Meet Ms. Wood, Elite virtual middle school teacher
Behind every graduate are several dedicated teachers. We’re grateful to our Elite instructors, and that’s why we take a moment to shine the light on them in this Teacher Spotlight blog series.
This month, we bring the story of a virtual middle school teacher, Ms. Michelle Wood. She teaches a variety of courses at Elite. Check out her story below.
About Ms. Wood, virtual middle school teacher
“Hi! My name is Ms. Wood and I’ve been a teacher for two years. Prior to getting my teaching credential, I worked in mortgage banking for 11 years. Teaching was a career change for me, which was not an easy path, but I couldn’t deny my passion for education! I decided to be a teacher at Elite because I believe strongly in our core values of Responsibility, Communication and Teamwork. The student-centered focus is evident in all aspects of the organization.”
Ms. Wood has two children, a daughter who is a competitive dancer and a son who plays for a travel baseball team. When she does find free time, Ms. Wood enjoys hiking, going to the beach and camping.
Something else Ms. Wood enjoys: teaching our incredible students here at Elite!
“I enjoy teaching Elite students because I am rewarded by the ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each of my students,” said Ms. Wood. “Some advantages of being an Elite teacher is getting to know my students and their families and working with them one on one to help them be successful! I think that Elite is more beneficial to students than a traditional school because of the structured flexibility that it offers students. Also, the personal connection students get with their teachers and the ability to learn in an environment that works best for them.”
When it comes to advice for her students, Ms. Wood often reminds her students to include physical activities in their daily routines.
“Students, don’t forget to get outside and moving! As independent learners, it’s easy to forget how important physical exercise is along with getting outside and enjoying the world around us! Balancing all important things is key!” – Ms. Michelle Wood, virtual middle school teacher
We incredibly grateful to have Ms. Wood as a part of our dedicated faculty and staff!
A few tips to help your busy student balance school and life
About 57% of students between the ages of 6–17 participate in at least one extracurricular activity.
Participating in activities outside of school certainly has its value. It helps your Elite student discover talents and passions while learning important traits like being on a team and pushing themselves beyond what they believed possible. If your high schooler is working part-time, that not only earns them extra cash, it teaches time management and budgeting.
School is the first priority. Obtaining good grades opens the path to a much brighter future.
With school requiring at least 30 hours every week, balancing that with a time-demanding activity (including a part-time job) can get overwhelming. But balancing school with other life activities is completely manageable. All it takes, really, is scheduling and discipline.
Easier said than done, of course.
But it certainly can be done. To help our moms of busy students, Elite faculty and staff members have compiled some tips and tricks to balance school and life.
Tip 1: Eat Well and Get a Good Night’s Rest
Keeping a teen on an “early to bed, early to rise schedule” is at times nearly impossible. But whenever you can encourage your student to rest and help them eat healthily is key. Sometimes it may just be helping them prepare snacks in advance. For ideas on easy healthy snacks, check out this post.
As Cheif Academic Officer Ms. Meghan Freeman said:
“Living a healthy lifestyle can help you manage the stress of school and work. Adopt these healthy habits to stay energized for your busy schedule:”
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Eat less sugar and processed foods.
- Drink more water and fewer sodas.
- Get between 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night.
“Balancing my life begins with sleeping and eating” – Ms. Karen Makkai, flex director
“Sleeping-n-eating affect EVERYTHING. So I have blackened my bedroom windows and have relaxation music ready to go before I go to sleep,” said Ms. Makkai. “Also, I don’t eat after 6 p.m. so that my body is actually resting instead of digesting a heavy meal.”
Eat lunches that will help your body
“For me, life is so busy, I keep cases of my favorite healthy foods in my refrigerator so I can grab-n-go. I find if I make the healthy foods as convenient as junk food, I’m a lot more likely to stay healthy and keep my energy.”- Ms. Makkai.
Tip 2: Find a Job That Will Be Flexible With School
We said it once, we’ll say it again, education is the first priority. There are some activity leaders who will not work with your schedule; they will try to schedule you as many hours as possible. Avoid those if possible. There are plenty of other leaders, coaches and employers who want your child to do well in school. As Virtual Director Ms. Ashlea Kirkland-Haynes said:
“To avoid being overwhelmed with too many responsibilities, you should let your manager, advisor or coach know that you can work no more than 10–15 hours per week.”
Being upfront and honest with your schedule before you’re hired will prevent many tough situations since you’ve made your schedule clear.
This is also where Elite comes has a huge advantage.
Students who enroll with Elite have the option to additionally enroll in a few different enrichment programs. These include:
If your child is aspiring in one of these fields, it makes sense to have it built into school. Not to mention your child will have funds to help with the costs of these programs.
Learn more about these programs here.
Tip 3: Set a Schedule
One of the most important aspects of balancing high school responsibilities and a part-time job is scheduling your daily tasks.
Get a planner or find an app
“Invest in a daily planner or use an app on your smartphone to schedule your daily responsibilities,” said Ms. Freeman. “This includes study hours, work hours, project due dates, social time, etc. Avoid conflicts by planning your schedule as far ahead as possible.”
Be realistic in your planning
“I tell my independent study students to be real with your schedule,” said Ms. Kirkland-Haynes. “If you only have two nights each week to work, then realize you will need to complete approximately three lessons each night you work. Plan to complete approximately seven lessons each week!”
Tip 4: Separate School, Activity and Free Time Whenever Possible
Generally, daily routines can be separated into three categories: School, extracurricular activites and free time.
Try to keep the three separated in order to help your brain transition from task to task. This can be as simple as having separate locations for each place. Work is the simplest one. Wherever you work is your designated location.
Free time and school time are a little different. Since you are an online student, you can study anywhere. But to help your brain focus, try not to do schoolwork at places where you usually relax, like the couch or your bed. Instead, create a designated workspace.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t make your workspace fun! In fact, we encourage you to incorporate some of your favorite items in your workspace. This will help your brain make positive associations with your schoolwork, so you don’t dread working so much.
“Once you know your work days, choose the LARGEST CHUNK of time to complete your online work,” said Ms. Kirkland-Haynes. “Flush your body with healthy food before sitting down to work. Consider placing your favorite drink, candles, music, pictures, blanket near your computer – It’s time to camp out online!!”
When you’re finished with schoolwork and ready to relax, go to a new place. Head to the couch in the living room, your bed or head somewhere fun.
Tip 5: Help your teen learn to use free time wisely
Yes, earlier, we said to keep work and school separate.
But we also recognize that participating in outside activities means a lot less free time. Whenever free time is encountered, the temptation is to just relax-or sleep! Allowing your child to take time to relax is important, and they should set aside time to do so.
But it’s also important to make sure you use free time wisely. And sometimes that means finding small times throughout the day that you can focus on homework–even if only for 15 minutes.
Time management is key
“As they balance school responsibilities and life, students will learn time management,” said Ms. Makkai. “They learn to take any free time throughout the day to complete reading assignments or homework.”
For example, maybe your child works a part-time job with a lot of downtime on your shift. Encourage them to ask their boss if they’d be able to do homework during those times. Some bosses won’t be OK with it, but many will be.
Or, maybe your teen is a night owl who prefers studying during quiet hours.
“Has your student ever thought about getting up in the middle of the night OR early in the dark morning to work online? This can be a quiet time without distractions and the computer network will be faster too,” said Ms. Kirkland-Haynes. “Just rub your eyes and type!”
Tip 6: Use Your Support System
This might be the most important tip.
You know your child has people in their life who want to help them succeed. Utilize their support as you figure out balancing high school and life.
“Students: Discuss your schedule school and work schedules with your family,” said Ms. Freeman. “Your family will be able to assist you in creating a schedule that supports both school and work. They may also be able to help you determine how many hours you are able to work each week to allow you to maintain your responsibilities for school.”
Whether you have a supportive family or not, you do have guidance counselors and teachers readily available to your teen at Elite. Your guidance counselor and advisor’s jobs are to help your student succeed academically. If you feel you need support, don’t hesitate to contact your counselor.
You should also notify your teachers of your child’s schedule. That way, you can get help in scheduling your projects, online sessions and other assignments.
We asked independent study students how to succeed in school, and this is what they said:
Switching to online, homeschool or flex is a lifestyle change. It has its benefits, but it takes some getting used to. Our students can contest to that.
That doesn’t mean your child won’t excel in the independent study environment. All it takes is a little discipline and hard work.
It’s easier said than done, we know.
When it comes to motivating your child–or really anything to do with raising your child–the number of tips and unsolicited advice you’ll receive is limitless.
We could find a lot of articles and share our own expert opinions on how to best help your child excel in independent study. But for this article, we thought we’d get straight to the source: independent study students themselves.
We asked a few students tips they’d give fellow classmates for succeeding in online, flex and homeschool. Here’s what they told us:
Stay on track and don’t procrastinate
“Don’t Procrastinate! The thing about independent study is you have so much time and freedom, so don’t say, ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ because that leads to more skips and time sneaks up on you! At the end of the day, the time dwindles down with you being a few lessons short of your finished class!” – Alexis G., 10th grade
“Don’t get behind! When you get behind it is so much harder to catch up! Take it from someone who has been behind it is way easier to just do your work!” – Kambri S., 6th grade
“Getting behind in a course can cause you to work twice as hard. You also start to get stressed since there is so much work piling up. Staying on pace will ensure that you pass the class and stay away from unwanted stress.” Andrew A., 10th grade
Make your own schedule and stick to it
“One thing I do to stay on pace with my schoolwork is keeping a regular routine schedule and staying on top of my assignments.” – Jasmine G., 11th grade
“Always make a checklist of the classes that you’d like to complete and excel in every day! Also, make a strategy for how you’ll complete them.” – Kiiri M., 9th grade
When feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a break
“Know how to stop and relax when things get way too hard. What I do to relax when things get stressful is take a deep breath get some water and read carefully the question or prompt,”- Jasmine G., 4th grade
Find a comfortable place to do schoolwork and organize it
“Find a quiet place to work so that you can focus and do your best.” – Angelina B., 8th grade
“Have different binders or notebooks for each class! Never use those notebooks for anything other than those classes!” – Kiiri M., 9th grade
Create rewards for motivation
“Self motivation is key! When doing independent study, you need to have a lot of self discipline! It is important to keep yourself motivated and never give up!” Kambri S., 6th grade
“Create an incentive for yourself when you finish a week’s worth of work. Mine is a victory milkshake!!” Angelina B., 10th grade
Ask for help
“Ask for help! You know that the teacher may hold once or twice a week sessions but they are available to you for help! I honestly would say reaching out when your stuck or need something is the BEST thing for you to do! They don’t bite.” – Alexs G., 10th grade
“You will have a lot of trouble with courses if you don’t understand something and don’t ask for help. The teachers are always open to help you and there are various ways to get a hold of them.” – Andrew A., 7th grade
Take notes
“My second tip is to take notes. While going through courses, a lot of material is covered. Taking notes helps verify what you’ve learned and can go a long way when preparing for the checkpoints and exams.” Andrew A., 7th grade
Strive for your best
“Do your Best! The one thing that’s great is the chance you get to be your best! Don’t finish that assignment at a 90% when you know you can take it another time for that extra 10%. Don’t be afraid to contact your teacher for another chance at that exam that you missed a few questions on! Every grade counts so why not raise your grade when you have the option and know you can?!” – Alexis G., 10th grade
“WORK HARD!! Don’t think that just because it is independent study that it is easy! You still have to put the time in. Give it your all to succeed!” – Kambri S., 6th grade
Your high schoolers may not be terrible at math, they just might not be learning the right way
4 out of 10 Americans hate math.
Ouch.
If you have a teen, that’s probably not a surprising stat.
It’s not really fair to give math so much trouble, though, when we think about the way high schoolers generally learn the subject.
Generally speaking, this how most students learn math in high school:
The teacher stands at the whiteboard and introduces a new chapter to the class. Students go home and start on homework. If your student is a really quick learner, they might not have any questions. But most likely, they’ll get stuck on a problem or two. You might be able to help them out, but if not, they bring the question to class the next day.
Although, that doesn’t help the homework grade…
By the time they get to class, they might find time to ask the teacher. But even then, it’s time to learn a new chapter. So, the teacher gives another lecture and assigns more homework.
Now your student is not only stuck on yesterday’s homework, they’re trying to learn something new. And more likely than not, something on that newly assigned homework will be confusing because they’ve fallen behind.
Now your high schooler has even more questions, and the teacher introduces yet another math concept. Before they know it, the homework and confusion have piled up and it’s time for a quiz.
As the homework piles on and your student falls behind, it’s frustrating. And it’s why many students give up on the subject altogether.
Sound familiar?
It’s not the best solution to expect students to seek out help, tutoring and keep up with the curriculum. It can work for some, but for many, it’s disheartening and it loses student engagement.
Instead of expecting the student to adapt and keep up, it might be time to rethink the way math is taught to our students.
Flipped Classroom: Elite’s method of teaching math
With Elite’s Virtual Academy, we flip the classroom.
It sounds a little funny, we’re sure, but the flipped classroom is actually an important method of teaching. It means that we find out student’s weaknesses and strengths before introducing any subject.
With online math courses, students log in and start with the coursework first. They’ll read through some instruction, watch videos and complete some math problems, or our version of ‘homework.’
Student’s answers are recorded and sent to the teacher. The teacher then reviews and examines which areas the students did well, and which areas need help.
Then the instructor presents the lecture. Teachers don’t go in blind, they know exactly how to help their students. And so, when students log in to a live synchronous session or listen to a lecture in class, they can discuss specific struggles and get more insight.
If a student is still stuck on a math problem, they can email, call their teacher or set up a one-on-one online session to help them truly master the concept. They also have access to live video chat or in-person tutoring with either their math content teacher or their teacher of record.
While independent learning requires discipline to stay on track, they can often be much less frustrating because the teachers don’t move on without students. They have the ability to learn at their pace.
Helping your child enjoy learning with online math courses designed for them
Math doesn’t have to be boring.
Don’t laugh, it truly can be an entertaining subject for your teen. All it takes, really, is a curriculum designed for them, the teens, known as digital natives.
Elite offers an award-winning curriculum jam-packed with videos, games, fun stories and interactive content throughout the lessons. Your student won’t be just reading textbooks, they’ll work through online courses that will help them actually enjoy what they’re learning.
You can learn more about Elite Virtual Academy here.
Actually Engaging Your Child in Schoolwork
It happens.
You look over at your child and guess what he’s doing?
Yep, on the phone. Probably when he is supposed to be doing something else.
Engaging a teen in today’s world when there are so many other ways to be entertained is no easy task.
And then when you are supposed to help them focus on something that’s not usually well-loved—like, say, homework—your job becomes particularly difficult.
Should we really blame the child, though, when the curriculum is outdated, or filled with text-heavy PDFs? Really, that’s not an issue of an ‘attention-spanless’ generation, that’s simply boring. Period.
Whether it’s online, homeschool or a flex education, students can receive an engaging curriculum.
That’s why we’ve vetted thoroughly to find the best curriculum offerings.
Among our curriculum offerings is StrongMind. Available to our 6–12th grade students, here’s what you can expect.
Award-winning multimedia designed for digital natives
As the parent, you know all too well that students are not going to spend the necessary time in their studies if they’re not enjoying it.
That’s why we provide a curriculum that’s been newly re-designed for today’s learners. Courses are not just aligned and A–G approved, they’re actually backward designed.
In other words, the curriculum developers (who are former educators themselves) didn’t just edit some content to so it passes the standards test. They actually scrapped everything, looked at the standards first, and developed new content around it.
More importantly, courses are packed with award-winning multimedia.
There are animated videos, real-life videos, graphic novels and interactive content throughout to help the students grasp concepts in a way they’ll actually enjoy.
This method of engaging the learner with interactive multimedia courses is proven. In fact, a recent study from StrongMind is showing percentage increases in grades among students using this curriculum.
Flipped Classroom for better personalized support
It’s kind of a funny term. But essentially, flipped classroom means working the opposite way of a traditional class.
In the brick-and-mortar traditional setting, a teacher usually presents the topic in class, then assigns homework.
Our students start with the homework first. Here’s why:
When students log in, read material and watch videos, it helps them start to understand concepts. Then they go through workbooks, aka homework.
Our system gathers data from the workbooks and sends it to the teacher. The teacher then analyzes and determines strengths and weak spots where their students need extra help.
That way, once it’s time for the instructors to teach, they don’t go in blind. They know exactly what areas to focus on because they’re better equipped with data.
Speaking of personalized support….
Each academy at Elite is coupled with certified teachers and educators. They are solely dedicated to helping our students succeed. Teachers are available via emails, messages and live online sessions to answer questions individually on homework.
Whether it’s homeschool with Elite educators, a flex education where there’s face-to-face instruction or online school, the added personalized support is the same.
About educational funding
Should you decide to enroll in Elite Virtual Flex, or Elite Homeschool academies, you can receive educational funds. This gives families the freedom to select the curriculum and enrichment options from Elite’s high quality vendors and partners that best suit their child’s specific needs, interests and goals.
Students must use initial funding toward core curriculum and any related materials and necessary tutoring. As long as a student is making academic progress any remaining funds can then be directed to enrichment opportunities, like:
Funds are granted per student, per school year. Both virtual and homeschool students receive funding. Learn more here.
If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum available to TK–5 graders, head here.
About Elite's Travel Academy
There is no better way to learn than through experience.
Seeing the world is arguably the only way to truly develop new perspectives and become more aware of other cultures and societies. It takes you away from the world you’re comfortable with and makes you branch out and learn. It’s also incredibly fun.
But traveling can be expensive. How do you let your child have fun and gain this type of real-world learning without going broke?
Well….
Take a trip with Elite
Elite Academic Academy has partnered with Education First Tours (EF Tours) to bring you Elite Travel Academy.
This enrichment academy provided by us allows students to take a trip with their classmates, chaperones and our highly qualified teachers. The trip doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it could come at very little cost, thanks to EF tours.
It all depends, really, on your student’s grades.
Your child earns the grades, we help with the cost
Put down the hammer. Save the credit card. You don’t need to smash that piggy bank just yet.
Because we want to reward good grades, you’ll be able to use your educational funds toward any of the trips, so long as your student maintains at least a 2.0 GPA.
About Educational Funds
You can learn more about educational funds here.
But essentially, we vet for vendors that we feel can enhance our student’s education. These vendors receive a partnership with us if we feel they can offer a wider variety of both traditional and digital curriculum options.
EF Tours is one those vendors that we believed provided a resource for our students we couldn’t pass up. Because every student should have the opportunity to travel, not only those whose parents can afford it.
This year’s planned trips and how you can learn more
Below are a list and link to our 2019 Travel Academy trips. If you’re interested in any of the upcoming trips, please join the webinar. You’ll get to learn more on the trip details, safety, education, payment options and more.
Washington DC Tour
Dates: | February 18-21, 2019 |
Your out-of-pocket cost: | $79.00 (if student uses all educational funds* toward trip) |
Webinar: | August 23, 2018 @ 6:15 p.m. Click here to join webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. |
London, United Kingdom Tour
Dates: | March 8-14, 2019 |
You out-of-pocket cost: | $1,690.00 (if student uses all educational funds toward trip) |
Webinar: | August 28, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. Click here to join webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. |
NYC Broadway Tour
Dates: | April 26-29, 2019 |
Your out-of-pocket cost: | $199.00 (if student uses all educational funds toward trip) |
Webinar: | August 21, 2018 @ 6:15 p.m. Click here to join webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. |
We hope you join us online at one (or more!) of the webinars. To learn more about Elite Travel Academy, click here.
These easy study snacks will fight 'hanger' without you having to cook
All that studying is bound to make a kid hungry.
It’s actually a fact.
Studies show that intellectual activities, like studying, cause a big fluctuation in glucose and insulin and makes you hungry. Unfortunately, though, thinking doesn’t burn a ton of calories; it’s only about three more calories per each intellectual activity. You know you don’t want to deal with ‘hanger’ from your child. You want them to be able to concentrate on studies, so you’ll need something quick for them to snack on. But you also don’t really want to put much effort into cooking snacks. After all, who wants to cook more than necessary? And that’s when we go for the junk food.
Healthier snacks do require a bit more prep. It’s not quite as easy as opening up that bag of chips, but there are some simple recipes just about anyone can follow that will actually add some nutrition to your hungry student’s diet.
A snack in a jar you can easily assemble ahead of time
It’s really not as difficult as it sounds. Stoves and ovens aren’t needed, and it’ll allow your student to grab something quick when he or she is in the zone with schoolwork.
Your jar can contain whatever your child likes to eat. Maybe the go-to celery, peanut butter and pretzels? It could also be hummus at the bottom, and your pre-cut bell peppers, carrots or whatever you like in the jar. Or even a bean dip with some chips on top. Putting a quick assembly together will help you be ready to go for snack time.
You can find some easy ideas here.
These ‘banana dogs’ even the pickiest eater will like (maybe)
Here’s what you need: a banana, peanut butter and a tortilla of your choice. That’s it.
Spread the peanut butter on a wheat or flour tortilla (your choice), add the banana, roll it up like a burrito. If your child prefers it cut into bites, go for it. It’s a healthy snack that will take little to no energy.
We’d share a recipe, but we think you get the idea.
Or, if your child is a dill pickle lover, these roll ups
Your student is definitely going to have to be a dill pickle lover for this snack. But it’s just as easy to assemble as the other ideas, and it’s a low carb, high protein option.
Really, all you need is a favorite lunch meat, cream cheese and a whole dill pickle. Just like the banana dogs, you’ll spread the cream cheese on the lunch meat, place the pickle and make a lunch meat burrito.
If you want to view the recipe, head here.
If you’re feeling up to some cooking, there’s this easy pizza
If you’re feeling like putting forth a little more effort, opt for this simple pizza recipe.
You’ll need a tortilla, pizza sauce, cheese and pepperonis. It doesn’t take much work and it’s a filling snack. It’ll make you look like a pro when you pull out a ‘thin crust’ pizza for your kids done in such little time.
You can see the recipe here.
Or go all out and make yourself some no-bake energy balls
This healthy snack option is meant to be loaded with foods that will boost energy, something greatly needed when studying in the afternoons or early mornings.
Energy balls, also known as power balls, usually consist of peanut butter and oats. You can add things like fruits, chocolate chips or m&ms for taste. They don’t require an oven and are a great go-to snack you can store in your fridge.
Here’s one example of an energy ball you can try out.
Some advice from homeschool, blended and online instructors:
As one online educator, Donald Mitchell said:
“Living a healthy lifestyle can help you manage the stress of school and work. Help your child adopt these healthy habits to stay energized for their busy schedule:”
A few more tips on eating and studying from online, blended and homeschool instructors:
“Balancing my life begins with sleeping and eating” – Lauree Russell
“Sleeping-n-eating affect EVERYTHING. I have blackened my bedroom windows and have relaxation music ready to go before I go to sleep,” said Ms. Lee. “Also, I don’t eat after 6 p.m. so that my body is actually resting instead of digesting a heavy meal,” Ms. Lauree Russell, math teacher.
Eat Lunches That Will Help Your Body
“As for eating, life is so busy, I keep cases of my favorite healthy foods in my refrigerator so I can grab-n-go. Right now I have a case of Greek Yogurt, a case of green juices, 12 boiled eggs, a case of mixed nuts and two different bags of home-made chicken frozen enchiladas (individually wrapped) that can be microwaved in two minutes. Of course, a large box of mixed greens or spinach to add to my meals is nutritional too!”- Ms. Lee, math teacher.
Online students could be better prepped for college and here's why
It might sound strange. How would attending school online or at home make a difference, especially when there’s the stigma of it not holding the same value?
A diploma earned online, in a homeschool or blended setting, is no different from a traditional diploma. So long as the school is accredited, of course.
In some ways, an online diploma might be more valuable for students. As colleges integrate more online aspects, learning online could mean better college and career prep. Here’s how:
In all of the Elite Academic independent study academies (online, blended and homeschool), there are no assigned seats or raising hands to use the bathroom.
Independent study means enjoying the freedom of completing schoolwork on the student’s schedule. But with this comes great responsibility.
Teachers are always readily available to help students. But it’s up to the student to complete assignments and tests. In other words, online students have to gain discipline in order to succeed in their classes.
Sound like college life? It can be a huge adjustment in college when you have to learn how to stay on task or how to study. Already possessing those traits can be a huge jumpstart to starting college.
There’s less structure to the day, which means more time management
College students choose the time and day to attend classes and study. Elite Academic Academy students do the same. So why not start developing these personally structured schedules early?
Most home study students have to balance their school with other activities in their lives, like working a job or a sport. As a result, they become prepared for college as they learn discipline and how to manage their schedules.
Online students gain experience communicating with teachers outside a classroom
In a brick and mortar school, students see their teachers every single school day. At many colleges, classroom sizes can range anywhere from 100-500 students, and the professor likely doesn’t know their names.
As a result, college students communicate with professors via emails and phone calls, just like at Elite Academic Academy
Our Elite Educators are available by phone, email, and online or in-person tutoring. They get the personalized support they need and get used to communicating with a teacher the way they would with a college professor.
They become familiarized with completing online assignments
Even students who attend college courses in person will most likely still have an online aspect to their curriculum.
Now, more than ever, in-person colleges include online assignments, exams and resources online. Online students are comfortable with the idea of logging in and completing coursework, exams. They also conduct research online, helping the transition to college become much easier.
Counselors help students get ready for college
With Elite, our guidance counselors work hard to help students prepare for life after high school. If you know you want your child to attend college, consider enrolling with Elite. We will help your teen graduate and get prepared to go to the college they want to attend.
Different Forms of Education and What's Best For Your Family
There’s a lot of great things to love about Southern California: the sunny days, the beach, the great food.
But our personal favorite is the educational opportunities available for your children.
California ranks first nationally on the number of charter schools throughout the state, with 630,000 students enrolled in a charter school.
Knowing your child has several options is both liberating and stressful. It’s great knowing you’re not tied to a local district school if that’s not what’s best for you, but how do you figure out what is the best option?
To help you make your decision, we’ve gathered some of the most common forms of alternative educational options. Check them out below.
Homeschooling
Sometimes the home is the best environment for the student to learn. Homeschooling also allows for much more involvement in your student’s education because, essentially, you are their educator. You will know what their academic strengths are, where they need to improve and how they are being instructed.
You could find your own curriculum and teach your child on your own. They will have to take standardized tests and exams to earn the diploma, but that’s certainly a possibility.
But there’s a good chance you might not feel fully confident in all subject areas, especially once high school hits. If that’s the case, there are resources to support you in your homeschool journey.
For example, Elite Homeschool Academy follows a policy of “you are the driver, we provide the engine”
That ‘engine’ comes with personalized learning plans that you’ll work with an educator to develop. It also includes an aligned, solid curriculum and support from Elite Educators.
Should you decide to enroll in Elite’s homeschool academy, you’ll have a consultation to develop goals and plans. You’ll then have curriculum options to review and select, with the choice for a digital, award-winning curriculum for 6–12th grade students that’s A–G aligned and pending accreditation.
As a homeschool parent with Elite, you’ll have flexibility, choice and the support of an Elite Educator to ensure your child’s homeschool journey is successful.
To learn more about Elite Homeschool Academy, head here.
Online or Independent Study
If you’d like more of a ‘public’ school, but with more flexibility, online school–also commonly known as independent study–is likely your best alternative.
Students study at home or wherever they have access to a computer and internet connection. There is a set curriculum, which you can pick. Students have deadlines to fulfill but are able to work at their own pace.
With Elite Virtual Academy, the curriculum provided is aligned, which means students will graduate with a legitimate high school diploma. There are also highly qualified instructors who provide live online sessions and answer questions via email, phone calls or 1-1 online tutoring.
Online school can be a great option for students who:
You can learn more about Elite Virtual Academy here.
Blended Learning
Although 100% online school allows for more freedom, it also requires more discipline.
That can be a great trait for your child to learn. But if you feel they aren’t quite ready for a full independent study, a better option may be blended learning, which gives you the best of both worlds.
Blended learning is primarily in person with an onsite instructor who utilizes digital curriculum to teach. Students will be on a computer studying independently, while also working with the teacher to understand concepts and stay on track.
For 6–12th grade students, Elite Blended Academy can be a great option. Students can study in person or independently, but both scenarios are complemented with an Elite Educator, who meets up to three times weekly with students to discuss goals, assess strengths, areas of focus and create a personalized education for each student.
In other words, it allows your child to learn discipline through independent study while receiving constant support from an instructor through graduation.
The Elite Blended Academy starts this Fall 2018. Stay tuned as we post more details on the site!
Enrichment Learning
This educational offering is unique to Elite. If your child has a specific passion or talent, enrichment learning could be the best route.
There are specific athletic, career, musical and traveling academies that tie in learning with something your child truly loves.
Elite Athletic Academy (EAA) is for the student athlete who wants to pursue their passion in a sport while excelling academically. Because of our partnership with the nationally acclaimed Stars and Stripes program, this model provides student athletes of all levels the unique opportunity to benchmark, individualize and elevate their athletic development. Learn more here.
If your child knows what they want to be when they grow up, let them get a headstart with Elite Career Technical Academy (CTE). This academy allows students to combine college preparation and real-world workforce skills development into one customized education program. Programs include healthcare, computer science, psychology and more. Learn more here.
For the musically inclined, there’s the Elite Visual Performing Arts Academy (VAPA). Students will receive a quality education while learning from highly experienced professionals whose talents range from stage combat to creative writing. To learn more about this track, head here.
Maybe your student wants to explore the world? The Elite Travel Academy (ETA) has them covered, at little to no cost for students who earn a minimum GPA. These students can travel to New York, Washington D.C. or London. You can learn more about it here.
How to Continue Homeschooling When The Curriculum Gets Too Complex
As a homeschool parent, you know all too well the importance of being involved in your child’s education.
Knowing what they’re learning, how they’re learning and their academic strengths or struggles is a huge advantage as a homeschool parent. And if we had to guess, that’s something you’re not readily giving up.
But eventually–unless you’re exceptionally intelligent and if so, kudos–the curriculum may get too complex for you. Or you may be great at helping your child with, say, English, but not science or math.
How do you provide your child with a well-rounded education while still retaining control over their learning?
It’s a problem our students and parents once faced. That’s why we started Elite’s Homeschool Academy.
Taking Charge of Your Student’s Homeschooling With Award-Winning Curriculum
You know your child best. So it would make sense that you be the primary provider of your student’s instruction.
That does not change with Elite. We provide the engine, but you are the driver.
That ‘engine’ comes with personalized learning plans that you’ll work with an educator to develop. It also includes an aligned, solid curriculum and support from Elite Educators.
Should you decide to enroll in Elite’s homeschool academy, you’ll have a consultation to develop goals and plans. You’ll then have curriculum options to review and select, with the choice for a digital, award-winning curriculum for 6–12th grade students.
All TK–12 curriculum is rigorous, A–G aligned and WASC approved while pending NCAA accreditation. You can learn more about our online curriculum here.
As a homeschool parent with Elite, you’ll have flexibility, choice and the support of an Elite Educator to ensure your child’s homeschool journey is successful.
Greater Support to Your Homeschooling: Elite’s Role
With all homeschool students, our role is to encourage, support and guide their educational journey.
Each student is assigned a credentialed educator, who will:
- Be the primary contact for information, updates and policies
- Create an individualized learning plan with the parent/guardian
- Have the option to oversee student progress
- Meet in person every for an academic consultation
The academic consultation occurs in person every 20 days and involves the Elite Educator, parent/guardian and student. Its purpose is to evaluate the progress made within that 20-day period and if it’s in line with the educational plan. Meetings are 45–60 minutes per student.
The Support You Need to Help Your Student Succeed
Spending more time with your child and being fully involved in their education are both great things.
You shouldn’t have to lose out on those because the curriculum gets too complex.
With Elite’s Homeschool Academy, you can continue as the primary instructional provider for your child while enjoying support, coupled with an awesome curriculum.
We are now enrolling for summer and the 2018-19 school year. To learn more, click on the button below.