5 Features of Remote Learning That Benefit Neurodivergent Students
by Corissa Hennessey
Finding Success in Online High School: Advice for 9th Graders
by Valerie Kirk
7 min to read
Whether you are new to online school or your student has been attending since kindergarten, the transition from elementary school to middle school and high school comes with a lot of changes—and a lot of concerns from parents. With the more advanced curriculum, the growing responsibilities at school and with other activities, and the social and emotional changes that happen in the tween and teen years, many parents wonder how to navigate this new world.
“It’s common for parents to have concerns about their student falling behind, overcoming procrastination, or not engaging in school, which are all normal behaviors for middle and high school students regardless of if they are in a brick-and-mortar school or online school,” said Kathy Goree, a 9th grade teacher at Connections Academy.
To guide parents through these years and help overcome any concerns, Connection Academy teachers shared eight key pieces of advice for 9th graders making the transition to online high school. These tips can also help all middle and high school students find success in online school—and have fun along the journey.
1. Make a Schedule
One of the key benefits of online school is that there is no set schedule outside of Live Lessons. However, that doesn’t mean students should have no schedule. It just means that families have the flexibility to create their own schedule to fit into their lives.
Students that follow a daily schedule are less likely to fall behind. A schedule also helps students overcome procrastination as they can’t push off assignments if they know when they are scheduled to work on it each day.
Students in middle and high school should work with their Learning Coaches to create a schedule for school days that works with other family obligations and priorities. While many students at this age prefer to do schoolwork at night and in the afternoons, teachers highly recommend setting aside time during the day to devote to school so that the schedule aligns with teacher office hours, giving students the ability to get more real-time help when needed.
A good schedule could include:
- Breakfast
- Morning block to work on lessons
- Morning break(s)
- Lunch
- Afternoon block to work on lessons
- Afternoon break(s)
- End of school day
When scheduling time for lessons, think of each subject as a class; for example, schedule an hour to work on language arts, then another hour to work on biology.
Be sure to add time for self-study and free time to the schedule. Students in this age group need time to themselves during these years.
2. Get Into a Routine
Setting a schedule goes hand in hand with getting into a good routine. Even during the tween and teen years, kids thrive on routine. Students should have a set routine of going to bed and should wake up around the same time each day. Routines include things like spending 20 minutes reading a book after lunch or going to the skate park every Tuesday and Thursday after the school day ends.
“In my experience, the kids that had an easier transition to ninth grade were the ones that were in a routine of getting up by 8:30 to start their day. Procrastination is easy for a kid who stays up all night and sleeps all morning,” said Goree.
3. Be Flexible
Schedules and routines are key to supporting student success, but parents and students should also be flexible. It’s a good idea for students and Learning Coaches to review the schedule for the upcoming week together and make adjustments for things like doctor’s appointments or other activities outside of school.
Also, teachers recommend that if a student is having trouble with a particular lesson or falling behind in a subject area, it’s okay to spend extra time on that subject and less time on others during your normal, scheduled school time. Keep the routine of ending the school day at the time you usually do, just allocate more time for the subject where kids are struggling.
Remember to give yourself and your student grace. Things happen that disrupt schedules and routines, and that’s okay! Tomorrow is a new day with new opportunities to get back on track.
4. Set Weekly Goals
Keeping students motivated and engaged during these years can be really challenging. One great way to reach them is to set small, weekly goals, such as completing a certain number of lessons in a subject each week or catching up on overdue lessons. This gives students something to work towards each week.
“If students are behind or struggling with a certain concept, I recommend that they set a goal to work on those lessons for a certain period of time—let’s say two hours—and set a timer. Once the timer goes off, move on to the next subject in their weekly schedule,” said Goree. “That way they have achieved a goal—working for two hours on something they find challenging—which can be motivating, while still sticking to their school schedule so they don’t fall behind in other areas.”
If you have a student that doesn’t feel challenged with their current workload, set a goal to spend time each week for independent study in subjects that interest them.
5. Connect with Teachers
Teachers in online school are easily accessible and can offer more personalized attention to students—and students should try to take advantage of that. If students are struggling with a lesson, teachers can spend time going over the concepts and breaking them down in a way that the student can better understand. If the student isn’t feeling challenged, teachers can recommend additional topics to explore.
Students in middle school and high school need to gain the confidence to reach out to teachers on their own if they are having trouble or need additional guidance. While Learning Coaches may have to facilitate this the first few times, it’s critical for Learning Coaches to encourage students to start advocating for themselves and asking for help and guidance when they need it. These are life skills that will help them be successful once they are out of school.
6. Be Responsible and Accountable
These years are also the time when students must take responsibility and learn to be more accountable for their own learning. While Learning Coaches can help build the weekly schedule, students need to be held accountable for following it. Students should write important things down that support their learning, such as due dates and assessment times. If they fall behind, they should learn to be responsible for contacting their teacher to work through ways on how to catch up.
7. Attend LiveLessons
LiveLessons are great opportunities for students in this age group to connect with teachers and classmates while learning new concepts. For students that are just coming from a brick-and-mortar school, LiveLessons give them some familiarity because they are similar to a classroom setting, which can ease the transition.
“Middle and high school kids get so much out of LiveLessons,” said Goree. “They can better grasp the concepts and don’t feel so overwhelmed with learning harder lessons on their own.”
Students that attend LiveLessons are often more engaged in the school community and make friends with other students.
8. Join Clubs
Social experiences are extremely important for many kids in middle and high school. There are hundreds of online clubs and other school activities that help students make connections with their peers from around the country. Clubs also help them stay engaged in school and the school community. With the flexibility of online school, many students have more opportunities to participate in clubs and activities and develop friendships while exploring new interests.
9. Remember, You’re Not Alone!
While the tween and teen years can be full of ups and downs, these years are also an amazing time as you watch—and guide—your child into adulthood. Teachers want you to remember that you aren’t alone! Teachers can help parents and students navigate these years full of new experiences and help students find success in online middle school and high school.
Find more tips for supporting your middle and high school student on the Connections Academy’s Resource Hub.
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Gold Medalist Nathan Chen Shares His Experience with Online Learning
by Corissa Hennessey
Becoming an Olympian is a long and arduous path for anyone. From rigorous Olympic training schedules to mastering new skills, it takes a lot of time and determination for athletes to reach the world stage. For many Olympic athletes, finding an education program that allows them to train and continue their K–12 education is critical.
If you tuned in to the Winter Olympic Games this year, you’re familiar with American figure skater Nathan Chen, whose unforgettable performance at the Beijing Olympics earned him a gold medal. But what you may not know about Nathan is that he’s a graduate of Connections Academy®. Nathan took time out of his schedule to chat with us about his firsthand experiences with online learning and how it helped afford him the time to commit to the sport he loves.
Nathan Chen’s Experience with Online Learning
Nathan first enrolled in Connections Academy in 2013, and he “knew it would be the right fit” for him. Prior to his enrollment at Connections Academy, he attended traditional in-person schooling. When his training schedule became more rigorous, he and his family wanted a schooling option that would allow him to dedicate more time and energy to training while still receiving a world-class education. That’s when they discovered Connections Academy.
Today, Nathan attends Yale University and is expected to graduate in 2024. He credits Connections Academy’s online learning approach for preparing him for the rigor and independence in college saying,
“Connections Academy’s platform prepared me really well for the independence needed in college, while still providing the one-to-one support I needed to learn.”
While many have preconceived notions about online learning being easy, Nathan said Connections Academy is “just like any other public school—it has a challenging curriculum and high expectations of its students.”
How Connections Academy Provides Solutions to Unique Challenges
The pandemic created significant barriers to traditional learning, and students, parents, and teachers had to make sudden adjustments, often turning to virtual learning as a solution. At the start of the pandemic, Yale went virtual, and it brought Nathan back to his Connections Academy days that he says taught him how to be resourceful—a skill that he was able to carry over when his college shifted to online.
“Connections Academy helped me learn to be resourceful and that was a skill that directly carried over as college went online.”
As many traditional schools attempted to adapt during the pandemic, it created a lot of confusion about how online learning works. Online learning does not mean that you do everything on your own or without teacher and peer support.
In fact, Nathan’s experience is a testament to Connections Academy’s supportive faculty—he received support and guidance from teachers who were in frequent contact with him through email messages, phone calls, and the live online classroom where he was able to interact with not only with his teachers, but his classmates, too.
Connections Academy students have many opportunities to socialize through live online classroom sessions, field trips, clubs, activities, and more. Many students also get to do more extracurricular activities, just like Nathan and figure skating.
“Connections Academy has a great support system of faculty and staff that really catered to the needs of my learning and scheduling. I felt that I could learn at a pace that was individualized for me.”
Connections Academy helped Nathan prepare for college academics and an unexpected pandemic. It also provided a flexible, virtual learning solution for his unique circumstances, including a busy Olympic training schedule.
“Connections Academy prepared me to be able to balance many different activities at the same time while being able to focus on academics.”
Nathan Chen’s Advice to Current Students
1. Budget Your Time.
Between receiving an education, figure skate training, and everything else on his plate, Nathan’s experiences have taught him a lot about managing priorities and being resourceful. When it comes to studying, he recommends that students learn skills for budgeting time as things get busier. Learning to budget his time has helped Nathan prioritize his work throughout the day to be more efficient.
“Connections Academy allows for flexible scheduling, so when you have the time, you can make the most of it.”
2. Be Accountable for Your Work and Ask for Help.
For students entering Connections Academy, Nathan suggests staying on top of deadlines and leaning on your Learning Coach to help you keep track of assignments and upcoming exams. He encourages students to ask for help anytime they need it, enjoy the process of learning, and take breaks from time to time.
3. Communicate Clearly.
Nathan also shared a helpful tip for current students who want to achieve goals and pursue a dream, encouraging students to lean on their support system and be communicative about how they can work together to overcome challenges.
“Be open in communication. Teachers, parents, coaches, etc., all want the best out of you, so let them know how they can help you.”
About Connections Academy
After reading about Nathan Chen’s experience with Connections Academy, you may have some questions of your own. If you’re curious about online school, here are a few frequently asked questions (FAQs) along with answers:
What is Connections Academy, and how does online school work?
Connections Academy schools are full-time, online public schools for students in grades K–12. It means students go to school at home full-time and get all the benefits of a public education, including a close relationship with state-certified teachers and a high-quality curriculum.
Plus, it’s a public school, which means it’s free!
Why choose Connections Academy?
Families choose Connections Academy for many reasons.
Some families choose Connections Academy because their student needs a flexible schedule like Nathan did to allow time for figure skate training. Others attend Connections Academy because they receive more tailored instruction or are advanced learners and can learn at their own pace, and more. Learn more about the ways that Connections Academy supports all types of students.
Are parents the teachers, like homeschool?
Connections Academy schools are public schools, so they have state-certified teachers who are specially trained in online instruction. Just like in a traditional school, teachers provide instruction, grade student work, and provide feedback and support. Parents are involved as Learning Coaches and help support student success.
Still have more questions about Connections Academy and how it works? Check out our FAQs here. Or, take our online quiz to see if virtual school is right for your family.
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Raising Cerebral Palsy Awareness with a Family’s Virtual Learning Story
by Corissa Hennessey
Many children with cerebral palsy face daily challenges when it comes to their health, but their education doesn’t have to have the same challenges. For students with cerebral palsy, it’s critical to find a school with an environment that is supportive, safe, and can deliver the special education framework needed for them to thrive in the classroom.
For online student, Abby, Connections Academy® has proven to be such a school. There, she has dedicated support from teachers and her Learning Coach so that she can approach her lessons and daily schedule in a way that works best for her. Abby’s mother and Learning Coach, Emily, is a Connections Academy alum herself, and knows from experience that the virtual school environment is a perfect fit for her daughter’s unique learning needs.
March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness month, and to help bring awareness to cerebral palsy and the benefits of finding success in online school, we’re highlighting how Abby has been achieving and exceeding milestone expectations.
Abby’s Online School Journey
Having attended Connections Academy as a virtual school student for the past two years, Abby’s journey hasn’t been unlike any other student’s experience. On a typical day, Abby wakes up, helps prepare breakfast, spends time with her family, makes her bed, and begins her online school lessons for the day. With her along the way are her two other siblings, one of whom is also a Connections Academy student.
But where her and her brother’s experiences differ is that the flexibility of Connections Academy allows Abby to attend physical therapy and other beneficial activities related to her condition without having to miss school.
As Learning Coach and mom, Emily uses an alternating schedule that allows her to focus one at a time on Abby and Liam’s lessons rather than trying to monitor both kids at the same time. This flexibility in scheduling is what Emily believes makes Connections Academy such a great fit for their family.
As part of her education, Abby has what is called an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, that supports her learning with specialized staff that make modifications in Abby’s lessons to meet her where she is in the learning process. Emily and Abby meet with Abby’s teachers regularly to review her progress and discuss anything that may need to be adjusted for her needs.
“[Connections Academy is] very much work-at-your-own-pace,” Emily said. “I don’t push her. We don’t have to do everything in one day. We don’t work ahead if that’s not what’s beneficial for her.”
A Day in the Life of Abby
To learn more about a typical day for Abby, check out this video sponsored by Connections Academy:
Facts About Cerebral Palsy
In the United States, about 1 in every 345 children have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Unless you know someone with the disorder, you may not know much about it. An important aspect of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month (and Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day) includes educating the public on cerebral palsy as well as the educational needs of children who have the condition. To grow your knowledge, here are the answers to common questions you may be wondering about cerebral palsy:
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella term that encompasses many disorders that affect muscle tone, movement, and posture. Cerebral palsy is caused by a disruption in brain development that can be due to mutations, infections, or brain injuries that occur before, during, or after birth.
And, not all cases of cerebral palsy are the same. In fact, each case is unique. Abby was diagnosed with Dandy-Walker malformation. Her condition is rare and just one of many possible cerebral palsy disorders that affect mobility.
When Is Cerebral Palsy Diagnosed?
Cerebral palsy is typically diagnosed during a child’s first two years of life. Typically, parents begin seeking a diagnosis when their child is not hitting certain mobility milestones, including crawling, walking, or an age-appropriate use of motor skills. It was for these reasons that Abby’s parents began seeking a diagnosis. They eventually discovered her condition is congenital, meaning it occurred while she was in utero.
Does Cerebral Palsy Affect Cognition?
Cerebral palsy doesn’t directly affect cognition, but around 30-50% of cerebral palsy cases include co-occurring intellectual or developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder. Due to challenges related to mobility along with a high potential for co-occurring disorders, many students with cerebral palsy can benefit from a virtual learning option.
Cerebral Palsy and Online Learning
Students with cerebral palsy face challenges that are highly individualized, and their education often requires a significant amount of personalization. Online school provides students with special needs, like cerebral palsy, with the ability to learn in a safe environment with flexible pacing that allows students to focus on their education and well-being.
If co-occurring with autism, students with cerebral palsy may also have difficulties with verbal language processing, socialization, and sensitivity to sensory stimulation, such as bright lighting and noisy school bells.
Students with cerebral palsy or other special needs have the option to create an IEP that’s tailored to their specific learning needs. IEPs enable students to take a personalized approach to their own education and receive ongoing support and modifications throughout the learning process.
Learn more about how Connections Academy’s online public school program can help students with special needs by finding your local Connections Academy school and connecting with the school’s special education representative.
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