Online Courses for Middle School Students to Support Development

having the right selection of classes is imperative to the future success of the student. So before we dive into the online courses, let’s first discuss the types of online middle schools for students.

Types of Online Middle Schools

Online middle schools can be broken down into 2 main types: Synchronous and asynchronous. While both have their own advantages and disadvantages, each can be further broken down into what type of teaching model is offered and ultimately what online courses are available for middle school students.

Synchronous Learning

So what is a synchronous learning style? Synchronous learning refers to how the class is taught online. In essence it means the class is taught live with both teachers and students attending. This is similar to the format of how in-person classes are taught. The benefit of a synchronous learning style is that it is an easy transition for students coming from a more traditional classroom setting. While the online learning experience will be new for most students, having a ‘live’ classroom environment allows them to ask questions in real-time while participating with the other participants in the class. So let’s dive into more of the benefits:

An Interactive Learning Environment

Having a live classroom presents a great benefit of providing an interactive learning environment for students. This is especially important in middle school when students are more energetic and open to new stimuli. An online middle school teacher will prioritize making the lessons as engaging as possible through group work, labs, and at home projects which create and generate a sense of community in the classroom. A more interactive classroom requires more participation but tends to be what makes the online learning experience so comfortable for students coming from a larger, in-person school setting.

More Engagement

High engagement is often encouraged in synchronous classrooms as teachers require more students to participate in lessons and work. Online courses for middle school students that utilize more engagement through synchronous learning generally focus on building a positive learning environment. This is essential for making the student comfortable in engaging with the class and content.

Participation with Peers

It’s no surprise that synchronous learning allows for more participation in the virtual classroom. Actually, compared to asynchronous classes, this is the only way for participation to happen in the virtual online space. Many students need this type of learning environment to focus and remain motivated to complete school work.

Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning has been gaining in popularity over the years for a number of reasons and benefits. Many asynchronous online courses for middle school students cater towards a specific student or situation. This is because this style of classroom has the most flexibility for the student to attend class and complete coursework. Let’s face it, different families have different circumstances and not every student has the ability to attend school on a rigid schedule that’s required of a synchronous curriculum.

Pace is Driven By the Student

Many students run into issues with synchronous classes and they pace they move at. Whether the student feels the class is moving too slowly or too quickly, they can become quickly disengaged. Asynchronous classes solve this by allowing the student to move at their own pace. Most curriculums are set up in a way that allows a student to move through the material as quickly as they want. This makes it the prime choice for students who are gifted or are struggling to keep up in a traditional classroom environment.

Teaches Independence

Cultivating and learning independence in middle school is important. At this time, students are getting a grasp on executive functioning which will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Because of this, asynchronous learning can be a great introduction to establishing and teaching independence to a student. It’s up to the student to remain motivated to view the lessons and complete assignments. This can be a double-edged sword for the less motivated student as there’s very little ‘hand-holding’ by the teacher or instructor of the class.

Able to Revisit Lectures/Discussions

Reviewing lessons can be difficult for students when looking into studying. Asynchronous classrooms are great in that the lesson is recorded and made available for the student to review whenever they need. This makes studying a whole lot easier!

More Flexible Schedule

It’s no surprise that this type of learning environment is great for families and students that need a flexible schedule! With asynchronous classrooms allowing you to complete lessons and assignments with more flexibility, it allows you to mold your learning experience around current life plans and stressors. It’s a great benefit for students who are young athlete professionals or are on the road a lot and unable to attend classes physically.

Online Courses for Middle School Students

So now that we’ve covered the types of online schools, you should have a better idea on the types of courses they offer. Each online school is different in what they offer and focus in. You can have synchronous schools that attempt to function just like a traditional environment, while on the other end of the spectrum you have someone like us: Tenney School Live. Our program is different in that our classes are all, synchronous, one-to-one classes with real private school teachers. This means that your student is getting the most individualized education from the comfort of being at home!

To conclude, each online school is different so it’s important to assess the pros and cons of each and see what you think fits best with your student. Each student has different learning preferences and functions differently under different environments. If a more individualized education sounds right for you, check out our program at Tenney School Live! Inquire today to figure out how we can make the difference for you and your child!