Oh, the horrors of middle school. Raging hormones. Changing bodies. Cliques. Peer pressure. Drama.
Or are they the delights of middle-school? Discovering strengths. Finding a lifelong passion. Thinking up new ideas that are sure to change the world.
With all this going on, you probably hesitate to make a change in your middle schooler’s life, even if the school they attend doesn’t seem right. And yet, middle school is a crucial time in your child’s development. You might be wondering: Is online school good for a middle schooler? Can you even do online school at those grade levels?
The answer to both questions is “yes.” Online learning could be the perfect choice to help your middle schooler build confidence and set a course for a future full of promise.
The Limitations of Brick and Mortar Middle Schools
Physical constraints limit brick-and-mortar schools. Learning is contained within the walls. Students interact in rigid, sometimes toxic, patterns that school administrators struggle with trying to disrupt. Classroom learning accommodates the average learner, leaving those with special needs to struggle and those who need challenges to languish in boredom.
In middle school, bullying takes on new and pernicious forms. Children face peer pressure to conform. They face relentless teasing just for being themselves. Even when they know right from wrong, they are tempted to make poor decisions.
This is the time of life when children should be exploring the interests and passions that lead to fulfilling careers. Brick-and-mortar schools intent on ushering children from one school year to the next don’t give students the freedom to go off on tangents, immersing in new subjects and finding the fields that will, in a few short years, welcome their talents.
5 Benefits of Online Middle School
Your middle school learner is a bundle of contradictions. The desire to conform clashes with the urgent need for self-expression. In the middle of all this, they’re expected to do well in school.
While there are pros and cons of online middle school, the bottom line is clear: The online middle school curriculum meets your middle schooler where they are in life. Online instruction offers flexible learning in the safety of the home.
1. Pursue a Personalized Learning Program
Personalized learning matters at every age. In middle school, it becomes a launching pad for the future. In the elementary years, students learn the basics. In middle school, it’s time to branch out. Young learners start to see careers ahead, but they wonder about the path that will take them there.
A rich online middle school curriculum offers a variety of engaging courses, encouraging young learners to explore. At CCA, highly qualified, Pennsylvania-certified teachers work with students and their families to tailor schooling to the child’s interests and learning style. Field trips, extracurriculars, clubs and community involvement add experiential, hands-on learning that enriches classroom lessons and ignites curiosity. When needed, specialized interventions help students overcome their specific learning challenges.
Put it all together into a personalized learning program, and middle schoolers find that learning is fun. School is enjoyable again. Success is achievable.
2. Avoid a Negative Social Environment
Increasingly, parents choose cyber learning to leave behind the bullying and lack of safety in their old school districts. They aren’t alone. One out of five students nationwide reports being bullied, and cyberbullying reaches its peak in middle school.
Cyber charter school learning offers a better choice in safe, innovative learning at no cost to families. It takes a dedicated cyber school like CCA to stamp out bullying at the source and help children heal. While cyber schools allow students to concentrate on their studies, they do so much more. Cyber schools offer an abundance of socialization opportunities that are so important for children’s well-being. Field trips immerse learners in nature, history and adventure. Extracurriculars get children excited to try new things. Clubs bring children together over shared interests in everything from building robots to writing plays. Volunteering teaches the value of making commitments and the satisfaction of community service.
The ultimate goal is to remove children from negative environments and create an atmosphere where they feel safe and ready to explore.
3. Flexible Schedules For Students and Families
You don’t have to accept stress as a fact of family life, especially when you realize that it’s a byproduct of traditional schooling. Brick-and-mortar schools demand that your family life conform to their schedules. Everything else takes a back seat.
Cyber school provides the flexibility to set your own priorities. Children learn on their own time, giving them and the entire family the freedom to set the daily schedule. At middle school age, children might be discovering a passion for dance, sports or competition. They might find mission trips fulfilling. They might love school but have a medical condition that requires frequent doctor visits.
In cyber school, all the pieces fit together. If students miss a virtual class session,, they can catch up later. They can use their downtime for learning, whether they’re sitting in a car, on the bleachers or in a doctor’s waiting room. They are no longer pressured to make the things they love or must do fit into an arbitrary school schedule. Learning is fun again.
4. More Parental Involvement in Your Child’s Education
What did your child learn in school today? Chances are, your child won’t give much of an answer and teachers are too busy to share.
In traditional schooling, that leaves parents in the dark. But online learning comes into the home, where parents can watch the day unfold. At CCA, parental involvement is encouraged. Teachers keep in constant communication with parents. They share progress and challenges and they solicit ideas. Parents have the power to help shape their child’s education.
Through all this, parents are supported through a network of family involvement coordinators, family mentors and CCA’s more than a dozen Family Service Centers. There is always someone available to answer a question, provide advice and share the challenges and joys of life as a cyber school family.
5. Access Unique and Advanced Courses for Learners
The young brain loves to learn. When it’s stifled, the mind wanders. Boredom sets in. Academics falter.
Cyber school for the middle schooler restores enthusiasm for learning. Just at the age when students start seeing a place for themselves in the world, CCA offers a vibrant curriculum rich with choices. Learners customize their education to fit their budding interests. Each discovery builds a desire to learn more.
Courses in STEM, the arts, languages, social studies and much more introduce students to new ideas. Advanced and honors courses take accelerated learners deeper, at a pace that sparks passion and engagement.
How to Enroll Your Child at CCA for Middle School
Your middle schooler stands at a crossroads. Which direction will they take? If they continue to care about learning and discover the fields that fire up enthusiasm, they are on the right path to purpose and fulfillment. With help from a learning plan customized to their interests, they will graduate ready for whatever comes next, whether they choose college, career training, the workforce or the military.
This is the point to give your child a better chance. Middle school is a time of opportunity, when wonders unfold and your child discovers new strengths. CCA makes enrollment in cyber school easy. Open enrollment means that you’re welcome to enroll any time, year-round. CCA will provide all the help and access to equipment needed for a smooth transition. Contact us today and learn why cyber school at CCA makes a difference that lasts a lifetime.
