CONNECTIONS ACADEMY BLOG

While many parents are more familiar with the routines and methods of a traditional, brick-and-mortar public school, online public schools offer a high-quality education as well as appealing differences. Although families mention a variety of reasons for leaving their previous school or schooling method, they quickly identify five main benefits of attending a virtual school.

More Flexibility to Meet Students’ Needs

Traditional brick-and-mortar schools can be challenging for aspiring athletes, actors, artists, and those heavily involved in extracurricular activities to find a balance between school and their interests. Many students in such situations devote significant time to travel, practice, and other requirements to meet their goals. Online schools offer flexible schedules that fit school to the student—instead of fitting the student to the school.

That said, everyone can benefit from the flexibility of virtual schools. With this model, it’s simple to accommodate doctor’s appointments, volunteering, part-time jobs, and other commitments. In addition, students switching from being homeschooled may find online school to be a good choice—and a smooth transition.

The flexible schedule also allows students to move at their own pace. Students at virtual schools don’t have to wait for other students to catch up or worry about rushing through a difficult concept. This flexible pace allows for mastery of material on your student’s terms.

A Chance for Homeschool Students to Learn at Home with a Proven Curriculum

Whether you are a current homeschool family or thinking about homeschooling, online public school can be a great option for you to consider. With online school, you don’t have to find materials and make sure your child has a well-rounded and complete education. And you don’t have to take on the job of a full-time teacher. There are certified teachers who support your student’s learning with a proven curriculum in all core subjects and electives.

With online school, you can still play an important role in your child’s education as the learning coach—monitoring progress, keeping your student motivated, and participating in your child’s daily learning. As a parent, you know how quickly the K–12 school years fly by; online school lets you be involved and keep your child close by, in the safety and comfort of your home.

Fewer Distractions and Time Wasters

One of the greatest benefits of online learning is having fewer distractions and time wasters.

With a Learning Coach to monitor progress and keep learning on track, students can focus on their courses without having peers as a distraction. Since your student is at home, there are fewer opportunities for bullying, inappropriate influences, or behaviors you don’t condone. Additionally, online school lets your student benefit from the local school’s curriculum without the wasted time of long bus or car rides, weather delays, roll call, and chatty classmates.

Put simply, virtual schools are able to tailor education to each individual child. Students aren’t distracted by other students, and their learning isn’t interrupted because a teacher has to address other students’ bad behaviors.

Opportunity for Struggling Students to Thrive

Online schools can be an academic lifeline for many students, such as those who:

• grasp new material faster or slower than other students
• need the ability to manage health concerns throughout the day
• are rebuilding confidence after experiencing bullying
• accrue many absences because of a difficult-to-accommodate schedule

It also can help decrease sick days, as students can work on school at a different time of the day if they aren’t feeling well.

Students who need to approach school differently due to varying
circumstances deserve an opportunity to thrive in their educational pursuits.
Online school offers a unique approach that not only can accommodate these students but also provide the tools needed to succeed. Online school teachers can personalize assignments, provide extra resources, and even arrange time to talk with students one on one to provide the individual attention they need.

Better Connections with Family, Friends, and Instructors

Although they may not see classmates daily, students at virtual schools often form better connections with the people with whom they interact regularly. Additionally, virtual schools offer more one-on-one time with instructors, which can enhance the learning experience.

The flexible schedule and structure of virtual schools allows parents to take a more active role in their children’s education. They can create a custom calendar of social activities to suit each child’s interests and temperament. They will also likely find it much easier to schedule important family trips and outings. It’s easy to accommodate social activities and time for kids to be kids when a child’s school schedule is subject to his or her personal schedule.

With all of these benefits for their children, parents tell us they find online school very rewarding too. They have the opportunity to be involved in their children’s schooling and to nurture their love of learning. And many report that they have more family time and closer bonds than before. If your children could benefit from the many advantages offered by virtual schooling, enroll them at a Connections Academy® online school today or contact us if you have any questions.

 

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Congratulations to the class of 2019! Connections Academy–supported schools have an amazing group of students donning their caps and gowns to attend graduation ceremonies this spring.

In the second part of the Class of 2019 series (check out Part 1), we’ll take a peek at what some of our standout students have done during their school years and what they have planned for the future!

Nygel W., one of the best young cellists in the U.S., spent his entire K–12 education online with Minnesota Connections Academy. Next up for Nygel, an honors student and 2019 Sphinx winner: the Curtis Institute of Music.

Colorado Connections Academy gave Jonathan M. the flexibility to play ice hockey competitively and travel for games with the Rocky Mountain Roughriders team. He flashed onto hockey scouts’ radar screens after playing at the USA Hockey Select 16 Festival. He is now committed to playing with the Air Force Falcons men’s ice hockey team, an NCAA Division I college ice hockey program that represents the United States Air Force Academy. In the future, he sees himself flying and being involved with space operations.

Georgia Connections Academy student Justin C. is graduating and on his way to Ohio State University with a full academic and athletic five-year scholarship. He plans to train for the 2024 Olympics and pursue studies in computer science and physical therapy.

Legacy M. is graduating from Texas Connections Academy @ Houston and leaving something of a legacy himself. He has been recognized as TCAH’s Outstanding Male of the Graduating Class of 2019. His next step takes him to Baylor University, where he has been awarded the Provost’s Gold Scholarship. Way to go,onor Society.

In her senior year of high school at Indiana Connections Academy, Ashleigh N. served as president of the National Honors Society, served as vice president of the Student Council, and was a member of the Math Club. She was also awarded a Barbara J. Dreyer Cares Foundation scholarship for $2,500 in honor of the Connections Academy cofounder. Ashleigh will attend Bethel University to study American Sign Language interpreting. This driven student then plans to pursue a doctorate in occupational therapy!

Student athlete Mickayla S. attends Indiana Connections Academy while training 20–24 hours each week with her gymnastics team and helping to take care of the animals on her family’s farm. After graduating from INCA, she will continue her athletic and academic dreams at Eastern Michigan University. Mickayla will join the gymnastics team and continue her studies. We wish her all the best with her new endeavors!

Xavier N. graduates from Indiana Connections Academy with a 4.09 GPA and ranked tenth in his class. In addition to his schoolwork, Xavier is involved in 4-H activities including junior leaders and archery, while also taking time to consistently volunteer. Xavier was also awarded a Barbara J. Dreyer Cares Foundation scholarship for $2,500 in honor of the Connections Academy cofounder. Xavier will attend Butler University to study actuarial science. He plans to have a career in risk management.

Texas Connections Academy @ Houston graduating senior Elydia G.  received a $60,000 scholarship from Howard Payne University. She plans to major in early childhood education. Congratulations and best wishes for continued success!

Minnesota Connections Academy student Katherine P. enrolled in online school in November 2018 after her family moved from Mississippi. She quickly earned top grades and will finish in the top of her class. Katherine will be one of two high school student speakers at her graduation ceremony. Speaking on behalf of seniors is quite an honor. After taking a gap year, Katherine hopes to start college with an interest in neuropsychology.

Isabella R., one of two high school student speakers at Minnesota Connections Academy’s (MNCA) graduation ceremony, graduated second in her class at the age of 15! She spent her K–12 years with the program and has greatly appreciated one of the school’s greatest benefits—the ability to work at her own pace. MNCA also provided Isabella the flexibility to train in ballet and perform while taking a full load of honors classes, volunteering, and working on achieving the Girl Scouts Gold Award, which she just received.

 

Congratulations to these graduates and all of their peers graduating in 2019! We wish them continued success on their exciting journeys!

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Whether students attend a brick-and-mortar or online school, making the transition from middle school to high school is important for several reasons: students are becoming more independent, exploring new extracurricular activities, making new friends, and taking on new responsibilities.

With so many exciting possibilities, the freshman year of high school can present both academic and emotional challenges. Although it can be a struggle to make a strong start, a student’s (and parents’!) efforts to have a successful freshman year are worth it!

The Importance of Ninth Grade

Starting high school can be intimidating, and with the new environment, peer pressure, and adolescent hormones, teens find it hard to stay focused on academics. With these challenges, it should come as no surprise that research has shown that ninth grade students tend to have lower academic performance, more absences, and more behavior problems compared to other high school grade levels.

But while it could be tempting to dismiss these issues as short-term “growing pains” during the transition to high school, consider that the freshman year is also a make-or-break year in setting the stage for graduating and getting a high -school diploma. Numerous studies have shown that students who complete freshman year with the required number of credits are twice as likely to graduate within four years than students who are off track.

If you are a student starting high school this fall or there is a freshman in your family, use these suggestions to start out strong:

For Students Transitioning to High School

1. Get organized
   Students should have a designated learning space at home, free from clutter and stocked with school supplies. Since time management is so important, put all class times, school assignments, and study group times into your phone or tablet. This way, you’ll get alerts when you need to be in class or turn in an assignment. You can also add to-do’s to a large wall calendar or white board to have a prominent visual reminder.
2. Keep up with assignments
   If teachers say “do your homework,” then do it! It can’t hurt to reinforce what you’re learning in class, and maybe it will even improve your grades. If there’s some legitimate reason you can’t turn in homework on time, ask the teacher for more time for partial credit. Or request extra credit to make up for lost points.
3. Be more involved
   Getting involved and making friends can make the high school experience great! A good way to start is by joining a club or trying out for an activity. Maybe you’re interested in a sports team, the choir, or a robotics club? Give it a try! Not only will you meet students who share the same interests, but also you will improve your skills.
4. Talk it out
   If you’re struggling with something at school, maybe a bully or a tough class assignment, and you want to talk privately, your teachers and school counselors are ready to listen. Establishing relationships with teachers and counselors will help you develop good communication skills and learn to advocate for yourself. Those people are good contacts to have when it comes time for college and job applications.

Parents Can Help Smooth the Transition

For parents of freshmen, this ninth-grade transition can be a learning curve on your part, too. While your “baby” is growing up and acquiring more independence, he or she will still need help in a couple of areas.

1. Plan to balance activities
   Freshman year can be quite a juggling act! Students can become overwhelmed by the new class schedule, sports, after-school activities, and other responsibilities. Check in with your high school students frequently to make sure they’re getting enough rest, eating right, and taking care of themselves.
2. Communicate regularly
   Parents should ask their freshmen how they’re doing on a frequent basis. You might get short answers, but your student will probably appreciate having your support. (Hint: Sometimes teens find it easier to talk with parents in the car, or while you’re both engaged in an activity, like raking leaves.) Monitor your student’s academic progress and watch for any changes in behavior or problems like substance abuse. Reach out to a school counselor for assistance if need be.

Moving up to high school is entering a new stage of life, and while it can get overwhelming for students and parents alike, it can also be a positive journey with new experiences and new friends. So keep your eyes on the endgame of getting a high school diploma! Getting a strong start during the freshman year is the first big step toward graduating four years down the road—and achieving success in “real life.”

To learn how you can be more involved in your child’s education through online public school, visit the Connections Academy website. Or to learn about online private school, visit Pearson Online Academy ’s website.

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Halloween can be a fun holiday for kids and adults, but at least half of that fun is picking a costume that gets a fun reaction from people. Not every Halloween costume is a showstopper, though, and some have become clichés through overuse. With so many people out there reusing, repurposing, and reinventing costumes, how do you find a killer costume idea?

Many unique ideas are put together for individual and group costumes, some complex and some simple. With a little thought and creativity, you can put together original Halloween costume ideas or a new spin on a tried-and-true one. To help get you started, Connections Academy can provide some fun costumes for this year’s Halloween season.

YouTuber

Finding inspiration for how to make your own Halloween costume can be difficult. However, because YouTube is a very popular platform right now, dressing as an online influencer is a way to get noticed by fans of that YouTuber. Some of the more easily recognized YouTubers include Miranda Sings, Dan and Phil, and Pewdiepie.

Best Friend Costumes

Sometimes the best costumes are created in groups. If you and your friends are feeling inspired, head down to the thrift store to make awesome costume combinations. Some fun couple Halloween costume ideas include Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from SpongeBob SquarePants, Pooh and Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, and Peter Pan and his shadow.

The Doctor from Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a popular science fiction television show, and it’s no wonder people often dress up as the doctor himself. Since the main character changes often, there may be many Doctor Who clothing options! Grab a bow tie, suspenders, and a leather jacket, or find a friend to dress up as a fellow movie character!

Pop ’Til You Drop

Pop culture Halloween costumes are very popular (pardon the pun; more on those later), but most of them tend to be a bit predictable. Instead of going for the obvious main characters from TV, movies, and video games, go for supporting characters, combo characters, or even objects.

If you are interested in Doctor Who, you could go as the Tardis (a large cardboard box painted blue will do just fine). Instead of going as Captain Jack Sparrow or Jack Skellington, go as Captain Jack Skellington. Rather than dressing as the main Harry Potter characters, Harry, Ron, or Hermione, you could shave your head, Sharpie a face on the back, and grab a turban to go as Professor Quirrell.

With these less traditional costumes, you’re likely to be the most clever costume of the evening.

Sidekick

It’s pretty common on Halloween to dress as a superhero, but sidekicks need love as well. Those who dare to be different and don a sidekick Halloween costume can go trick-or-treating as Robin from Batman, Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants, or even Stitch from Lilo and Stitch.

Dynamic Duos (and Groups)

You can make a costume with great impact with a partner or group. Try going as the Mario Brothers’ red mushroom and green mushroom, or red shell and green shell. Or grab a group and go as a roller coaster. For more sport-minded individuals, try dressing up like wizards, dwarves, and elves (stay with us), then donning football gear to build a “fantasy” football team.

If you’re pressed for time or materials, grab a buddy and two white shirts, and draw the letter I on each of them (the shirts, not the buddy). The the two of you can go as “right I” and “left I.” For those with the time to think past the low-hanging fruit, the possibilities are endless.

Your Worst Nightmares

Now for some truly frightening costumes, none of which require any fake blood. First, some ghoulish face paint, a black shirt, and a little bit of arts-and-crafts skill can turn you and a friend into “dead battery” and “dead service.” A black funeral-worthy outfit, some painted-on tears, and a name tag that reads “Monday” can turn you into “Monday Mourning.”

And for one that takes almost no effort, make a giant cardboard cookie and wear a pair of boxing gloves to be a “tough cookie.” You may have noticed that many of these are puns or, at the very least, count as a play on words. We warn you, we’re only getting started.

Punning for Your Life

Some of the most inventive Halloween costumes are based on puns and familiar sayings, and many of them are incredibly easy to create. Attaching a collection of Smarties candy to an old pair of pants makes you a “Smarty-pants.” A rain outfit with cutout cats and dogs attached on strings to an umbrella makes you “Raining cats and dogs.” A pig costume with a blanket wrapped around you makes you “Pigs in a blanket.”

For those with red hair (or those willing to fake it with a wig or dye), having some bread on hand makes you a “gingerbread man (or woman).” A Netflix T-shirt and a bag of ice (or a small cooler) makes you “Netflix and chill.” A “sand-witch” can be created with a witch’s hat combined with other attire that invokes the beach (such as a bathing suit and a beach towel).

And really, this list could go on and on, but we don’t want to put you through any more punishment.

Halloween can be a great time to impress friends, family members, and partygoers with your inventiveness and ingenuity. Done right, your costume will be one that’s remembered for years to come. So rather than simply grabbing something off the rack at Walmart, try brainstorming how to make your own Halloween costume, and you (and those who see you) will likely be happy with the results.

To learn how you can enjoy more family time and be more involved in your child’s education through online public school, visit the Connections Academy website. Or to learn about online private school, visit Pearson Online Academy ’s website.

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Preparing a child for kindergarten can be exciting, but it can also be daunting. After all, it has probably been two or three decades since you were a kindergartner yourself, and even then, a lot has changed in that time. In a very real way, we’re taking a shot in the dark as parents, trying to get a child ready when we’re not sure ourselves what she will be doing.

Don’t let the uncertainty scare you. There’s a lot that can be done to prepare children for their first year in elementary school, and none of it requires a degree in teaching or early childhood development. With the right activities and just a little bit of quality time with your little one, you can have her ready for anything that the teacher can throw at her.

Building Math Skills

In kindergarten, depending on what school district you’re a part of, your child is likely to learn basic counting, basic addition, and basic subtraction. Largely, what teachers are going for is helping students associate the actual value with the number (e.g., they want the student to immediately recognize how much five is when they see the numeral 5).

To help your child prepare for that, you can have him practice associating either the written symbol or the spoken word with the actual value. That’s a rather verbose way of saying “have him practice counting with things he can hold in his hands.” Here are some suggestions for how to do just that:

Cleanup Counting

Have the child clean up with you after play and practice counting to see how many items she can pick up. Compete to see who can pick up more (letting her win, of course). Once she has counted down, try asking simple addition or subtraction questions like “How many are left to put away?” and “How many are in the bucket now?” With any luck, practicing like this will have the added bonus of motivating your young one to clean up willingly after playtime.

Playing Sous Chef

Try cooking together with your child, having him count ingredients, scoops, and mixing strokes. Have him set the table, counting out how many plates, cups, and utensils the family needs. While having him participate during meal preparation will likely slow things down, it will give him a chance to practice, and he will likely be more excited about mealtime as a result.

Getting the Wiggles Out

Some games and physical activities lend themselves well to practicing counting. Games like hide-and-go-seek have counting built in, while activities like jump rope, jumping jacks, stretches, push-ups, and so forth all provide something for your child to associate the counting with. Exercises like this also double as gross motor skill activities, which we’ll talk about later.

Building Language Skills

While your future kindergartener has already learned how to talk and communicate clearly (for the most part), she hasn’t quite mastered the language yet. For one thing, her vocabulary is still fairly limited. For another, chances are she’s not yet reading on her own. Remember, at this stage, most of what she knows about language she has intuited, piecing things together by listening to you. There’s still a great deal about the mechanics she stands to learn.

Much of that learning will happen as she begins to read on her own and as that reading happens with more frequency. That’s why doing what you can to prepare her for the basic reading she’ll be doing in kindergarten will be so useful.

Build an Alphabet Book

Kindergarten classes tend to begin their language learning by working on the alphabet. After all, it’s difficult to learn to read if you don’t know what all those little symbols mean. You can help prepare your child for that first step by building an alphabet book together.

How you do this is up to you. You can draw an outline of the letter on the page and have your child color it in. Or you could write the letter as dotted lines and allow him to trace the letter. Get creative, involve your child in the process, and provide a little help where needed. Then, when each letter is done, staple or bind the book together and display it as the work of art it is.

This book can be used to review letters and teach your child what they look like when they’re written, allowing her to begin associating the sounds with the written symbols.

Read a Book Together

One of the simplest things you can do to help your child understand language better is to read with her on a regular basis. This time-tested standby of proactive parenting yields many benefits. It’s bonding time for you and your child. It helps her calm down and get ready for bed in the evening. It exposes her to the thoughts and ideas of other people and helps her learn about things both common and exotic. And, done properly, it can help children learn to read.

Try pointing out common words (often called “sight words” by teachers) that you can help your child memorize and recognize immediately. Once she starts getting the hang of words like this, point to them as you read, and have her read the word for you. Over time, this helps build her reading vocabulary and can dramatically increase her reading speed.

For bonus points, discuss the book with the child as you read, and when the book is done see if she can relate the story back to you, as these steps encourage deeper thinking and improve reading comprehension.

Play I Spy with Letters

I spy can be a very versatile game, as you’ll see below, and with a little creativity it can serve a number of different purposes. Here, it can help your child to recognize letters in things he sees. It’s fairly common for children to do this on their own anyway, but your little one will likely be all the more proud of what he finds when you’re actively involved.

Prompt your young learner by giving him a letter to look for when you’re reading, driving around, or doing anything that provides ample opportunity for reading. Watch as his eyes light up at the challenge, and praise him when he succeeds. You may find, as he learns to string these letters together, that this will lead to sounding out words and full-on reading in time.

Building Science Skills

At this stage, it’s less important to bury your little one in facts and information and more important to give her a reason to be excited about the laws that govern the world around her. Helping her see scientific principles in action will likely pique her interest and have her asking questions about why things work the way they do.

There are some simple experiments that can be done to illustrate principles that children interact with on a regular basis but don’t notice. Here are a few:

• Demonstrate the water cycle—use a boiling pot of water or a hot shower to produce steam, and then place a cold object nearby (like a glass of water or a can of cold soda on the counter next to the stove) to cause condensation.
• Demonstrate static electricity—rub an inflated balloon on your head (or your child’s) to generate static, then see what the balloon will stick to, or try discharging the static on something metallic.
• Demonstrate afterimages—use a flipbook to illustrate the afterimage principle; it’s the same principle that movies use to turn static images into “motion pictures.”

When all else fails, go outside and hunt for bugs, frogs, birds, and other creatures that your child can identify and observe. When you find some interesting specimens, look up more information about the creature online to see what fun things you can learn together.

Building Motor Skills

Motor skills fall into two categories: gross motor skills (how your body moves as a whole) and fine motor skills (the use of the hands to accomplish delicate tasks). Here’s an example to illustrate: As a baby learns to walk, he is developing gross motor skills. As he learns to pick up gummy snacks by pinching them, rather than by using his whole hand to grasp them, he’s developing fine motor skills.

Even as a five- or six-year-old, your child is still developing his gross and fine motor skills. He’ll practice using both in school, so doing things to help him develop his dexterity and learn to control his body will be useful regardless of the type of activity you choose. Below are some ideas.

Develop gross motor skills by:

• Teaching how to do somersaults.
• Holding races and playing tag.
• Playing catch.
• Choreographing a dance together.
• Coming up with a fancy secret handshake.

Develop fine motor skills by:

• Creating a collage by cutting out shapes with safety scissors; help by outlining shapes for your child to cut.
• Practicing tying and untying knots.
• Practicing writing the child’s name.
• Practicing sign language letters.
• Playing a computer or video game together.

As most kids like to be active during this stage, most of these activities will have them excited to participate, so you’re likely to have a willing participant as you implement this kind of education.

Building Social Skills

For oldest children, only children, and children who are much younger than their siblings, social skills aren’t always easy to develop prior to school. Still, there are things you can do to prepare them for interacting with other children in a healthy manner.

Try introducing your child to other children her age. If she already has friends of her own, invite them over for playdates. When conflicts arise, teach her healthy methods of negotiating such situations and how to avoid unfriendly behaviors.

Playing board and card games can also teach your child a great deal. By playing structured games, your child can learn to take turns, follow instructions, how to be a good sport, how to avoid being upset when losing, and how to avoid gloating when winning.

Also, as your child prepares for school, it’s important that she know how to handle separation from her primary caregivers. Give her some practice by letting her play at a friend’s house, leaving her with a babysitter for date night, or by leaving her to play at a friend’s or relative’s birthday party (where appropriate).

Lastly, remember that you are the child’s primary example for how to interact with other people. Set a good example of the kinds of behavior you want to see, and your child will likely follow suit.

Building Cognitive Skills

Not everyone is aware of this, but IQs are not set in stone. Though your child can work on increasing cognitive prowess at any age, early childhood is especially influential to developing a high IQ. This makes prekindergarten a great time to stimulate higher brain functions in your child, and it can be done with some surprisingly simple activities. Here are a few:

Play sorting games with your child; give him instructions to sort by similarities such as size, shape, color, etc. Putting silverware away is a good example, as is sorting out the toy box. You can also hold a scavenger hunt for your child, though if leaving clues for specific items seems to advanced, give him instructions to collect things of specific sizes, shapes, or colors.

For something a little more advanced, try playing variations of I spy by interacting with your child’s various senses:

• Audio version—have him listen for and identify specific sounds.
• Tactile version—have him close his eyes and try to guess an item that you put in his hand.
• Taste version—use something that comes in multiple flavors (drinks, candy, popsicles, etc.) and have him taste test it, asking him to identify which flavor is which.
• Olfactory version—use scented candles or other products that come in a variety of scents, and have him guess what the smell is.

Stimulating your child’s senses, and his ability to think and process ideas or instructions, will help him prepare for the kind of learning and thinking he will be doing in school.

Building Creative Skills

Even Michelangelo and Shakespeare started somewhere. Whatever your child’s level of proficiency or creativity, encouraging her to engage her creative side will be both fun and beneficial. Here are some ideas:

• Finger paint with your child.
• Encourage pretend play, and participate in her imaginary world whenever you can.
• Role-play with your child; that is, give her a part to play (doctor, tiger, superhero, monster), and let her imagine how that person or creature would act.
• Use paint, crayons, pencils, or markers to create masterpieces fit for the Museum of Modern Art (or at least the refrigerator).
• Using an image as a guide, “compete” with your child to see who can recreate it best.

Lastly, you can try playing “fiddlestick stories” with your child. Do this by helping him invent a story and then taking turns to decide what happens. This is often broken down along sentence-by-sentence lines, alternating the storyteller with each sentence. This can even be a fun family activity, involving as many members as are willing to participate.

Learning does happen on its own, but a lot can be done to accelerate it and foster it, especially in the home. The better educated a child is on how to learn and understand things, the more self-sufficient he or she will be when doing schoolwork. So use some of these activities to prepare your young student-to-be, and instill a lifelong love of learning.

For more information on what you can teach your child, to discover what you can expect her to learn in school, or to see sample curricula, for online public school, visit Connections Academy’s website today. To learn about online private school, visit Pearson Online Academy 's website.

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Learning how to spell can be tedious for kids, and tedium can make anything boring. Every parent is well acquainted with just how little patience most children have for boredom. So ditch the boredom—and the resulting resistance—by "gamifying" spelling exercises. By making learning fun, you increase children’s motivation to do the work. And with their brains more fully engaged, they learn faster.

We’ve put together a list of our favorite spelling games. Pick a few to try with your little learners to see just how much fun building neural pathways can be.

Games for Individuals

Word Searches

You may have never considered them in this way, but word searches are a good way to teach students the visual appearance of a word. Often, there will be a number of near misses, and your child will have to separate the correct choices from all the mistakes. The word search is a great option for visual learners. If you want to create your own word searches, there are a number of resources that allow you to create them using any words you want, and several of them are free, like the one by Discovery Education.

Crossword Puzzles

Similar in concept to word searches, but with an added twist, crossword puzzles are an excellent choice for young readers because they require not only spelling skills (children will trip themselves up if they spell the words incorrectly) but also reading comprehension and problem-solving (in that the crossword clues are similar to riddles). You can also vary the difficulty, making the hints obvious or obscure. If you want a free resource for crossword puzzles, then Discovery Education has your back again with this one.

Games for Groups

Spelling Bees

A good way to test spelling knowledge is to hold a spelling bee. Since it’s not an official competition, you can modify the rules slightly, giving children a chance to rebound from mistakes or keeping a tally of correct answers. That way, nobody is ever eliminated, and everyone gets to feel some accomplishment as they spell some of the words correctly. (Fun little prizes are always a nice surprise, too!)

Hangman

A classic game, hangman helps kids work together as a team and can help them learn where they’re spelling a word wrong without feeling solely responsible for mistakes. Be sure to incentivize the team by awarding points or handing out some form of reward to get them excited about winning.

Vanishing Man

Vanishing Man is like hangman in reverse—you break the players into two teams (which can be as small as one player each) and draw stick figures for each team. The goal is to get the stick figure to disappear one body part at a time as the contestants spell words correctly. The team that makes their vanishing man invisible first wins. Feel free to vary the difficulty of words if you have players of different ages and ability levels.

Spelling Battleship

We borrow this one from Deceptively Educational: “Take the traditional game of battleship and turn it into a spelling game.” This is a great choice for groups of children at similar grade levels who can be paired up.

Active Games

Phonics Jumping Game

This one, which we found on Learners in Bloom, is great for kids who like to make a little noise. “To play, we turned the words over and the girls (and Mom) took turns picking a word. For each turn, the player [who] picked the word had to sound it out and then jump on the letters in order. I usually called out the phonetic sounds of each letter in order as they jumped, but older kids could be invited to remember the order of the letters themselves by sounding out the word slowly as they jump.” And it’s always great to pair movement and learning!

Slap the Word

Another great game for getting the wiggles out, Slap the Word is very simple. Put a group of similarly spelled words on a board, and give two players each a flyswatter. Call out words from the board. Whoever correctly locates and slaps the word wins a point. If you have more than two players, have them take turns to share in the fun.

For Advanced Students

Scrabble

It’s been said that “good artists borrow; great artists steal” (a quote that, fittingly, has been attributed to nearly every prominent writer). We’re not encouraging the theft of this board game, but we are suggesting that you don’t necessarily have to build your own activity when someone else has done the work for you. Pick up a copy of the game, or pull your old Scrabble board out of the closet, and start playing.

If you want to aim at specific spelling words, try setting up the board with the words partially spelled already, or pick out the letters you give to the players.

Spelling Pong

This game, which comes by way of Busy Teacher, is a little more free-form and requires the players to have a larger repertoire of words they know how to spell. Take a collection of cups (preferably disposable ones) and write a letter on the bottom of each of them. Then line them up in a grid on a table. Each player takes turns bouncing a Ping-Pong ball into one of the cups. Then the player has to spell a word using the letter on the bottom.

To increase the challenge, see how many words players can spell within a certain amount of time. For larger groups, set up two grids and have two players race to see who can spell a word first.

And there you have it: a variety of fun ways to convince your children to practice their spelling. Feel free to invite the rest of the family or a group of your children’s friends. Odds are, they’ll have so much fun that they won’t even be bothered that they’re learning, which is, of course, the best kind of education.

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If you’re like most virtual school parents, you are probably eager to discover new ways to improve the learning experience for your student. While blogs and Pinterest(opens in a new tab) boards are certainly great places to search for educational ideas, don’t overlook what can be your very best resource: your child’s teacher!

Just like a traditional schoolteacher, your child’s online teacher can be a wonderful advisor with keen insights into how children learn best. As they work with children each day, they develop new ideas and fresh approaches to learning that help ensure academic success.

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, we asked online teachers across the country to tell us the most important things families need to know about virtual school. We hope their insights and tips will inspire you and help fuel your family’s success with online learning!

1. Stick to it!

   Teachers tell us that the first few months of online learning can be challenging for families. “Hang in there” and maintain regular contact with your child’s teacher. As you become accustomed to the technology and establish a routine, it will get easier and you’ll begin to reap the rewards of educating your child at home.

2. Know your computer.

   Parents who serve as their child’s Learning Coach need basic computer and software skills. Take time to complete your virtual school’s orientation and to explore the school’s education management system. It’s important to know how to access and use your school’s online resources, including the curriculum, virtual classroom, grade book, and communications.

3. Get directly involved.

   Virtual school is not a self-study program for children! Parents need to be engaged in their child’s learning on a daily basis. For younger students, the parent or Learning Coach will need to be hands-on for much of the day. Middle and high school students will require less direct involvement, but still need supervision, support, encouragement, and assistance with time management.

4. Expect challenging schoolwork.

   A high-quality online school will offer a curriculum that is just as rigorous as that of any bricks-and-mortar school. Your student should be prepared to work hard and to be held accountable for the quality of his or her schoolwork. Learning self-motivation is key for student success.

5. Your student is the focus.

   With online learning, teachers often have greater freedom to personalize the program to fit the individual. They can tweak lessons or projects to provide additional study on a difficult concept, direct a child to online resources for practicing skills, or add challenge to inspire the advanced student. They also provide regular feedback and personal attention when needed.

6. Ask your teacher!

   Online teachers have to meet the same professional and educational qualifications as teachers in traditional schools. They know their subject matter and how to teach in any setting, so when your child has a question or problem, contacting the teacher is the best way to resolve it. The parent may initiate a call or email to the teacher for elementary school students. In middle and high school, students can reach out by themselves—and develop social and communication skills as they learn.

7. Don’t overdose on flexibility.

   While having a more flexible schedule is one of the wonderful qualities of virtual school, that shouldn’t necessarily mean doing “whatever you want, whenever you want.” Children do need structure, and it’s the Learning Coach’s job to provide that framework. Your student will also have deadlines that must be met and may need reminders and assistance with planning long-term projects.

8. Set a good pace.

   With virtual school, students can advance through their lessons at a pace that works for them. Instead of waiting for classmates to catch up, an advanced student can proceed to the next lesson once he or she has mastered the material. For more challenging subjects, students can take extra time to absorb new information, if needed. Parents do need to make sure their child is on track for deadlines and for completing the semester on time. Teachers strongly recommend working ahead so your student has a “cushion” built into the schedule.

9. Join the community.

   To ensure your student develops socially as well as academically, it’s important to take advantage of the field trips, parties, and other special events offered by your virtual school. Your child can also exercise his or her social skills by joining online clubs and activities. These opportunities can also help students and their families connect with the school’s supportive learning community.

10. Get closer.

    Be prepared to spend more time with your child! Doing virtual school together works well for a family-centered lifestyle. With a more flexible schedule, you can arrange the school day to accommodate family time, community- or faith-based events, and other activities that your family values. Sharing these activities and working as a virtual school team can strengthen the family bonds you cherish.

We hope that these teacher-tested tips will help you make the most of online education—and your relationship with your child’s teacher. Many students and families tell us that the strong connections with teachers are among the most rewarding aspects of virtual school. So, as the spring semester winds down and in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, be sure to reach out and thank your teachers for their hard work throughout the school year!

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Has your child been the victim of bullying? Bullying is defined as repeated, unwanted aggressive behavior designed to intimidate, harass, exclude, humiliate, harm, or coerce another person. Bullying can be physical violence or verbal taunting, and is a serious situation that needs to be addressed.

While someone being bullied may feel isolated or ashamed, making him or her less likely to reach out for help, there are warning signs you can look out for. Connections Academy® parents share their stories of bullying and how they took action to help below.

 

Changes in Behavior May Signal Bullying

Has your vibrant, happy child turned quiet and withdrawn? Or perhaps your independence-loving teen has become more clingy? These parents noticed changes in their children’s behavior and stepped in:
 

Unfortunately, my son experienced bullying. He became very quiet and always seemed sad; he started to not want to go to school and had a stomachache all the time. I talked with my son all the time and allowed him to be angry and hurt, assuring him that the bullies were wrong. I told him every day that he is enough and has a great purpose. He still struggles to this day.”

—Washington Connections Academy Parent

 

My daughter left school due to severe bullying. I knew it was happening when I noticed her withdrawing from family activities and sleeping a lot.”

—Georgia Connections Academy Parent

 

My child experienced bullying. She was being shoved down. The bully was also taking her things and breaking them. She was crying every morning, not wanting to go to school, and coming home crying every day. Her gifted teacher told her the school was not where she needed to be; she needed a better school. I finally checked her out of school and homeschooled her a few months and then found Connections Academy. Her attitude changed so much! There was no more crying. The nightmares stopped!”

—Texas Connections Academy @ Houston Parent

 

Is Depression a Sign of Bullying?

Bullying can lead to lasting struggles with depression. Some students drop out of school or self-harm.

 

My oldest daughter suffered from depression and anxiety from bullying. I brought her home to a safe environment and started at Connections Academy. She graduated with honors.”

—Kansas Connections Academy Parent

 

My daughter experienced bullying in the 7th grade. She didn’t want to attend school, wouldn’t come out of her room, and disconnected herself from us as a family. She went into a depression. She had to go through lots of therapy and had family support.”

—New Mexico Connections Academy Parent

 

Bruises and Other Physical Signs of Bullying

Unfortunately, some bullies will become physically aggressive. Some children will have bruises or other injuries they don’t want to talk about. Other children will have headaches or other “illnesses” and say they don’t want to go to school.

 

My kids have been bullied. I knew because they had bruises and cried about other painful injuries. We spoke to the school superintendent after trying to deal with the school principal. When that didn’t work, we put our kids in Connections Academy.”

—Colorado Connections Academy Parent

 

I knew it was happening because they were getting ‘hurt’ at school but wouldn’t say how. They didn’t want to go to school and had a lot of sick days though they loved school. I specifically helped my kids by helping them find the words to stay safe and by signing them up for group activities.”

—Oregon Connections Academy Parent

 

Connections Academy can make a difference for students who have suffered from bullying. Students can take courses and electives approved by their local school system and delivered within the safety and comfort of your home. Freed from the distraction and anxiety caused by bullies, Connections Academy students can excel.

With a choice of clubs, extracurricular activities, field trips, and online groups, your student will have a social circle he or she can choose to interact with. If you’d like more information about Connections Academy’s tuition-free online public school for grades K–12, check out the comprehensive school eGuide.

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October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, making this a great time for families to take a stand to help put an end to the damaging behavior of bullying. Once thought of as a rite of passage, bullying is a serious problem that can have a long-term negative impact on the victim, the bully, and the bystanders. As a parent, you have the power to make a difference by encouraging your children to treat others with kindness and by making sure they are well-informed and know what to do if bullying occurs.

Whether it occurs online or in person, bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. A child who is being a bully uses this power, whether it be physical strength, popularity, or the possession of embarrassing information, to control or harm his or her target. Various types of bullying can be challenging to overcome, and some families enroll their students in online school to give them a safe learning environment in which to regain their confidence.

Whether your children attend online public school, online private school, a local bricks-and-mortar school, or homeschool, you owe it to them to talk about bullying. The resources listed below can help your children take a stand against bullying:

• Encourage your children to treat others with kindness and compassion.
• Try prompts to help you begin the discussion.
• Check out bullying awareness resources for parents to educate yourself.
• Share stories of real people who have overcome bullying.
• Talk about how to respond to bullying, including how to help someone who is being bullied.
• Direct your student to bullying awareness and prevention websites for young children and for teenagers.
• Talk to your children about safe cell phone use.
• Encourage your kids to practice internet safety as smart digital citizens.
• Discuss how to respond to cyberbullying and online bullying.

While you make your children aware of bullying and cyberbullying, you may also want to consider ways that you can model kindness toward and acceptance of people who are different. Your actions and an honest discussion about avoiding and responding to bullying gives children the tools they need to feel confident in what has become an all too common situation for how to help your children take a stand against bullying.

To learn how you can educate your child from home and be more involved in your child’s learning through online public school, visit the Connections Academy website. Or to learn about online private school, visit Pearson Online Academy ’s website.

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