The advancement of technology has sprinted over the last decade, and along with it, the opportunity for virtual learning has risen dramatically. In this setting, scholars learn at their own pace and create their own study schedules. With an abundance of resources online, plus the ability to customize education for scholars with special needs, online schooling is the perfect choice for some families.
If this is a perfect fit for your family, you’re not alone. In 2019, approximately 293,700 scholars in the U.S. were enrolled full-time in online schools. By 2023, that number rose to approximately 954,000.
To consider an online education for your child, look into:
- The schools’ curricula and whether it meets state standards
- How teachers interact with their students online
- How scholars’ progress is monitored
- What technology is required
- Whether your child will interact with peers
- Cost and financial considerations
The Leman Academy of Excellence offers its education for virtual schooling with the Leman Virtual Academy. For K-8 scholars in Arizona, this is a tuition-free classical education in a virtual setting. Students may attend Leman Virtual Academy from anywhere in the state. By giving scholars flexible schedules, the Academy allows them to maintain strong family relationships. In addition, scholars are permitted to attend on-campus events and participate in Leman’s athletic and extracurricular activities.
The Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Schooling
When children are enrolled in online schooling, they learn from home using their personal computer or laptop with internet access. At Leman Virtual Academy, students attend live, teacher-led lessons, allowing them to interact in real-time with their instructors and classmates. Unlike some programs that rely on prerecorded content, our lessons are not prerecorded. While there are many benefits to this type of instruction, there can be challenges as well. Let’s review both so you’re familiar with what to expect.
Learning from home enables a more comfortable environment for the scholar. With fewer distractions and no dress code to abide by, scholars are free to work at their own pace and can address issues like using the restroom, eating, and drinking, without having to disrupt the class.
This is a great choice for children who experience anxiety and stress related to school, or those who have health issues or disabilities, in which their home environment is the best fit.
Keep in mind that there are challenges with learning from home. For example, the lack of social interaction may make the scholar feel isolated. There may be fewer opportunities to collaborate with others on school projects, and hands-on learning may not be feasible for virtual scholars.
Parents must oversee their children’s time management to avoid procrastination and falling behind. Without the structure of the school environment, children may find it difficult to remain engaged.
Scholars may also miss receiving immediate attention or help from the teacher if they don’t understand something. Such a lack of personal interaction may make it difficult for them to build relationships with their teachers.
Likewise, teachers may find it harder to gauge understanding without in-person cues. Monitoring the scholar remotely can make it difficult for teachers to track their progress.
For some children, the virtual schooling option is a perfect fit, one we wouldn’t have without today’s technology. But if you’re comparing this option to other education choices, it’s wise to consider all the benefits as well as all the challenges.
Five Key Factors to Consider
Consider these five aspects when making the choice to have your child schooled virtually:
- Your child’s learning style: Does your child thrive in independent, self-paced environments? How would virtual schooling support your child’s learning needs?
- Level of parental involvement: How much support and supervision will be needed? What would be your role in your child’s online learning?
- Socialization and extracurricular activities: How will your child stay involved with clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities? Does the virtual school have a brick-and-mortar component with opportunities for virtual scholars to become socially involved?
- Curriculum and academic rigor: Evaluate whether the virtual school has a challenging and well-rounded education that meets your child’s needs.
The Leman Virtual Academy is the virtual component of the physical Leman Academy school; thus, virtual scholars can engage physically with other Leman scholars. Leman’s Classical Education approach offers a structured curriculum for both versions of the school by engaging scholars in the rigorous Grammar and Logic studies of the Trivium.
- Technology and learning environment: With virtual schooling, your child will enjoy a setting that’s free of distraction and disruption. Scholars who need help focusing on their learning material will thrive in a quiet, comfortable environment.
Making sure the virtual experience runs smoothly, consider the technology required, and ensure that you have a reliable internet access connection.
Conclusion
With the technology we enjoy today, there are so many choices of schooling available. If you’re thinking about having your children learn via virtual schooling, remember to consider their learning styles and self-management abilities. Realize that you will be more involved with your child’s day-to-day learning, and look for ways for your child to socialize. Perhaps the virtual schooling program enables scholars to collaborate or discuss with other scholars.
Become knowledgeable about the virtual school’s curricula offering, and determine the level of challenge it presents to your child. You’ll also want to create a learning environment at home for your child that’s free of distractions and has all the technology needs met for smooth learning.
Bearing all this in mind, look at how well Leman’s Virtual Academy does in teaching its scholars remotely. With its tuition-free, rigorous program of Classical Education, Leman allows its virtual scholars to develop relationships with teachers and classmates. Flexibility with schedules and meeting family needs are also top priorities at Leman.
Learn More or Enroll in Leman Academy’s Virtual Learning Program!