There certainly isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to education. And even though many students can succeed in a traditional public-school setting, others have a strong preference for virtual schools because they provide so many opportunities that a typical public school setting simply can’t.
Virtual schools provide students with a series of resources and create a pathway to reach them in the safety of their own home but with the expert guidance of a certified teacher. These schools still have the social interaction between students, guidance counselors and other teaching or administrative professionals that are found in traditional schools.
More students are choosing to enroll in virtual schools every year. Teachers and parents are seeing impressive educational gains, even with students who have struggled in the past.
Students credit inclusion as one of the main reasons for enrolling in a virtual school. Everyone has a strong desire to feel accepted and for students, virtual schools eliminate many of the biases that get identified with a student when they walk into school. They don’t have the latest style shoes, their body style isn’t skinny/slim or they are small in stature, etc. These biases lead to bullying and ultimately to an interruption in the child’s ability to feel comfortable and included in the classroom.
While in-person students worry about wearing the right clothes, finding their way into the popular crowd, and desperately trying not stand out as being different in any way, students learning virtually enjoy freedom from all that worry. Virtual students are on a much more level playing field when it comes to inclusion than their in-person counterparts.
Virtual learning is an excellent resource for any student who is interested in focusing on academics rather than worrying about the outside influence of others. Virtual school can work for all students, whether they are advanced in their learning to those with special needs. Virtual classes help them feel comfortable and safe and let them find their voice, so they become an active member of a group.
Virtual education eliminates the bullying culture and school violence that’s happening today.
Another popular reason for switching to a virtual school is the engagement factor. Students who are engaged:
- Have increased attention and focus
- Practice higher-level thinking skills
- Undergo meaningful learning experiences
In a virtual classroom setting, the opportunities for engagement are endless, and teachers have many techniques to increase engagement. Some of these techniques include video and audio content, collaborative whiteboards, releasable assets, small group rooms that can be customized by the teacher, group and personal collaborative boards, and private and group chat.
When you take away the barriers to learning and increase inclusion, safety and engagement students thrive.
Virtual learning is inclusive learning, and all students can benefit from the many opportunities to safely be part of a school that focuses on learning. Enrolling in a virtual school can literally be a game changer for any student struggling to fit in or who have been struggling in their traditional school setting.