Hillesland

Pennsylvania virtual charter schools are revolutionizing what it means for a child to get a truly individualized, high quality education—and one that prepares them for the digital future. Online charter schools provide an alternative to traditional K-12 schooling, one where students can work asynchronously and in a more self-directed way, while striving for the highest possible academic achievement. Many parents find themselves wondering if this kind of school might be right for their child. And for many, the answer is yes.

There are many different kinds of families and children who choose a Pennsylvania virtual charter school. It’s a personal choice that only you can make. Here are some of the top reasons we see with students who thrive in the virtual environment:

To learn to be self-directed. One of the most important life skills for anyone growing up today is being capable of taking initiative and managing oneself in self-directed work activities. This has always been a key skill for leaders and is increasingly in demand for top jobs across all industries. A virtual charter school helps students learn this habit at a young age, by allowing them to structure their own schedules around fixed academic requirements. Academic mentors will help the student build a schedule that will allow him or her to be successful.

To provide stability with busy schedules. All kinds of families find value in an online school, but for many, it’s a way to accommodate a life that is busy with other interests. Traditionally, students would attempt to balance a schedule that required them to be in school for seven straight hours with pursuit of an outside interest such as acting, dancing, music, or athletics. With an online school, students are still able to have the structure of formal schooling while working their school hours around an intense pursuit of their interests.

To teach 21st century computer skills. The future of business is online. When your child grows up, they will perform many of their work tasks in an online environment and often work with colleagues and supervisors who are in different cities or even on different continents. By growing up in this kind of environment, they will be at home in tomorrow’s professional climate.

Individualized education. The flexible environment provided by cyber charter schools allows students to build an educational experience tailored to their specific needs. Students are able to structure their days around a school schedule that suits them, spending less time on subjects they learn easily and spending more time on subjects they struggle with.

The Key Differences Between ONLINE HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS AND TRADITIONAL HOMESCHOOLING

Posted on February 25, 2016December 13, 2022 by Matt Hillesland

Online Homeschool Programs

If you are a parent, then you are aware of the fact that your child needs to attend school to get an education. Traditionally, parents were left with three educational options: have their child attend classes in their local school district, pay private school tuition, or homeschool their children. While homeschooling regulations can drastically vary from state to state, these three options were essentially the only forms of getting a primary education. However, as time has progressed, another option emerged in the form of online cyber charter schools where parents could allow their child to learn virtually via the computer.

While there are numerous reasons as to why a parent would want to explore other educational options for their child, many are unaware of the clear differences between homeschooling and online homeschool programs. With that said, let’s take a look at the key differences between both of these educational options and the advantages one may have over the other.

Teachers & Faculty

While the concept of getting an education at home is relatively the same, the structure of education can be vastly differ between homeschooling and online homeschool programs. For instance, at 21^st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCS), all the teachers are highly qualified, certified by the state of Pennsylvania, and hold college degrees. Plus, there are other certified faculty members from guidance counselors to staff administrators and more.

However, when it comes to homeschooling, parents may find themselves teaching subjects they are not very experienced or familiar with. On top of that, the parent acts as the administrator, guidance counselor, advisor, subject matter expert and any other educational role when necessary.

Curriculum

Public cyber charter schools implement a curriculum that is set and approved by the state, in which 21CCCS specifically bases their programs on the Pennsylvania Core Standards. Furthermore, online cyber charter schools can individualize the curriculum to suit the students’ learning style and varying academic level. In addition, they provide for a full range of courses that can encompass not only the core subjects, but delve into world languages, honors/AP level studies and much more.

When it comes to a curriculum for homeschooling, it’s left up to the parent to find and research an appropriate curriculum that adheres to state and national standards, then develop plans to teach that curriculum.

Attendance & Academic Policies

It is important to understand that online homeschool programs follow the same state attendance and academic policies that are already set in place, so the educational accountability is already established. This also accounts for other records like grades, testing and other requirements that are maintained from day one within the online learning management system. Additionally, cyber charter schools follow a traditional school year calendar but there aren’t any snow days or buses to catch to attend class.

On the other hand, homeschooling parents are responsible for understanding the local attendance and academic policies and are accountable for reporting those records to the state while also preparing for yearly evaluations.

Socialization

Online homeschool programs provide students with many opportunities to socialize with other students, both online and offline. They regularly schedule local activities, events, trips, clubs and other meetings that are designed to encourage and support socialization among the student body. Additionally, they offer students with activities found in traditional school settings like a yearbook committee, literary magazines and virtual drama presentations to promote creativity. Lastly, students who meet graduation requirements are eligible to attend a formal graduation ceremony to receive a diploma with the school’s name on it. They also have the traditional cap and gown experience with fellow students, faculty, staff and family members.

Socialization activities for homeschooled children are often challenging as the parent must research and find socialization opportunities on their own. It should also be noted that homeschooled children may miss out on the opportunity to participate in clubs like yearbook and other group-driven activities. Additionally, the parent is responsible for creating a diploma and graduation ceremony and some choose to receive a GED as a record of high school equivalence.

With the above information, you now understand the key differences between homeschooling and an education from online homeschool programs. At the end of the day, it all comes down to providing your child with an education because they need to learn important skills in order to succeed. However, with all the above points, cyber charter school have numerous advantages and benefits that cannot be replicated through homeschooling. Set your child up for success today by enrolling them in 21^st Century Cyber Charter School for the best online education in Pennsylvania.