How To Turn Your Teen Into A Successful Virtual Student

How To Turn Your Teen Into A Successful Virtual Student

Congratulations! You and your teen decided it was time to take control of their education and allow them to learn in an environment that will work best for them. Becoming a virtual student is a very exciting time in one’s life and it can also be a bit scary and nerve-wracking. Often times, the parent hasn’t had to do any virtual learning themselves and the teen might be anxious, wondering what virtual learning will be like.

Virtual learning allows your teen to rest easy knowing that many of the stressors that hovered over them in their traditional school have been left there – in their old school – and they can feel comfortable turning their attention to their academics versus wondering if they’ll be bullied or peer pressured. While there is still interaction with other students online, it’s not quite the same as sitting in a class with someone who is picking on you or being self-conscious during class because you aren’t sure if your learning disability will allow you to sit through the whole class, uninterrupted.

Virtual schools still expect dedication, drive, and determination from their students, but when students are learning in a more relaxed environment (their home usually) and are able to learn at their own pace, good results follow. High school is a time that is to be used to prepare students for life after graduation, whether that is college or the workforce.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare your student so they are a successful virtual learner:

Talk about their responsibilities as a virtual high school student.

When your teen learns from home, the responsibility of staying on track and doing their daily work falls on their shoulders. Let your teen know that you are there to support them, as are their mentor and teachers, but that they need to take responsibility and know how to manage their workload. Should they encounter times when they need extra assistance or feel they are struggling, they need to know who to contact. Make sure they know they can come to you at any time but also have them keep their teacher/mentors contact information somewhere that is readily available. It’s important to also let them know that when they face a problem with schoolwork, they should try to resolve it themselves first or try to think of a solution. Being a virtual learner is a great time for them to learn to be resourceful.

Teen Working at Desk

Allow your teen to work independently.

As a virtual student, your teen will be working by themselves often so it’s crucial that they learn how important self-discipline is. Distractions are everywhere, especially at home. A ringing phone, a loud TV, the mailman, a barking dog, these are all noises that are common in a household, but can be distracting to a young person trying to study. Help them set up an area of the house that is just for them and their schooling, preferably in a distraction-free area. Let them know with virtual learning comes great trust, responsibility and the belief that they can work independently and stay on track. They also need to know there are consequences should this trust be broken.

Set a schedule up with your teen.

Think about your work life…you have meetings, deadlines, business lunches, etc. It would be impossible to keep track of everything unless you had a calendar or planner. The same will go for your teen. They are responsible for keeping track of all their schoolwork, due dates, test dates, and online classes. Buy them a planner or calendar, sit down with them and map out as much as you can for their first semester of school. You could help them color code various subjects, if they think that will help them see things at a glance. They also should have an area to keep some file folders that contain materials and assignments. Let them know they will be in charge of managing their own schedule when it comes to school, as long as they don’t misuse the privilege.

Teen Taking NotesHelp your teen write down goals for the year.

Everyone does better when they are working towards a goal. People tend to be more motivated and driven when they have an end result in mind. The same logic applies to your teen. Does your teen want to earn a certain grade point average? Would they like to excel in science and take a more challenging course the next semester? Would they like to join a sports team to meet new friends? Whatever their goal may be, help them map out a path to achieve it. Ever heard of vision boards? Help your teen create one. Setting goals is vital and will get them eager to begin working towards whatever they have their heart set on.

Success at My Virtual Academy

At My Virtual Academy, your student’s success is our main priority. Our staff works very hard to tailor our programs to meet each student’s individual learning needs. We are very excited that you decided to join the MVA family and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for your teen!

Have you visited our Facebook page? Hop on over and check it out! It’s a great way to stay in-the-know and hear what others within our MVA community have to say.

Talk to an enrollment specialist today: 800-297-2119.

Teaching Your Teen Tricks to Handle Stress

Teaching Your Teen Tricks to Handle Stress

We live in a world that is full of stressors. As adults, we might think that we are the only ones dealing with stress, after all, we’re the ones paying bills, keeping a roof over everyone’s heads, putting food on the table, dealing with health issues, etc. The reality is that kids today are dealing with more stress than ever before. In fact, recent studies show that adolescents and young adults are five times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression than people in the same age range that lived during the Great Depression. Often times, the stressors that we mentioned adults struggling with fall on the shoulders of our students. Add peer pressure, juggling school and a job, relationships, breakups, possibly being a teen parent, and so on and it’s no wonder they are ready to crack.

Since stress can take a toll (both mentally and physically), the best thing to do is teach your teen how to proactively deal with stressful situations. Model what it looks like to effectively manage stress. Make sure you encourage your child to get enough sleep and have healthy eating habits. When a person is well rested and in good health, they tend to react better to stressful situations that arise than someone who is sleep deprived.

Another way to help your child learn how to deal with stressful situations is by remaining calm. If you are going crazy, screaming, overreacting, or acting like the world is coming to an end, your child will learn to do the same. Remember, you are your child’s first teacher and that goes for every phase of life. They learn how to react to situations from watching and observing you. Give them something good to teens in sun taking selfieemulate. If you are aware that there is something approaching that might give them stress, talk about it beforehand and give them time to prepare for what is coming up.

Lastly, help your child avoid stress by making sure their schedule isn’t overly full. It’s normal for a teen to have a part-time job, go to school, and be involved in an extracurricular or two but having too much on their plate can set them up for a downward spiral and lots of weight on their shoulders. Make sure they still have time to complete homework and fit in some time for fun things, like hanging out with friends or family. Having a good balance of obligations and free time is crucial for their mental health.

You can only plan for so much and stress is bound to creep its way into your child’s life, so make sure you take time to help your teen learn how to deal with it. Signs that your teen is dealing with a higher than usual stress level include:

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Upset stomach
  • Lack of joy in things that used to make them happy
  • Feelings of chest tightness

If your teen starts to exhibit any of the above symptoms, try to get them to relax by doing a quiet, calm activity like reading a book or listening to music. Exercise and meditation can also calm their nerves. If you feel that your tween or teen needs professional help to deal with their stress, please seek theMedical Professional helping stressed teen help of a medical professional. Sometimes having someone neutral to talk to is very beneficial.

If you have a child that is in grades 5-12 and would benefit from learning in an environment that takes away many of the stressors of traditional school check us out. At My Virtual Academy, we help students that are struggling to graduate, want to graduate early, want more time to complete assignments, are teen parents, victims of bullying, etc. They earn the credits they need to graduate with their high school diploma and set themselves up for a bright future. Take a moment to visit our website to learn more about how virtual learning is changing students lives. We also have Enrollment Specialists standing by to talk about our program and answer any questions you may have. You can call them at 800-297-2119. We can’t wait to hear from you!

A Different Type Of Summer School

A Different Type Of Summer School

Reality is setting in for your high school junior. They have realized they won’t graduate with their friends if they continue on their current path, and it is time to do something about it. They are in the same boat as countless others across the nation who need the chance to better a poor grade or make up a missed credit. This is not a dire situation and we can help!

 

The summer months present the perfect opportunity for your teen to enroll in a credit recovery program. My Virtual Academy district partners offer a unique program that allows students from any high school across the country to take a high school class within an eight-week time period.

 

Students love completing their credit recovery classes online because of the scheduling flexibility it allows, plus they can do their studies from the comfort of their own home. Our classes utilize the Edmentum curriculum and once enrolled, they will be assigned an academic coach. The coach will contact the student twice a week to answer any questions the student has, discuss their progress, and provide advice and guidance. Parents will also be continuously “in the loop” as the academic coach will contact them twice a week to keep them informed of their students’ progress. If a student is struggling with the material and in need of a tutor, a certified teacher can provide support via phone.

After the student completes the eight-week course, they must take a final exam via zoom. Should the student live outside of that area, they may take the exam at their current school with an approved counselor from the school district.

Clintondale Virtual School Student

Courses are very affordable. The cost per class, or half credit, is $200 for current students in grades 9-12. While our school is an affordable option for those looking to recover credits, we maintain a high level of standards and meet all State and Common Core requirements.

My Virtual Academy has been awarded accreditation by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the regional accrediting agencies that span the AdvancED global network.

 

Adult Education At Clintondale Virtual AcademyContact Us

If your teen is in need of credit recovery so they stay on track for graduation, now is the time to enroll. Don’t let their dreams of earning their high school diploma slip through their fingers simply because they need to make up a few credits. For more information on credit recovery or adult education, visit our website, call Jennifer Dorcy at 586-791-4110 or email at jenniferd@atsedu.net.

Whats So Big And Bad About Math?

Whats So Big And Bad About Math?

Many, many moons ago, a family was on vacation in Canada. The parents decided to take the family (mom, dad, and 4 youngsters) to see one of the 7 Wonders of the World – Niagara Falls! The beauty that beholds the Earth there is breathtaking. The water rushing over the edge, dropping hundreds of feet below. You can feel the strength and majesty of the Falls just by standing next to it. While everyone else was googling over the wonderment that is the Falls, one of the little girls in that family was tired and bored. She didn’t understand why they had to sit and stare at water. She wanted to go play and do something, anything, else. The little girl stood up and shouted at her parents, “What’s so big and bad about Niagara Falls anyway!?” People around the family laughed and the dad replied, “Honey, one day you’ll look back and laugh. You are too young to understand it now, but you are lucky to be here on this trip and should appreciate what’s around you.”

What’s so big and bad about Niagara Falls?

Often times, we find things in our lives to be tedious and “boring” because we don’t know what we’ll do with the information that we’re learning. Will we ever need to know how chemicals react? Will we ever use the information taught to us in algebra? Will we ever need to recall the names of the early explorers?

Your teen may have questions like those running through their heads as you are reading this. They may be annoyed that they are forced to study various subjects in school, such as math. They may be wondering, “What’s so big and bad about math?” We’ll tell them right now!

Math Tools, Calculator

An easy way to let your teen know how important math is in their daily life is to relate it to something they are interested in and often times that is money! They know they need money in order to go out with their friends, put gas in their car, etc. They know they’ll need it in the future because they probably have envisioned a lavish lifestyle for themselves and that doesn’t come without a price tag attached. Knowing how to handle money and track it is all about math. They’ll need to know how to do percentages, balance a check book or ledger, pay bills; the list goes on and on!

Some teens might think that because they don’t plan on entering a field related to STEM upon graduation they won’t need to use math after graduation in their line of work. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. People don’t refer to math as the “universal language” for just any old reason. Math is used in all lines of work and actually, if your teen plans on attending a college or university, many won’t allow them to take certain classes until they have a few math classes and other prerequisites under their belt.

If someone just passed through their math class and made it by the skin of their teeth, they might have a hard time with everyday tasks that life presents. For example, they need math skills in order to calculate distances when they are on a road trip. Math skills come into play when cooking, baking, telling time, and even with keeping score when they play sports. Numbers are everywhere in our lives and it’s so important that they take learning math seriously.

When you learn math, you learn how to manipulate numbers but the skills you learn in math aren’t stagnant to just that subject. When your brain learns how Math Problemto solve math problems, you sharpen your logic skills along with your quantitative reasoning. These skills come together to help you throughout your life to become better at making decisions. You can logic things out and come up with a solution to problems that you’ll face.

A solid foundation in math will set your teen up for success at every stage of their life. It is a skill that simply cannot be done half-heartedly or taken lightly. At My Virtual Academy, it is our mission to have every student succeed. We work diligently with each student to ensure that their academic needs are being met. Our vision for your student doesn’t stop when they leave us after high school graduation. We take pride in ensuring they leave our school with the skills needed to take on the world.

Would your 5 –12th grader benefit from learning virtually in the comfort of their home? Visit our website by clicking here and see what we have to offer. You can also reach us at 800-297-2119 where we can answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Quick Tips On Note Taking: Take Notes Like A Pro

Quick Tips On Note Taking: Take Notes Like A Pro

One of the most useful skills you can master when you are a student is effective note taking. It’s a skill that will benefit your student not just in their schooling days, but well into their professional adult life. Note taking helps people retain information longer, better understand the information they are being taught, and improve the recall of information.

Think about it – if notes are written in an unorganized, sloppy way, it will be hard to make sense of them at a later time. Add the fact that your handwriting may be messy if you are writing rapidly and the notes you took are basically useless.

On the other hand, good note taking helps you to:

  • Remember concepts
  • Understand topics in a better way
  • Connect the dots between topics
  • Engage in active listening to your instructor
  • Think about what you are writing

Top Note Taking Methods

#1: Summaries

In the Summaries Method, notes are broke down into little summaries. To do this method, you would take notes during a tutorial as neatly as you can. After the tutorial, review your notes and jot down key things you need to remember, including key vocabulary terms. At the bottom of the notes, write a summary that highlights the key points of your notes. People like this method because they can quickly scan the summary to see if they need to delve deeper and review that days notes in preparation for a test since all of the main points and concepts are called out.

#2: Outlining

In this method, you will use headings and bullet points to organize your notes. When you have topics that have a lot of details and nuances, this is the method to use. It keeps your notes nice and organized, and shows a clear relationship between the topics and subtopics. To use this method of note taking, begin each section of notes by listing the main topic at the top of the page (this is your heading) and add bullet points under each heading for each subtopic and/or supporting facts. You may end up with several different indents of bullet points, depending on how much detail needs to be noted.

More Note Taking#3: Mapping

If you have a lot of information and you want to show how various topics are related, then the mapping method is best to use. It is a visual way to put order to a chaotic topic. Your page of notes will be organized by topic then will branch off into subtopics with additional branches citing detailed information.

#4: Charting

When covering topics that have a lot of facts or relationships, charting is an easy way to keep your information organized. This type of note taking is very clear and easy to follow. Key pieces of information are called out for each topic. To do this method, divide your paper into equal columns by category. Use the space below each column header to jot down supportive facts.

Excel with Excellent Notes

At first, notes can look like a bunch of chicken scratch but after spending some time rewriting or organizing the notes, they will prove to be helpful study materials. Have your teen try out some of the note taking methods we mentioned and let us know what they thought by leaving a comment below.

For more tips and tricks head over to our Facebook page, and if you have any questions regarding our program and how we help middle and high school students, visit our website or give us a call at 800-297-2119.