With that, I transitioned from a homeschool teacher to a learning coach...and never looked back. I remember him doing online school with CAVA when he was in first grade, when I had to take him out of school, which eventually worked in his favor, as Covid happened right after. I was not as involved then, but I'm grateful his daycare provider became his learning coach.. This time, I get to be his learning coach.
Later in another post, I will share what made me decide to homeschool him in December last year. So far, I am loving the support I get from his school.
These are my thoughts on online schooling and a brief review of his current school, Compass Charter School. I'm considering doing a deeper dive review of Compass in another post, maybe at the end of the school year, to give it more time and insight. For now, here are the pros and cons of online school in my experience.
PROS:
1. Flexibility.
If you are even mildly thinking about enrolling your child in an online school, chances are you are looking for that flexibility. Doctor's appointment? That's ok, you don't have to take him out of school for the day. Does your child learn better in the afternoon? Not a problem. The independent study allows him to access his curriculum 24/7. This works best because I learned during the short time I homeschooled him that he focuses around noon to about 4 or 5 PM. No wonder he hates getting up in the morning.
2. Support.
Marcus was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. He has a hard time focusing and gets distracted easily. He also often daydreams. If you have a child with ADD/ADHD, then you know the struggle that comes with it. With his IEP, he gets pulled out of his class for small group classes 90 minutes a week. He also has accommodations like being seated near the teacher, maybe simplified assignments with extended time to finish, and a wiggle chair. However, I'm unsure how much of that is being followed. After a few years, I realized he is not getting the support he needed from a traditional school setting, despite the IEP he has in place. They only have so many resources and teachers. When I transferred him to online school, he received more support in 2 months than he ever had in several years, from IEP sessions to group tutoring, office hours, Q&A, and even 1:1 sessions. I genuinely believe he's finally getting the help he needed, with less distraction and more focus.
3. Communication/Parent Involvement.
When it comes to online learning, it definitely is a team effort. You are no longer estranged and often wonder about what your child is learning, your son has support, and there's always a clear line of communication between you as a parent and the teachers. In my experience, having my son in regular brick and mortar school, it used to take a couple of days to a week to hear back from my child's teacher when I had concerns, depending on the teacher. Once, I emailed my son's teacher about a bullying incident that happened in his classroom, and, according to my son, the same teacher was there and did nothing. It took him a week to respond with a sentence or two...Like I was bothering him or owed him the little 30-second response. If you're lucky, he's had teachers who respond to your messages/questions within 24 hours. Since my son is in an online school, communication is improving. When I email a teacher with a question, I almost always receive a response the same day, within an hour or two. Now I understand they are busy, and I always reasonably wait 24-48 hours for a response, but that never happens because I hear from them within hours, if not minutes.
4. Safety
Perceived physical threats are minimized in an online school because, yes, they are at home. But my main concern is the bullying and peer pressure that seemed to be overlooked in most traditional schools/ I've seen it firsthand, when my son was "pressured" to do something that eventually got him in trouble, and school staff had to talk to me.
My son has a good heart and just wants to feel accepted. However, I had to explain to him that a real friend will not make you do things in the guise of a friendship to get him in trouble, and that same group of people is nowhere to be found when it comes to bullying. I also know that some schools will minimize bullying. I have reported bullying several times in my son's previous school, and I barely get a response 2-3 days later. It is frustrating.
This comes down to the importance of finding a few people with whom your child will form meaningful, long-lasting friendships.
5. Advocacy
Online learning is mostly independent learning with live classes. With some encouragement, my son is slowly but surely learning to advocate for himself. Of course, I have to coach him through it most of the time, but he's getting there.
CONS
1. Limited Social Interaction
Most online schools offer online clubs and virtual meetups, and they absolutely do their best to fill this gap. For some people, though, these don’t entirely replace the organic, in-person friendships and life lessons that happen in traditional schools. I think this is the primary concern for most parents, as I see this question get asked a lot in some of the virtual info sessions I have attended.
I put socialization under con because I notice a lot of parent have their own hang-ups around it. Honestly, socialization depends on how you view it or where it stands in your priority list when choosing a school. Socialization can be a pro and a con, depending on how you see it. Being in a brick-and-mortar school setting is not the only way kids can socialize, learn, or hone their socialization skills. It's more of a forced association rather than natural socialization. Your schoolmates don't need to be your friends, just like your coworkers don't automatically become your friends outside of work. Learning in a classroom environment is not for everybody, just like online school isn't for everyone. Doing school online is better to help with your child's focus as long as his study area is set up conducive for learning. Being in an online school encourages you to be more mindful of the kids hanging out with your kids. Less is more, and I prefer that he form a more meaningful friendship with a few people who share the same passion as him, rather than feel alone in a group of 25 kids in the classroom where he barely talks to anyone. I've seen and observed him a few times, whether in an after-school program or as a chaperone on his field trip. It breaks my heart, but sometimes he's got to find his own way, while I help create the environment that will allow him to thrive and support his endeavors.
2. Technology
I'm not bad at tech. In fact, I'm tech-savvy. But in the beginning, there is a learning curve as you navigate through an online learning portal. It can be overwhelming to learn the ins and outs of the portal while also becoming a learning coach. What helped us most was the go-to guide my son's school provided when he first started. Everything we needed to know was there: calendars, links, classrooms, how-to, contacts, everything. That was a lifesaver.
Being in an online school is not for everybody. Finding out where your kiddo thrives and how he learns best is essential. My daughter is in a brick-and-mortar public school and is doing well. So we did not need to modify her schooling. Choose what works best for your family and fits your lifestyle. The good thing is that when it comes to educating your kids, there are options as long as you are open to them. If you’re not worried about them missing most of the in-person interaction in a brick-and-mortar school, I’d say give it a chance.
3. Increased Screen Time
Spending hours in front of a screen daily can impact sleep, posture, eye health, and physical activity, especially for younger kids. The key is to vary it up. A daily schedule always works for my son, with plenty of breaks in between, when he needs it. He is best focused from mid-morning to early afternoon. His P.E. is scheduled at 8:30 AM, so he gets to run around, exercise, and get his energy out before he starts sitting in live classes. That is the beauty of being in an online school.
4. Self-Motivation is a Must
Online learning requires discipline and focus. Without structure or close supervision, students may struggle to stay on track. This is when we, as parents, come in as their learning coach to ensure they receive support for their school work and motivate them. From TK to about middle school, the learning coach must be more present. As the child gets older and becomes more responsible, you, as the learning coach, get to step back while ensuring accountability. It does require a certain level of discipline and motivation to go to online school because of its self-paced nature. There will still be online distractions, so the student needs to be proactive in managing their time and staying focused.
The beauty of online school is its structure and flexibility through the scheduled live classes and independent work. Another plus is that as a learning coach, I don't have to do the teaching, grading, and feedback, which is everything. I don't have to do the heavy lifting regarding teaching.
5. Limited Access to Hands-on Learning
Subjects like science labs, art, or P.E. lose their hands-on magic online. While some programs try to bridge the gap, it's not always the same experience.
Take advantage of online schooling's flexibility to give your child real-world experience. With online learning, your child is no longer confined to the four walls of a traditional classroom, which is probably a better option than hands-on learning in school in some cases. I love that in online school, I get to observe my son's daily lessons, so I can align his experience with his "classroom" experience.
Also, online schools offer meet-ups and field trips that are either free or low-cost. If there's one in your area, I encourage you and your child to go.
Final Thoughts
Every family is different—and that’s the beauty of having options. Online school can be a blessing for some and a challenge for others. To be in an online school, you don't necessarily have to have a reason except that you are interested in trying an alternative option for your child, as the traditional brick-and-mortar way of doing education is not a fit for them. The key is to stay in tune with your child’s needs, your family’s lifestyle, and what feels most supportive for everyone’s wellness.
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