I have always wondered why, after all these years, schools have not been able to break free of the shackles of the factory model. The Factory School was developed in the 19th century and has survived wars, computer revolutions and other societal transformations. The Factory School has characterized public education, and even most private education, since public education began in the United States. The factory school is regulated by bells, students sitting in rows ‘learning’ the same things at the same time and teachers often seeing more than 100 students per day. School buildings were designed to accommodate the model and ......

Ills and Frills: how to save money while reassessing the frills and ‘ills’ of education       It is hard to imagine how much time students spend—waste—each day in school. Many schools, unable to fill up student schedules with meaningful classes or activities, place them in ‘study halls,’ which are really holding pens with an academic sounding name. This foolishness is not the fault of the schools or students necessarily, but of tight budgets and a cadre of unimaginative administrators, forced to act more like assembly line managers than thoughtful educators. Tight budgets, often the result of unsupported mandates made by well-meaning ......

Online physical education, while at first glance an oxymoron (don’t you just that word?) is actually ready for primetime. It can be personalized, performed anywhere, measured and reported. Are we—you—ready for it? No matter the type of school, it is challenging to find ways to engage diverse groups of students in fitness. When I went to school, physical education was focused on organized team games and activities. The activities involved square dancing, which was not always a big hit. There was very little focus on fitness per se, or on developing individual fitness. I enjoyed (and profited from) physical activity, but ......

21st Century Skills Recently—actually, for a long time—I have been thinking about the necessary skills for economic survival and well being in the 21st century. I have also thought, on more than one occasion, whether business interests should dictate the curriculum in schools. (More on that later.) Defining the skills depends on who is doing the defining, of course, whether it is a business, a school board in Alaska, or a parent group tired of standardized tests. In general, the skills have been separated from the curriculum; they receive attention after the fact, that is, after the curriculum has been established. ......

At Obridge Academy, we are constantly thinking of ways to improve instruction and resultant student learning. A significant part of improving learning and the overall educational experience is the Learning Management System (LMS). An LMS is the system that allows online learning to take place. Until now, Obridge students have been using the iStudy, or the eLearning LMS. Beginning at the end of this school year we will be using Blackboard as our LMS. Blackboard is recognized throughout the educational world as the best LMS; it is used all over the world in colleges, learning centers and schools, both for dedicated ......

Each Wednesday at 11am Obridge Academy's Head of School conducts a Q&A with new and existing students to provide an orientation and answer questions. Join us each week to meet a new student or connect with fellow students. The meeting is open to all existing students, parents, and teachers.  If you are part of the Obridge Academy family, join us at this time!  

Join our online Google Community for parents and students here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/110372859748543834780 This community offers a place for you and your family to participate in online learning interaction with other students from Obridge Academy. Stay tuned, more information will be posted to this site as more people participate.

As the stories of school violence continue, we share the devastation others must feel when children are harmed for senseless reasons. As school violence continues, studying online is a welcome refuge from a physical and often dangerous school setting. Parents who homeschool their children have always known this, and being able to control the environment for education is key to safety. From the days when children worked the farm and studied by the fireplace, a close connection to family and home is a safe and stimulating environment to encourage learning, discovery and self-fulfillment. For many parents, school safety is a concern ......

Obridge Academy Guidance Sessions 7-9 p.m. EST on December 9 Obridge is beginning monthly online guidance sessions to assist you with planning your life after high school. Ms. Kemberli Mayo, a certified school counselor, will be online to answer your questions, give advice and provide resources once a month. You can join in the conversation or submit questions viagra in stores via email. Please join Ms. Mayo for an informative session that can have positive results for your future!!