online school advantages

[coelk81]

So I am not a big fan of the online learning. However this year I found a silver lining, where I was able to take my daughter to Colorado for her antlerless elk muzzleloader hunt this year. She missed zero school and filled her tag on our first outing. Anybody else found that it has been or will be easier to take their kids hunting this year?

 

[Werty]

I wish I was a college student right now. I could hunt every day.

 

[Rob5589]

I suppose that could be an "advantage." My daughter just tells her teachers that she is going to be out of town and they give her work to do, both online and the usual stuff. She was already doing some online work pre-Rona.

Congrats to your daughter!

 

[coelk81]

It really had nothing do to with the teachers. She's a senior and she told her teachers that she would be out for a week or so. But she was really stressing about missing the days so she was able to accomplish both. I grew up taking the whole week of whatever season I was hunting with no afterthought.

 

[gbflyer]

We do homeschool. There are advantages and disadvantages. Leaving town is one advantage.

 

[Dutchman]

I have a feeling that folks had better get used to online learning. It may be here to stay.

 

[tradman]

I'm a teacher teaching special education online. It has its ups and downs.

 

[jfs82]

I'm a teacher teaching special education online. It has its ups and downs.

I too work in special education, for the more severe kids its an absolute mess. Im back on site tomorrow and, whatever misgivings I may have, those kids need to back in person desperately.

 

[tradman]

I agree completely.

 

[Chesapeake173]

We chose to homeschool our daughter this year through an online program (Acellus Academy ). Time will tell but she seems to be excelling in it. She can work at her own pace (no little jackass in the class holding everything up) and the program progresses with her. We set her progress schedule to have her finish 8th grade in about 7 months. She works on School 2-5 hours a day and usually is pretty well done by Friday.

Advantage is she can go outdoors and do kid things, hang out with dad, work to earn some spending money, etc.

Disadvantage is the lack of social Time with friends. This is starting to hit home after only a month. Hopefully she’ll work through it. Overall I think she’ll come out of it better off. I hope. And locally schools are starting to close for 2 week intervals because a couple kids got the rona (no symptoms) so she’ll have a leg up on that.


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[TheGDog]

I've been thinking about this a lot. As a techie... one big thing I've noticed with this 'Rona thing prompting the rest of YOU to grasp for straws and use distance learning.... is that it gives more of YOU the insight that this is a completely valid way to do things! Been working remote since 2001. And first was just phone only! It's such a luxury and treat to be able now to easily do screenshare! I've quite literally helped and interacted with people all over the world this way! As far away as New Zealand! It's quite cool how it's made it a "smaller world" in terms of that aspect.

Do I like it for my boy? Well... Not really. But I will say I love the fact that this has resulted in them becoming familiarized with it. Because it is how the rest of the world interacts globally now.

He's an only child, so I highly value his time on-site so he can socialize and build THOSE skills. Especially since he's in 8th grade now. There's just soo many inter-personal skills they learn in Intermediate and High school. I went to a Magnet High School, so a never really got to build quite the same kind of tight bonds most kids in those years end up making. So I see the long-term value in it now. Hence the reason I wish he was back on site already. I thoroughly LOVE the fact that my boy has roots in this community and that many of the same kids he knew from KinderGarten are often in classes with him still, to this day! So for me... I see this current distance learning era as robbing him of that social interaction with them. And it angers me because there is no good reason to have them doing this. None. And I say that from the scientific perspective.

Also... as a side thought... I also have a strong feeling this opportunity to throw in distance learning into the mix will be used more and more as a tool in the future for them to attempt to cut costs even more, or exert pressure on existing teachers... lest they be replaced more cheaply with a younger one willing to conduct their classes via distance learning for slightly less money. 'Cause lets get real.. if there's a way they can squeeze things to make education cost less.. you know DAMN well they are gonna do it. And I don't think they will have thought this thru in terms of the affect it will have on the kids in terms of their inter-personal skills and abilities to handle and de-escalate the various social flare-ups these years will throw at them.

 

[Spike elk]

I've been thinking about this a lot. As a techie... one big thing I've noticed with this 'Rona thing prompting the rest of YOU to grasp for straws and use distance learning.... is that it gives more of YOU the insight that this is a completely valid way to do things! Been working remote since 2001. And first was just phone only! It's such a luxury and treat to be able now to easily do screenshare! I've quite literally helped and interacted with people all over the world this way! As far away as New Zealand! It's quite cool how it's made it a "smaller world" in terms of that aspect.

Do I like it for my boy? Well... Not really. But I will say I love the fact that this has resulted in them becoming familiarized with it. Because it is how the rest of the world interacts globally now.

He's an only child, so I highly value his time on-site so he can socialize and build THOSE skills. Especially since he's in 8th grade now. There's just soo many inter-personal skills they learn in Intermediate and High school. I went to a Magnet High School, so a never really got to build quite the same kind of tight bonds most kids in those years end up making. So I see the long-term value in it now. Hence the reason I wish he was back on site already. I thoroughly LOVE the fact that my boy has roots in this community and that many of the same kids he knew from KinderGarten are often in classes with him still, to this day! So for me... I see this current distance learning era as robbing him of that social interaction with them. And it angers me because there is no good reason to have them doing this. None. And I say that from the scientific perspective.

Also... as a side thought... I also have a strong feeling this opportunity to throw in distance learning into the mix will be used more and more as a tool in the future for them to attempt to cut costs even more, or exert pressure on existing teachers... lest they be replaced more cheaply with a younger one willing to conduct their classes via distance learning for slightly less money. 'Cause lets get real.. if there's a way they can squeeze things to make education cost less.. you know DAMN well they are gonna do it. And I don't think they will have thought this thru in terms of the affect it will have on the kids in terms of their inter-personal skills and abilities to handle and de-escalate the various social flare-ups these years will throw at them.

This. The most important things a kid learns in school have nothing to do with academics.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

This. The most important things a kid learns in school have nothing to do with academics.

I don’t know about that, learning to write properly, read instructions and do basic math so they do t end up over drafting their bank accounts or making poor financial choices are pretty darn important...

 

[TheGDog]

I don’t know about that, learning to write properly, read instructions and do basic math so they do t end up over drafting their bank accounts or making poor financial choices are pretty darn important...

Whilst that is true... your child having strong skills at socializing and maintaining friendships and learning social cues and how to "read people" and dynamically morph or change up his game to adapt to the current situation is invaluable. If he learns these lessons... responsibility, which is really what you're talking about above.. will naturally come with the territory. Because eventually people don't want to be friends with the irresponsible guy who flakes on 'em all the time. And... nobody wants to hire the guy who doesn't take his responsibilities to heart and understands his word is his bond. And we learn about both sides of those things thru events that unfold that we can observe in friendships. And if we're lucky, we can learn about these things by observing others who are making these mistakes instead of us.

And... along the way... as parents... with our more seasoned skills at reading people and recognizing trouble-makers early on, we guide our kids and warn them about the traits of this other person and what usually happens, in time, when interacting with such a person. That kinda teaching is priceless at saving your kid a ton of pain and heartache in this life!

 

[Zak89]

I'm currently a graduate student and have been studying online for the past two years, and I can easily attest that I've learned significantly more studying online than I ever did during my undergrad. I don't waste time commuting, walking to class, and I can work/travel extensively while studying during my free time -- and it's way more affordable. I know this thread was targeted towards grade school students, but at least for higher education I think an online education can be a very rewarding.

 

[LLB]

Both of my children were home schooled. My son went antelope hunting with me and my brother when he was 12. I had him keep a journal of the trip and he wrote a paper for his school work. I drive a semi which meant when I got home we could go hunting, fishing, etc even during the week. Did the same with my daughter.
I don't worry so much about the social aspect. Both kids were in a drama group, on soccer teams, and participated in other homeschool activities. My wife was a stay at home mom and acted as teacher/principle. She joined a local home school group and had access to a lot of extra curricular activities. Any subject she wasn't comfortable teaching, the group lined up a college professor to teach if a parent thought it was needed.
My wife was always amazed that both kids could strike up a conversation with people much older and younger than themselves. When you think about it, a child progresses through school mostly with kids his/her own age. One of the biggest benefits is that you can influence your child's life longer with your values instead of a teacher's unknown values. Also your child is less likely to associate with kids that don't really have their best interest at heart. I like to think that we avoided possible behavior issues that may have occurred due to unknown influence.
We must have done something right, both kids are college graduates, something my wife and I didn't achieve.

 

[TheGDog]

I'm currently a graduate student and have been studying online for the past two years, and I can easily attest that I've learned significantly more studying online than I ever did during my undergrad. I don't waste time commuting, walking to class, and I can work/travel extensively while studying during my free time -- and it's way more affordable. I know this thread was targeted towards grade school students, but at least for higher education I think an online education can be a very rewarding.

Oh yeah, No question it's the way to go for intelligent learners who've already developed good habits and methodical problem solving skills. Absolutely no question about it there.

 

[Aqua Sage]

I wish I was a college student right now. I could hunt every day.

I am a college student, but work a Full Time Job; so there are tradeoffs for me. Currently in my Senior year, and didn't realize how draining work and school can become.