When most people think of virtual cyber schools in Pennsylvania, they envision one of two things. Their first thought is that students are either sitting in front of a TV all day and doing the bare minimum work or learning in a quiet, solitary experience. The latter tends to be the most common belief amongst those who have little to no knowledge about the cyber charter school experience. That is just not accurate.

This belief that students who learn in a digital capacity are less exposed to the social interactions comes from the idea that digital communication impedes and possibly replaces interpersonal communication and education. On the contrary, online schooling does not limit the quality of a child’s social interaction. In fact, the pattern of acquiring socialization skills for students who learn in a cyber charter school environment does not vary much from students who attend school in a traditional setting.

The flexibility of the cyber charter school environment allows students who have rigorous schedules in regards to sporting, acting, modeling, and other activities that require them to travel constantly. Students who enjoy this flexibility still find time to enjoy their favorite extracurricular activities, pursuing athletic or creative ventures. Many students who opt for a cyber charter school do so because their schedule does not allow for them to be in a traditional setting. It’s the perfect compromise to allowing children to follow their dreams while also obtaining their education.

Every school year, cyber schools do more to integrate face to face experiences to satisfy the concerns that many have regarding isolation and limited social interaction. One overlooked fact for many is that virtual cyber schools in Pennsylvania, like 21CCCS, offer a variety of clubs and organizations for students to still join. From chess club to poetry, students still have the opportunity to interact with fellow classmates in a personal, fun-filled setting. Just because a child is educated online does not mean that is the breadth of their social interaction.

Cyber schools work to create a more inclusive and personalized educational environment. It’s easy to assume that children who are in a cyber charter school will fall behind on social interaction, but that is just not the case.