I'm a 3rd year Master Teacher at Commonwealth Connections Academy in Pennsylvania, currently teaching Gifted Literature. I have a passion for merging technology with education and love to introduce the students and teachers to new and fun ways to learn.
Do your kids love trying new things? When I was in school, there were not as many opportunities to try new things, specifically through various clubs, as some virtual schools like Connections Academy offer today. These days I am in awe each time I hear about the new unique activities available to our students. At Connections Academy, not only do we tailor lesson plans to individual student needs and strengths, we also offer a wide variety of clubs to appeal to many different student interests, as I have listed for you below.
Hands-on Students
Contrary to what some people think, cyber school students actually do participate in hands-on activities together with other students. Would you believe we have a Drumming Club? And a Recorder Club? Yes, we have both! We even have a Robotics Club where students learn hands-on engineering skills through in-person meetings and tournaments. We’re lucky to have teachers here who love to think outside of the box!
The Future Scientist
Scientists are all about exploration and discovery. It’s easy to explore the universe by joining our Astronomy Club. Going from the stars to the home, there’s even a club called Science in the Kitchen. For the next Marie Curie, we have a Traveling Science Lab and a Science Fair. Our students in Pennsylvania participate in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Competition (PJAS), where a talented 7th grade CCA student recently received a 1st place award in the physics category for his experiment on rotating magnets! He now gets to attend the state competition at Penn State University!
Difference Makers
Some students really want a chance to make a difference. Our American Red Cross Club is just the thing to provide that spark for the future humanitarian. What about our Youth and Government Club? It's a great way for students to affect change by getting involved in the political process. Another option is the Environmental Club, which gives students the chance to discuss some of the most important issues facing our society.
The Great American Writer
We have many teachers ready to inspire the next generation of great novelists. In the Writer’s Club, students write short stories, scripts, Haikus, poems and much more. We also have a Journalism Club that publishes a fantastic literary magazine each year. Our students can also participate in "Poetic Forms" and "Poetry Corner." Walt Whitman would be proud.
We always welcome suggestions for new clubs. For example, one of our parents is involved in Odyssey of the Mind. She suggested that our school take part in this creative competition. I took her suggestion and we formed 3 teams. Not only did our High School Odyssey of the Mind team win third place in the Regional Competition, but we were the only cyber school in the competition!
I hope this article helps you see how much virtual schools like Connections Academy do to introduce students to many wonderful, fun learning opportunities.
Please share what clubs interest and engage your virtual school student the most!