How Virtual Learning Benefits the Whole Family
byConnections Academy
5 min to read
If traditional brick-and-mortar schools aren’t meeting your student’s needs, virtual learning could help them reach their full potential. Discover why one family is glad they made the switch to an online school through Connections Academy®.
Online Schooling Supports Family Needs
For many parents, figuring out how to get their children to school on time while coordinating extracurricular and work schedules can be incredibly challenging. Especially when there’s often no time left to spend together at the end of the day.
Narelle Daley was a single mother working non-traditional hours while her children attended online school at Connections Academy. “I wanted to do something that was a little bit more flexible,” explained Ms. Daley. “Flexible for me, flexible for them, and I still wanted them to have that connection with other students.”
While Ms. Daley initially worried about how she would balance her role as a parent and Learning Coach, she quickly realized one of the benefits of virtual learning for her family is how much easier it is to meet her children’s education needs.
No matter how your family is structured—single parent, aging grandparents caring for children, blended family, or parents with disabilities—online schooling supports non-traditional family structures, ensuring your learner’s needs are met, alongside your family’s needs.
Ms. Daley highlighted how she still wanted her children to connect with other students. A common concern relating to virtual learning is whether learners will be able to meet their social needs. Through Connections Academy, students engage with other children around their age, even connecting with learners who aren’t located in the same town, allowing them to build lasting friendships.
How Virtual Learning Lets Parents Stay Involved
When children are in brick-and-mortar schools, there aren’t many opportunities for parents and guardians to get involved in their learning.
“I am so much more involved in their learning,” said Ms. Daley. “I feel like that’s due to the fact that Connections Academy is so flexible.”
With online schooling through programs like Connections Academy, parents can play a more involved role in learning. For many learners, this can be helpful, allowing them to better absorb the material and providing opportunities to practice what they’ve learned in the real world.
As Learning Coaches, parents get more involved in their student’s learning by:
Providing structure during the day
Establishing routines
Encouraging them to work through their problems
Consistently responding to their actions
Reengage students and provide motivation to continue lessons
Outside of being more involved in learning, parents get to spend additional quality time with their learners.
“We get to spend so much time together, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” said Ms. Daley.
Students Can Take Their Time on School Work
In traditional brick-and-mortar settings, teachers have to move on after the allotted time for a specific subject. This might happen before a student has completed their work or fully grasped the concepts. It may also leave other learners sitting around, having already mastered the lesson.
“They start their first LiveLesson at nine o’clock, and when that LiveLesson is done, they get straight to doing their independent work,” Ms. Daley said of her children’s schedule. “I like that because it [allows them] to take their time. Whereas, I feel like, in brick-and-mortar … once that period is over, you move on. At home, they have more time to work through what it is that they’re learning.”
One of the key benefits of online learning is that outside of LiveLesson® sessions, they can spend the time they need on each concept, without fear of being left behind or waiting around for others to be ready to move on.
Online Learning Benefits the Whole Family in Other Ways
Online school can help families in many other ways, including:
Flexibility: Parents can arrange their day and their child's schedule to suit their child's learning style. For example, if their child prefers to do math early in the day, they can make that happen.
Supervision: Parents can help structure their student’s day and more easily monitor and track their child's progress. In addition, you can be an advocate for your student and gain access to your child’s curriculum and further support their learning and be a Learning Coach.
Affordability: Online school is often less expensive than traditional schooling, as there are no costs for transportation, meals, or real estate.
Customized Learning: Students can learn at their own pace and figure out what works best for them.
Fewer Distractions: Online learning can offer fewer distractions than a traditional classroom setting. A parent can set up a special space in the home, such as an attic or spare bedroom, just for learning, and they can set it up to eliminate distractions.
School Safety: Because students are learning in the comfort and safety of their own home, they don’t have to deal with bullying, peer pressure, or any other threats to safety.
Reduced Stress: Online school can reduce stress and anxiety for both parents and children, especially for families with children who have special needs. The benefits of online school, like flexible class schedules, reduced distractions, and a safe learning space also benefit students with special needs.
If you think virtual learning may be right for your family, explore 8 Tips for Starting Online Middle School and High School.
Ready to Learn More
About Connections Academy?
Explore the benefits of attending Connections Academy, a tuition-free, accredited online public school that’s passionate about helping your child thrive.
