How Pearson Online Classroom Works: the Connections Academy Learning Experience
by Valerie Kirk
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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