63% of students have chosen online learning with regards to it’s flexibility over in-person methods. (delvinpeck.com) With the rise of online learning, many families and students alike are considering this alternative form of learning for their middle or high school years. While online learning gives students a unique learning environment, there are some practices worth employing to make the most out of the new learning environment. Let’s cover 5 main ways to better prepare for learning in an online school.
Getting Set Up for Success
Have a dedicated Study Space
A big drawback of online schools is the lack of separation between your home and school. For many students, it remains difficult at first to stay on task while at home. A way to keep focus is by having a separate learning space. This “study space” should be in a dedicated room at home if possible. The further away from distractions, the better your focus will be. Your study space should come equipped with a good light, comfortable chair, pens/pencils, and paper. This is also where you should keep your device used to connect to online classes.
Collect Everything Necessary for Class
Each online school is different. At Tenney School Live, we issue devices for all of our students, but not every school is able to provide it’s students with necessary resources. Because of this. it’s important for students to gather all tools and resources necessary for success prior to your first day. While school requirements vary, in general you’ll need:
- Computer (laptop or desktop)
- Stable Internet Connection
- Headphones
- Pencils/Pens
- Notebook/Binder
- Planner (physical or digital)
Time Management
Craft a Study Schedule
Study schedules are essential in developing a consistent routine. A consistent routine is the key ingredient in managing your time effectively and quickly. A consistent routine is what helps you maintain your workload and focus throughout the week. Also, establishing a consistent study routine early sets you up for future success beyond high school. It’s a skillset that you will use widely far after your graduation day.
Set Goals and Priorities
Online learning requires students to be accountable for accomplishing their own work. Starting in middle school, our online program requires students to develop their executive functioning skills. These skills are what allows students to setup goals for themselves to accomplish what they need to get done.
The best way to begin setting goals and priorities is by keeping a planner. A planner is necessary for keeping track of what needs to get done. Once you begin tracking necessary tasks, you can begin setting goals for yourself. Maybe this goal is to get an A in all of your classes or to get into a certain school after graduating. Once you identify your goals, you can begin crafting a plan to achieve said goal.
Class Participation
Engage with Your Class
Active participation is a great way to maximize your online learning experience. You can do this by engaging with your teacher both inside and outside of the virtual classroom. You can engage with your teacher by:
- Asking questions
- Taking notes
- Seeking clarification (when needed)
- Collaborate with classmates
The more you can stay involved with the class, the better focused, prepared, and ready for success you’ll be. It’s imperative to seek help from the teacher when you feel confused. In our online, one-on-one program, we actively encourage the student to engage with the teacher as much as possible. We’ve found that the more engaged a student becomes, the better they’ll retain information during coursework.
Set Yourself Up for Online Success!
While we covered our favorite ways to get prepared for your new online school, there’s plenty more to do to prepare! Each online school is different and has different ways of maximizing your experience. I highly recommend employing these strategies at the start of your journey and adapting to what works best for you! Each student has a preference on their learning style, so keep in mind that not all of these strategies will work for you equally.
If you’re looking to enroll into an online school than look no further! Tenney School Live is the most individualized online school for you. All of our students work with their teachers in a one-to-one private online setting for grades 5 – 12. It’s the best way to get an online education! If you’re interested in more information about our program and what we can do for you, inquire for more info today by clicking here.
