How Does Online Elementary School Work?
byKristina Cappetta
5 min to read
Online schools for elementary education provide students with unique opportunities they may not otherwise receive in a brick-and-mortar learning environment. If you are considering an online elementary school for your student, it’s important to know what a typical day looks like, the cost, and the benefits so you can make an informed decision about your student’s education.
What is Online Elementary School?
Online elementary school typically is similar to brick-and-mortar elementary school. Online elementary school allows students to learn from home by taking lessons from teachers both independently and in a live lesson. A parent or other trusted adult serves as a student’s Learning Coach, who helps their student through their learning day and assists with assignments while a certified teacher conducts lessons.
How Does Online Elementary School Work?
While virtual learning programs differ, at Connections Academy, students can expect a typical day of learning to consist of live lessons, independent time to work on assignments, and plenty of time to take part in extracurricular activities.
Online Schedule
A student’s schedule will vary depending on grade level and the family’s goals and needs. Families can help students can set their own schedule, allowing them to learn when and how is best for them. Students can spend as much time on a subject as they need, including speeding up or slowing down as they need. While students still have to meet a certain number of learning hours, schedules are largely up to the Learning Coach, allowing room for extracurricular activities, clubs, medical appointments, and more.
Virtual Classroom
At Connections Academy, students access a learning portal called Pearson Online Classroom that allows them to access and work through their assignments at their own pace and schedule. While students can work independently, highly trained teachers and support staff are available to provide ongoing support.
While instructors are on hand to help, Learning Coaches also play an active role, as they are typically responsible for setting their student’s schedule, providing support, and staying connected with teachers. Learning coaches are extremely important for kindergarten students and those in the lower elementary grades, as they need to read and explain assignments for their students who have not yet mastered reading and writing skills. Spending this one-on-one time can help students reach their fullest potential.
As students get older, Learning Coaches can take a step back as students prepare for middle school and high school, where they can take on more personal responsibility for their assignments.
Live Learning Sessions
Online elementary school also consists of LiveLesson sessions where students can participate in instruction with their teachers. Here, much like in brick-and-mortar schools, teachers reinforce key concepts and answer questions. Students are encouraged to not only ask questions of their teachers, but to also interact with their peers to foster communication skills. Recordings of live learning sessions are also typically available so that students and Learning Coaches can review them when it best suits their schedules.
Online Communication
There is no lack of communication for students choosing to learn online. Message boards, direct messages, and discussion boards are typically part of the online elementary school experience. This allows students, Learning Coaches, and teachers a way to stay in touch and maintain active roles in the learning process. Online elementary schools also offer clubs, programs, and access to counselors, tutoring services, and more.
Is Online Elementary School Free?
There are free online elementary schools, especially online public schools like Connections Academy. These accredited online elementary schools are state-supported, similar to brick-and-mortar public schools, though this can vary from state to state. Check to see if a Connections Academy online elementary school is offered in your state.
Flexible Schedules
One of the major benefits of attending an online elementary school is setting a flexible schedule.. Since lessons are recorded, students can access them when it works for them. They also have greater freedom to determine when to complete their assignments. While there are still deadlines, some students may realize they work better in the afternoon, while others may do their best work first thing in the morning.
Individualized Support
Online schools for elementary education provide students with individualized support. Teachers make personal connections with students in an online platform allowing them to give specific instruction and realize when a student may need extra help. Online elementary school recognizes that not all students learn the same and that students typically need specific learning plans to achieve the greatest success.
Hands-On Learning
Online schools for elementary education also provide ample opportunities for hands-on learning. Students may be prompted to look for rocks for science class or work on an art project. They can then share what they have found and created during their online classes. A teacher may also host a Live Lesson that includes creating a piece of art or doing a small science experiment together.
Online elementary school provides students with a quality education while they benefit from a flexible schedule, individualized support, and much more. As a provider of accredited online education for grades K-12, Connections Academy is here to answer any questions you may have about online schools for elementary education. Simply contact us to learn more.
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