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How To Turn Your Teen Into A Successful Virtual Student

Advice, Creative Learning, Education, high school, technology, teenagers, Uncategorized, virtual school | 0 comments

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.

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.

Help 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.

Virtual Learning Can be a Life Saver

Creative Learning, Education, high school, technology, teen moms, teenagers, virtual school | 0 comments

When people think of virtual learning, they often think the students that attend are teens on the verge of dropping out, who had unplanned pregnancies, or who have learning difficulties. While we definitely cater to those students, we also have families who turn to us in their greatest time of need.

Whether a loved one has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, lost their home in a fire, or found out that their student has an illness and needs to be in a homeschooled environment, virtual learning can be a saving grace. We try to remind families that even though they are suffering something and feel that their world is crashing in on them, their child can continue to move forward with their education and work at a pace that is right for them and the rest of the family.

Virtual learning during hard times can be a life saver for your middle/high school age child for a variety of reasons, including:

They can still have a sense of routine.

When the rest of their life is in turmoil, school could actually be a source of comfort for the student. It gives them an avenue to spend their thoughts and energy. School could preoccupy their time instead of leaving them on their own and possibly turning to other things to help cope with the stress.

They don’t have to kiss their dream of graduating goodbye.

As a teen, the first step to having a successful life is to obtain your high school diploma. If teens hit a hardship and feel that slipping through their fingers, they often feel hopeless. They can get wrapped up in a downward spiral because they feel they’ll never get anywhere in life. Virtual learning allows them to continue to earn the credits needed to graduate, but on their own time.

Virtual learning provides the flexibility their lives need.

Tough times call for flexible measures. A rigid schedule that traditional school calls for most likely won’t work when your family is going through a crisis. Being able to do your coursework in a flexible manner is key to success. Your teen can also work wherever they are at, as long as they have internet access. If they find their days are spent at a parent’s bedside in the hospital, or they themselves are on strict bedrest, they can complete their studies from there. If they find they are on the road a lot, they can do their studies from their pit stops. Their school can go with them practically everywhere.

Teens are able to help out whenever needed.

When an illness strikes a family, people can be left feeling helpless, especially the kids. They often feel there is nothing they can do to help and feel even more helpless because they are gone to school for 8+ hours each day. Virtual learners can easily fit their studies in around the times they help out around the house. If they need to drive a parent to important doctor visits, help prepare meals, etc., they are able to do that without the added stress of getting behind in their studies. Their schoolwork will be waiting for them and they can tackle it when the time allows later on in the day.

Keeps ill students in a safe environment.

Sometimes the illness or tragedy that strikes doesn’t affect the adults; sometimes it affects the student themselves. Should an illness strike a child, they may be too weak to be exposed to the plethora of germs found in traditional schools. The safest environment for them to be in is probably their own house. Virtual learning works perfectly in those scenarios. Students can learn from the safety and comfort of their own home and can switch their focus away from the dangers lurking in traditional schools and onto their studies. If they are low on energy and need time to rest, that’s okay too. Our goal is to work with each individual student and keep a flexible, custom plan that keeps them on the path to graduation while taking into account their unique situation.

Regardless of the curve ball life threw at your family, we are here. We can help keep your child’s education moving in the right direction. Our teachers and mentors work closely with the students to ensure that they’re doing well and are fabulous at helping in any way that they can.

Our enrollment team is standing by, waiting to answer any questions you may have. Let’s get through this together and help your teen move forward during this stressful time. Please give us a call today at 800-297-2119 or visit our website by clicking here. For more content like this head over to our Facebook page and start following us today.

My Child is Gifted: Is virtual learning right for us?

Advice, Education, high school, teenagers, virtual school | 0 comments

Are you a parent who has heard year after year that your child is excelling in school? They may have even placed in your school’s academically talented and gifted program, if they have one in place. However, there are probably times that arise where you wonder, is my child being challenged enough? Your child may even tell you that they are bored with their schooling or that things are too easy for them. While some might look at a situation like this and think they wish their child had those types of “problems,” it can be looked at much like the situation of a struggling child: they aren’t getting their individual learning needs met. Both students in that scenario aren’t able to excel to their full potential until the right program is put in place. That’s where we come in!

At My Virtual Academy, we help students on both ends of the spectrum, and everywhere in between. We are able to offer courses that are customized to fit your child’s needs. We realize that every student learns differently and at their own pace and our staff works diligently to make sure every student has what they need in place to excel!

As a parent contemplating schooling options for their gifted student, there are a lot of things to consider. Let’s take a closer look at things that might be on your mind to see if virtual learning is the right fit for your family.

Time Management

One of the benefits to virtual learning is the immense flexibility that comes along with it. Students can learn at their own pace, at their own time, and from anywhere that has an internet connection. They have due dates and things of that nature, but the daily schedule can look different for practically every student. Students often feel that this removes a lot of pressure and allows them to focus as much time as they need to master the lesson being taught. They aren’t rushed along, nor held back, to fit the needs of 25+ other students in their class, like in traditional schools. Some gifted students find a flexible schedule to be a huge plus because they can dig deeper into what they are studying (if they so choose) or can proceed to the next lesson.

As with all time management, there needs to be responsible use of time. You should feel confident that you and your student can properly commit to the time it takes to learn from home. Whether you work or learn from home, it’s very easy for someone to get sidetracked and before you know it, hours have passed and the work you set out to be done is still waiting there. It’s important that lessons get done and as a parent, it’s important that you have time to monitor your child’s activities. You don’t have to be over their shoulder at every turn, but it’s important to stay active in their education. Especially in the beginning of making the switch to virtual learning, it’s essential that you make sure they understand how to do the work online and are there to get in touch with us if any issues arise.

Attitude

What is your child’s attitude toward school? Do they love it and look forward to it? Is it boring and viewed as more of a chore? Is it a struggle to get them motivated to learn or are they eager and excited to learn new math skills and how things interact in science?

These factors are important when thinking about enrolling your child in a virtual school. If they dread every aspect of school, getting them online to do their studies could become a hardship for the parent. It would take a lot of patience and dedication to make that situation work. On the other hand, if they are eager to learn and don’t mind completing their coursework, then this would be an easy transition for both the parent and child.

Socializing

When parents think of schooling from home, they often are worried that their child may be withdrawn or lack social interaction with others their same age. That’s definitely not the case! There are many activities and organizations that students can involve themselves in from community theater, sports, choirs, 4H clubs…the list goes on and on. There are also different outings that are dedicated for students that homeschool and they could tag along on those field trips! When you get connected to these various groups, you’ll realize that your student is socializing just as much as students in a traditional school.

Resources and Materials

When you choose to enroll your student in My Virtual Academy, we provide everything your student needs to succeed while enrolled in our program. That includes a computer (if needed) and the software required to complete their coursework. Our staff is dedicated to helping your student shine and they keep in close communication with their students. This gives the student and teacher time to check in with each other and discuss any questions they have. Each student also receives a mentor that works closely with them.

Finances

Parents often worry about the financial commitment that learning from home might bring. The good news is that we are a TUITION-FREE school! That’s right – tuition free! Your student will work toward obtaining their high school diploma from home and it won’t be of any cost to you. So now, you and your student can focus your efforts on obtaining the best middle and high school education in the comfort of your own home with no financial worry.

I’m interested! What do I do next?

We think your gifted student would exceed your expectations when enrolled at My Virtual Academy. Our enrollment specialists would love to talk to you and answer any questions you may have. Please give us a call at 800-297-2119, go to our website, or visit our Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!

Virtual Students Glide into the Workplace

career ready, Education, high school, technology, virtual school | 0 comments

Whether your student goes to college or not after earning their high school diploma, one thing remains for certain: they will need to get a job. Students who are enrolled in a traditional school could have a harder time adjusting to entering the work force than virtual learners. After all, in traditional schools, your schedule is mandated; your goals are preset. Much to do with your success is out of your hands.

With virtual schools, such as My Virtual Academy, your success is largely in your hands. You have to learn the skills of self-management, which will come easily because you will work on courses at your own pace, on your own time, and you will be responsible for your daily progress. This skill alone gives you an advantage over those who took the traditional route of schooling.

The workforce is evolving at a more rapid pace than ever before. Thanks to the Internet business is no longer conducted just within your community. Even the smallest business can be global. Does your student have the skills needed to keep up with the jobs of tomorrow? If they are at My Virtual Academy, the answer is yes!

Technology is advancing by the minute. That means that your student must have an adaptive set of skills to offer an employer. They must be willing to constantly learn, often from a computerized learning module. These ongoing skill expansions will allow them to stay marketable and valued as an employee and contributor to the business. It will keep them at the top of the list of people who are able to meet their employer’s needs and technological advances. Virtual learning helps prepare students by allowing them to master this style of learning as they complete their high school coursework.

Employers will also be looking for the following characteristics:

Prioritizing Work

As a boss, being able to assign tasks and not micromanage your employee is a must. If someone can be given a job or a task, make a plan of attack and execute it so that the task is complete without the boss having to walk them through things step-by-step, that takes a lot of pressure off of a boss. That’s the kind of employee they want. Good news! Your teen is doing that on a daily basis! They know the job at hand and have to figure out how to organize and plan out how they will complete the lesson. Virtual learning really fine tunes their organizational skills.

Self-Guiding

As we mentioned, no one wants to micromanage. It takes a lot out of everyone involved. The boss loses valuable time monitoring what their employee is doing and the employee feels like someone is constantly watching them and telling them what to do. It’s usually a lose-lose situation. Being able to motivate and guide yourself is a must-have skill in today’s job market. As a virtual student, your teen is proficient as they need to be highly self-motivated to succeed in a virtual setting. They need to have the discipline to focus and complete their coursework.

Collaborative Mindset

When you are a virtual student, you are constantly collaborating with others to complete projects. These students that you might work with come from a multitude of different backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc. Successfully collaborating with others that are different from you in school and in the workplace is crucial. It not only offers you insight into how others solve problems, view the world, and digest information, but it forces you to find commonalities and work together to get the job done. The same principle applies to both schooling and the workplace.

Technology and workplace expectations are constantly advancing and My Virtual Academy works hard to ensure that your student has all the skill-sets needed to exceed during their school years and beyond. We’ve structured our flexible learning courses to meet the needs of your students today while preparing them for the world tomorrow. We believe that the skills they will master while in our academy will do just that. The self-discipline, self-control, organization, time management, and technological know-how will place them highly in a competitive market upon graduation.

Is your student interested in joining My Virtual Academy and gaining the skills needed to give them a leg up? Reach out to us on our Facebook page, our website, or by calling 800-297-2119. Our friendly staff is waiting to answer any questions you may have or begin your child’s enrollment. We believe that every student should have the chance to learn to their full potential, and that may not always mean the traditional brick-and-mortar schools that we are used to. We are a tuition-free school and students enrolled with My Virtual Academy receive everything they need to successfully complete our program and earn their high school diploma. What do you have to lose? See if My Virtual Academy is the right fit for your teen today!

Teaching Homeschoolers How to Handle Conflict

Advice, communication, teenagers, virtual school | 0 comments

One of the biggest concerns brought to our attention when parents are looking to switch from a traditional brick-and-mortar school to a virtual academy is will their child socialize? What opportunities are out there to get their middle/high school child interacting with others of the same age? Will they know how to interact and handle conflict if they aren’t in the traditional classroom setting 5 days a week?

The answer is yes! There are a million ways that your virtual learner can interact with others. From rec center activities to sports leagues and 4H clubs, socialization opportunities are everywhere for your student! Occasionally, parents are left feeling uneasy and they feel afraid that their student simply won’t learn social cues like others their age. We are here to assure you they will learn these behaviors and means of resolution.

As we all know, conflict occurs at every age starting from birth-105. You name the age and there is some type of conflict that needs to be worked through. Whether we are fighting with a sibling over a favorite toy as a toddler, a bully at school as a youngster, or a nasty coworker as an adult, conflict is all around us and we need to know how to deal with it.

Some of you reading this may have chosen to homeschool your child because of bullying at their previous school. It can affect your child’s self-esteem and can start to rear its ugly head in your child’s academic performance. When someone is being bullied, signs show up in all facets of their lives.

As we mentioned, conflicts will appear in every stage of life. No matter where a student is taught, parents, teachers, and students need to collaborate and teach each other how to resolve them. As adults, we need to be the ones in control and teach our students what is right and wrong. Your child’s eyes and ears are focused on you and how you handle situations. The advice you pass to them, especially by example, is a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously.

It’s important not to shelter them from every experience where they may engage in unpleasant behavior because these times will help them learn conflict resolution. However, you also don’t want to throw them to the wolves and put them in a bad situation.

To build up their interpersonal communication skills, have them interact on a regular basis with a variety of folks, such as:

family members
authority figures, such as teachers
friends
fellow students
employers (should they have a job)
groups (sports teams, field trip groups, community activities)

They will be exposed to a wide variety of characters through these interactions. It’s even important to have them safely interact with strangers. Teach them to hold the door open for people or help a handicap person reach something off of a high shelf in the grocery store. These interactions go a long way.

Let them know that everyone has different ways of doing things and they should also know that they won’t gel with everyone they meet. However, with that said, even if they conflict with another person, they can still take the high road and be kind.

As we mentioned, your kids have observed you and how you handle situations of conflict so it’s important to always remember to be a good role model. On the flip side, you can actually observe them and offer them suggestions on how to resolve their conflict. Let them know what you think they did right and what they could do differently, should the issue arise in the future.

As kids get older and enter their teenage years, the level of conflict can reach dangerous heights. It goes from bickering on the playground in elementary years to teens physically fighting or causing lasting emotional damage. Not all conflicts need to reach that level so express to your teen that if they identify a problem, they need to proactively work toward a solution before it escalates.

One good exercise to have your teen do is analyze what their own triggers are. They could also think about what triggers their friends or family members. If teens are aware of their triggers, they can make a plan of how they will handle the situation, should someone set them off.

When conflict arises in life, we should all work to identify what caused it, try to stay calm, and work out a solution that meets everyone’s needs. Make it a win-win situation. If you notice that your child is unable to mediate their own conflict, then as adults, it’s time to step in and respectfully address the issue.

Want to connect with other parents that may be facing the same issues as you? Hop over to our Facebook page and start interacting with the My Virtual Academy community. Our staff is always posting school events, activities to do with your teen, and much more. If you have any other questions about whether a virtual learning environment is right for your student, give us a call at 800-297-2119.

A Different Type Of Summer School

Education, high school, Uncategorized, virtual school | 0 comments

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.

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.

Contact 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.

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