There is always a learning curve to doing anything new in life. Online homeschooling is no exception. If you’ve been studying in a traditional schooling environment all your life, transitioning to an online high school can be challenging. In addition to that, teenagers today are swamped with numerous distractions, which make it harder for them to concentrate on their studies. There’s plenty of research to prove that social media takes up most of their time. In an environment like this, we are here to help you overcome the challenges you face in an online high school with strategies that will help you be successful and manage your time effectively.
Make the Transition
First and foremost, the biggest challenge you will face when adapting to an online learning platform is the change in learning style. Traditional schooling is characterized by brick-and-mortar classrooms where you have a group of children listen to a teacher deliver the subject matter. With online homeschooling, everything changes. The learning environment is centered entirely on the student. No more classrooms – students can study from anywhere they want. While this gives students an unimaginable amount of freedom, it also brings a plethora of pitfalls along with it.
Since there is no teacher to ensure that students adhere to timelines, students are required to do so themselves. Alternatively, if possible, parents would be required to play this role in the absence of a teacher. To achieve success in an online high school, students need to develop a feasible study schedule and stick to it. Discipline is a key ingredient most people leave out when they think about virtual learning platforms.
When developing a schedule to complete their coursework, students need to consider their strengths and weaknesses and plan accordingly. No two students are alike. Therefore, students need to decide how much time they need to spend on certain topics based on their own personal needs. An effective way to manage your time when learning online is to time yourself. Since this is a new platform, it helps if students track how time they spend on different subjects and topics. This will help in streamlining the schedule as well as help them decide which topics require more attention.
Minimize Distractions
Conventional classrooms have their own set of distractions but they come with a key limiting constraint – the teacher. On the other hand, online learning platforms have no such constraints. It is up to the students and their parents to ensure that distractions are kept to a minimum during study time. For one, students need to block out any access they have to their social media accounts while they’re studying. They can allot a specific amount of time during mornings and evenings to check in with their friends while reserving the rest of the day for their study schedule.
Also, having a dedicated space somewhere in the house that is set aside solely for the purpose of studying helps a great deal in focusing on your study material. It creates a sense of space that is away from the rest of your life and reserved mainly for the purpose of focusing on your schoolwork. Think of an online high school as though it were just like a physical classroom but with more flexibility and more responsibility.
Find Your Own ‘Style’
The whole purpose of enrolling with an online high school is to leverage the opportunities it provides to explore your full potential. With online learning platforms, you have the freedom and the flexibility to study at your own pace and in your own way. While some students prefer complete silence while studying, others are at their best when they listen to music. Experimenting with different methods is vital to help you find what works for you and what doesn’t. Don’t implement a schedule just because you’ve seen someone else do it. You need to come up with your own schedule that is best suited to your personal needs.
Varying the pace of learning is another major advantage of distance education programs. Being able to focus on your study material and learn at your own pace without worrying about being ridiculed is what virtual learning platforms aim to do. This way, you don’t have to worry about being left behind. You can question freely and spend as much time as needed to learn your material well, thereby increasing your chances of success and accomplishing your goals.
Make Time for Other Activities
The academic curriculum in an online high school can be grueling. All work and no play can certainly take its toll on a child’s mind. Therefore, it is absolutely vital for parents to ensure that they set aside some time for physical exercise and sports for their child when they draw up an online learning schedule. This gives students an opportunity to unwind and it also helps with the overall development of the child.
Additionally, students should also set aside some time for other activities like visiting museums, going to a ball game, meeting up with friends, hanging out at the mall, learning music, and playing video games. This allows them to indulge in new experiences and also helps them gain exposure to different aspects of life. Ultimately, that is what an online high school is – a holistic learning environment that combines academic rigor with wholesome learning.
Want to Learn More?
If you’d like to know more about how The Ogburn Online School programs work or need help managing your online homeschooling schedule, give us a call today. Our teachers and academic advisors will be happy to guide you through the entire process to help you get the most out of your online experience!
