Why Consider Online Education in a Post-Pandemic World
If 2020 has taught parents anything, it’s that children are amazingly adaptive.
Slews of articles debating the impacts of Zoom-based public schooling, the struggles teachers face, and the tech issues everyone involved must deal with daily are all over mainstream media. But our children have found their ways to make it work despite the new environment and new sets of tools.
According to many educational experts, this experience has also shown us that some children thrive when learning from their own homes.
If your child is enrolled at an online institution focused on 1:1, customized education now is the time to start weighing the benefits of continuing online instruction with an individualized learning environment.
Classroom-Based Learning Doesn’t Work Well For All Students
Even before the pandemic, educational experts had begun unraveling issues with classroom-based learning. Beyond the problems with overcrowded and underfunded classrooms, even well-funded private institutions have been unsuitable for some students.
Children with learning disabilities or attention disorders tend to find classroom learning distracting. This not only exacerbates the symptoms of their LD, but it also prevents them from learning at a pace that works for them.
Children with anxiety, depression, or mood disorders may zone out, dissociate, or disengage during classroom lectures as a side-effect of their condition. This prevents them from learning and retaining the knowledge given to them-- and might even make them subject to bullying.
Children on the Autism spectrum encounter learning obstacles at every level of their learning experience, especially when integrated with many other children. Studies have shown that children with ASD do better academically with individualized support.
Some children have other sensory needs that cannot be addressed in the classroom. Children with auditory and visual processing difficulties, OCD, and dyspraxia tend to suffer academically if schools cannot meet their needs.
Academically advanced children who might be bored with the traditional curriculum do better when presented with challenging and exciting material. However, having to plan individualized lessons for every student in a large classroom is impossible for teachers.
These are some of the many problems regarding in-person schooling -- especially in schools with large class sizes.
The Most significant Differences In Online Learning Vs. Traditional Classroom Learning
When most children in the United States transitioned to online schooling this year, there was a panic among parents that their children would suffer adverse learning consequences. What wasn’t discussed as much was the differences in online learning vs. traditional classroom learning -- especially the benefits.
When done well, online learning can change the nature of teaching by offering:
Self-paced learning. Often, online schooling gives leeway for self-paced learning, which allows students to engage with the material in a way that best suits their learning style. Whether this means extra time for worksheets, a quieter reading space, or access to an adult that can help them with difficult material, it can make a huge difference in a child’s enjoyment and school involvement.
Fewer distractions. Classroom distractions can take away from all children’s learning experiences, including children without LDs. Online learning provides children the ability to mute their peers -- turning their attention solely to the class material and teacher. With the right home setup, children can learn without interruptions.
Less pressure (especially in the teen group). Studies have shown that in specific environments, children -- especially teens -- feel pressured to perform at the same timing and under the same expectations as their peers. This leads to rushed and sloppy work, lower test scores, and feelings of failure among children in classrooms. Remove the distraction of their peers’ performances, and they will excel at their own pace.
More time for sleep and personal hobbies. Children spend hours every week getting ready for early school start times, commuting to and from school, and doing homework. Online learning removes the need for commutes, shuffling from one classroom to another, and early wake-up times. This typically increases learning retention and productivity in students.
Not all online learning is the same, as parents quickly discovered in the wake of the Coronavirus.
How Pacific Preparatory School Differs From Other Online Schools
Pacific Preparatory is one of many online learning institutions dedicated to 1:1 learning. Online schooling in a small classroom setting works for some students, but it doesn’t always work for others. All children attending Pacific Preparatory engage individually with their teachers, which sets us apart from many other online schooling endeavors.
At Pacific Preparatory, students receive:
A tailored curriculum aligned with personal interests. Think about how you have learned during adulthood and aside from traditional educational environments. Podcasts, television shows, and activities continually strengthen your math, history, writing, science, and other skills while engaging with topics you enjoy.
A balanced schedule, allowing children to gain what they want from each subject. This interest helps them retain that information down the line. We provide the schedule -- your children personalize it! We gather information from families to understand exactly what each of our students needs and wants. Children gain foundational knowledge by focusing on topics they enjoy.
Less time physically at school. Many children attending public schools spend the majority of their week focused solely on school. They wake up early, commute to school (which, for some rural children, can be upwards of two hours of their day), spend time moving from classroom to classroom, and then spend hours on homework after school. Children are then encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, especially since colleges look at their participation with extra scrutiny as they round out their high school careers. The toll of this demanding weekly schedule can leave students unmotivated to pursue the things they enjoy.
Specialized planning and support allow children to have more time to pursue academic and extracurricular activities they might be interested in, such as athletics, music, and art. Extra time for social activities also makes up for the lack of social interaction students find at in-class institutions. Finally, it gives them longer to rest -- something their developing bodies need to thrive.
2020 radically changed the way students learn. Now is the moment for parents to ask themselves how they can best support their children in a consciously shifting educational environment and if sustained 1:1 learning might be the best academic pathway for the rest of their child’s K-12 academic career.
Do you have questions about your child’s education in 2021 and beyond? Contact us.
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