In middle school, students must navigate physical and mental changes and challenges as they transform from children to young adults. It’s also the time when the foundation for high school needs to be laid. Getting them ready for high school success involves developing certain habits and skills, which online middle schools can help them with.
Here’s how online middle schools can facilitate gaining relevant academic and life skills to prepare students for high school success.
Comprehensive Curriculum
Typically, online middle schools offer a robust curriculum that includes subjects such as science, mathematics, language arts, and social studies, along with ELS (English Language Skills) and reading. The courses aim to deliver well-rounded education to students to foster diverse and independent learning experiences they are likely to come across in high school.
By laying a strong academic foundation and fostering self-paced study, online middle schools get their students ready for the more rigorous coursework of high schools.
Adept Use of Technology
Be it accessing the online learning platform of middle schools, using the Message Center to reach out to a teacher or advisor, using Google Docs and spreadsheets, sharing files via Dropbox, or using online tools for researching topics, creating study schedules, and mind maps, online middle school students quickly become familiar with modern technologies.
Be it accessing course materials in the cloud, finding additional study resources, or utilizing AI-powered tools, students become naturals in using modern technology to handle their daily coursework. Being familiar with modern technology and their intuitive use makes these learners ready for high school where their tech familiarity and skills can give them a competitive edge over peers who lack these skills.
Self-Discipline
Online middle school students learn and develop self-discipline to ensure their education stays on track and they make progress in all their subjects, not in one or two that they enjoy the most. Be it creating a study schedule and sticking to it or carving time blocks for adequate rest and other activities (hobbies, spending quality time with family and friends, exercising, etc.), self-discipline is the common thread that binds them all.
Without self-discipline, students can falter badly in online middle schools as they could misuse the flexibility they get. Playing their favorite games on mobile, scrolling on their phones endlessly throughout the day, or binge-watching their favorite series could make studying take a backseat. Repeating such behavior can create academic backlogs difficult to cope with. As students learn the importance of self-discipline early on, they develop the habit of balancing online learning with other aspects of their lives.
Become Independent Learners
Be it developing good study habits, understanding one’s learning style and creating a study schedule accordingly, breaking down the day’s lesson into chunked tasks, or setting weekly goals, online middle school students learn to take ownership of their learning. However, being independent learners doesn’t end here.
From reaching out to their teachers, success coaches, or advisers for help to keeping on top of their own schedule and independent troubleshooting with tech, online middle schools provide adequate opportunities for students to find out what it takes to be successful in school and far beyond and implement the lessons learned.
Develop Organization Skills
For online learning success, students must get organized and stay organized. The first step is to set up a space for study with minimal distractions. Having everything necessary within arm’s reach before beginning study can ensure students won’t need to get up every few minutes to find a pen, paper, book, additional study materials, etc.
Students, who have a busy period coming up due to certain family responsibilities or commitments, travel, or special activities like sports, and know they will be away from classes for some time, should organize their study schedules accordingly. They should get work done in advance, especially if some assignments or coursework need to be submitted. Staying organized and on schedule will help them get back to their academic routine easily once they are back and ready to resume their studies.
Practice Self-Advocacy
Effective communication is essential in online learning. Students enrolled in online middle schools learn to articulate their needs clearly, express their doubts and problems, and seek help and guidance from teachers, learning coaches, instructors, and academic guidance counselors, when required.
Whether they need help finding additional study resources, get clarification on a specific part of their coursework, want extra support, or struggle to understand a lesson, they must talk about it clearly and openly to help teachers and other staff understand and extend the necessary help and guidance. By encouraging students to speak up for themselves and their needs, interests, choices, etc., online middle schools foster an essential life skill of self-advocacy in them, which can help in high school.
Learning In-Demand Soft-Skills
Soft skills aren’t taught directly in online middle schools. Yet, students gain them in an online learning environment as the courses are designed in such a way that students naturally develop such skills.
From working independently and adhering to deadlines to problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptability, patience, time management, and organization skills, students learn highly valuable soft skills that can come in handy when they are ready to get into high school.
Final Words
For students transitioning from childhood to young adulthood, middle schools are one of the most formative milestones in their academic and personal journey. Like their peers in traditional schools, online middle school students will start discovering their interests while gaining an in-depth understanding of the world around them and the role they are likely to play in it.
Additionally, they will benefit from their online middle school’s comprehensive curriculum, along with the adept use of technology and learning skills like self-discipline, organization, independent learning, self-advocacy, and several in-demand soft skills.
Parents and students who have been in a dilemma before choosing an online middle school because they weren’t sure if it would help support the students’ high school dreams can now rest easy. By trusting a reputed school like The Ogburn Online School, the transition from middle school to high school can be made hassle-free and seamless.
