Working as a virtual high school student requires specialized study habits that are different from the typical brick-and-mortar school experience. At the high school level, your student is expected to work independently and responsibly. As an Observer, compare yourself to a high school athletic coach. The student-athlete plays the game, but the coach is there to create a plan, monitor practices, correct mistakes, and improve techniques. The coach cheers successful plays and celebrates victories. Do the same for your student in the academic setting!
Coaching the High School Student
- Explain that the successful virtual school student has more ownership over his or her school experience, and therefore more responsibility than a typical high school student.
- Become familiar with lesson requirements by completing lessons alongside your student for the first several days.
- Take time to establish routines and best practices alongside your student.
- Coach your student to create a daily schedule and to complete all assigned lessons on time.
- Direct your student to initiate contact with teachers if he or she has a question or is struggling with any part of the lesson content.
- Explain the need to engage in lessons and to self-monitor for comprehension.
- Affirm your student’s actions that promote learning, and redirect actions that detract from learning.
- Celebrate success!
Effective Virtual School Habits
Your goal is to lead your student toward effective learning habits and academic success. Effective student habits include engaging in coursework, self-monitoring, and taking responsibility.
Student engages in daily coursework:
- Reads the lesson and textbook content, completes lesson activities and watches tutorials and other resources embedded in the lesson.
- Attends LiveLesson® sessions or views recordings when unable to attend live.
- Creates organized notes using the key vocabulary words and lesson objectives as a guide.
- Monitors portfolio due dates and scheduled unit tests, and plans ahead to ensure timely completion and preparation.
Student self-monitors for understanding:
- Continuously checks for understanding by asking, “Do I understand this?” If the answer is no, the student takes action by rereading the lesson slides or textbook content, watching videos or tutorials found in the lesson again, or contacting the teacher.
- Contacts the teacher or attends open office hours when needing additional assistance or when receiving a low grade on an assessment.
- Answers questions that are presented in the lesson slides and checks the answer.
- Views graded assessments and notes incorrect answers. Views the correct answer and determines the reason the answer is correct.
- Uses portfolio rubrics as a way to check portfolio work before submitting it.
- Uses teacher feedback to revise answers and provide better responses on assessments that follow.
Student takes responsibility for the learning experience:
- Plans the day and manages time so that assigned lessons are completed daily.
- Determines best practices for studying and successfully completing assessments; puts those practices into action.
- Strives to excel and seeks assistance if he or she is not successful with time management or study habits.