Options for Virtual Students

On this video, we were introducing to two different families that had enrolled their children in Florida Virtual Schools and how rewarding they felt this program was. The students mentioned several advantages to participating in virtual schooling. What they seemed to like most was its convenience. They could do their work when they wanted and have time to participate in other activities through out the week. One student particularly mentioned that she enjoyed not having the inappropriate interruptions from other students that usually occur in the regular classroom setting. Another student mentioned that he felt he had more materials to work with when taking these on-line courses. Both sets of parents seemed to mention the same positive aspect of these classes. They felt that there was more one-on-one attention from the teacher making the teacher more personally involved. Both families mentioned the teachers calling to speak with the students about any questions or concerns they may have. If states would offer more courses on-line, I think we would see a tremendous increase in the development of children’s abilities by allowing them to work at their own pace. The more advanced students would not be slowed down by others and can complete more challenging assignments. Students with special needs would not feel the peer pressure of those around them and would develop more self-confidence by working to the best of their abilities. One limitation of the virtual schools that the video did not mention is the social factors. Students are missing that peer interaction. However, the triplets from the second video did participate in a sport called “wakeboarding.” For some lower class families, the opportunity to participate in sports and other peer interacting activities could be a challenge