Benefits of Online Education

The institution of education is changing rapidly in the 21st century, and now there are school districts, educators, and parents who are looking for the best way to educate their children.  Enrolling your child in an online middle school, elementary school, or high school can do a lot to enrich their education. The advancement of communications technologies and the proliferation of the internet have given children and teachers tools that can improve the individual learning experience.  There are a variety of benefits that come with giving your child an online education, but there are a few that seem to make the biggest impression on people.

Individual Attention From Teachers

It’s been shown that children who are in smaller classes from grades K-3 performed better in reading and mathematics than students in larger classes.  The children in smaller classes performed better because they had teachers who were able to devote more time to each individual student in their class.  Today educators are starting to see the positive link between individual attention from teachers and the success of students, which is particularly troubling in a time where classroom sizes seem to keep growing in traditional schools.

Online schooling allows your children to have the attention and focus they need from their teachers in order to succeed.  At Obridge Academy students get personalized assignments and lesson plans based on their teacher’s evaluation of their skills.  Students receive an education that is specifically designed to teach the individual, instead of the impersonal lesson plans that are used in most schools.

Encouraging Open Environment

Some parents mistakenly believe that online schools don’t offer their students a chance to participate in classroom discussions, but if anything that’s the exact opposite of what goes on in online classrooms.  In online schools students participate in lively discussions with their teachers and fellow students in classroom discussion boards.  These boards give students an open environment to express their ideas, all without the added pressure of having to speak and stand in front of their students.  Some shy kids blossom socially in an online education environment because they’re able to interact and speak with others in a safe environment.  Students are able to work on their interpersonal communication skills, and may even be able to be more direct and assertive because they’re able to express themselves more clearly.

Self-Paced Learning

One of the major disadvantages of traditional schooling is the lack of personal learning speed.  Teachers are forced to move onto different subjects in order to meet the district’s curriculum standards, regardless of if each of their students are able to understand it.  Online education allows students to learn at their own pace.  They can choose to quickly go through material they understand right away, or they can spend more time on subjects they find more challenging.    Students won’t have to wait for after school hours or review sessions to learn more about specific subjects.  They’ll be able to get the extra help and teacher attention when they need it.