Thread: Distance learning high school programs?

James Madison High School is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) so it is legitimate and credits will transfer. Colleges will also accept these credits since it is regionally accredited.

These are not interactive online courses but rather correspondence courses. The student receives texts and workbooks and assignments and is, for all intents and purposes, on his own to complete the work and take exams. There is an online site to submit questions if one is having difficulty but there is no actual "teaching" done. This format is intended more for adults who have never finished high school.

Correspondence courses are the preference of many homeschoolers. However if he wants to actively participate online with other kids his own age, interactive online learning options may be more attractive. If he is self-motivated and does not procrastinate and enjoys working totally on his own and/or his mom is going to keep up with his work and make sure he completes courses in a timely manner, then this format would be a good option. There is no time limit on completing classes so if he and/or his mom don't keep up with this on a regular daily basis, then he may never graduate. Correspondence courses put the responsibility right smack on the student (and parent).

If she and her son have looked into this and have decided that this is the way he prefers to learn (self-study, no interaction with teachers or classmates) then this is a legitimate, regionally accredited high school and credits/degree will be accepted by colleges and the military.

Sunnie

I smell danger here. To me, it sounds as if the mother and her child are running to the shelter of their home to escape the problems that invariably occur with junior high school students. What a terribly difficult age and what a terribly wrong time to hole up from the realities of socialization. It would be a good idea to take some online courses that included discussions and non threatening peer interaction. But...I think that these courses should enhance the regular curriculum and help to build self esteem so that this kid will face, not run away from challenges.

I don't believe that the best socialization skills are learned in hs. In fact, I believe that if a kid is teased and hates to go school and has no friends then he should get out. Socialization is a whole lot more than hanging out with peers. Friends come in all ages -- there's no rule that says that kids won't develop emotionally or socially if they are not forced to endure peer pressure and taunting all day long every day at school.

There are too many homeschoolers who are socially, emotionally and academically beyond their peers who go to HS to believe that peer socialization is necessary for emotional growth of teens and even younger kids. Homeschooled kids socialize with adults as well as kids their own age. And the peers they socialize with have similar interests. Socialization does not have to happen on a large scale -- a few friends with whom to do things is plenty. Actually having one or two good friends is preferable to having a lot of acquaintances.

And let's face it -- some people (even kids) are just loners and prefer not to be pushed into socializing. There's nothing wrong with someone who is quiet and introverted. What's wrong is when they are forced to socialize with peers who make them believe they are "different" or "strange" because they are not social butterflies.

Kids are cruel. If one draws that cruelty from others it does no good to try to get the victim to handle the situation by becoming more assertive or social -- and my gosh the humiliation for that kid if he has to go to special classes to learn "social skills" so he can "get along" with his tormentors. (Yes some schools have social skills classes for students who "need" that). What you have to do is get the victim out of the situation. If the boy is able to work independently and is happy doing so, then why not let him do it.

In this case, I think a change of environment might be a good thing-the school in question is a pretty large, "tough" school, and this isn't the first parent who has had problems with an introverted kid just not being comfortable. There's a lot of gang involvement, and I can see there being social pressure not to succeed. If this student could get into one of the more academic programs in the district, I think he'd do well. He's not "gifted", but is willing to work hard and has the academic skills as far as studying and research go beyond what many "gifted" kids demonstrate, but that's already been ruled out.

I think that his mother has the right idea in taking him out, since he seems to want it as well-I'm just not sure that the home study without a lot of guidance and little interaction with teachers will be the best setup. While this is a kid who takes quite a bit of initiative as to studying, etc, he does need some feedback, and at least in elementary, really seemed to want to please adults.

Donna, give them this website to check out. There are state virtual schools listed -- and tell them to check accreditation -- I can do that when they find one they're interested in.

I highly recommend Michigan Virtual High School -- the classes are interactive and the teachers are well-trained in teaching online (I did some teaching in their online teacher training program!). However, I don't know how extensive their course list is nor if they take out-of-state students.

I would be happy to check out any school they find interesting. I can also write to find out about the course formats and teacher training for online learning etc. Just let me know

[url]http://www.dlrn.org/virtual.html[/url]

Sunnie

My experience with home schooled kids is this, and I say so based only on what I have seen. Every single student who I have had in class who was home schooled has lacked social skills and has had a maturity level of at least two years less than my traditionally schooled students. Every single one has come back to the public school with skills that required intervention, and every single one has had difficulty assimilating into a peer group. While kids are mean, and that they are; they are also kind and nurturing. Every kid can find a place to belong if adults help him find it. The truth is adults are mean also, and sooner or later, each child will have to find a way to belong to sociey and adjust to the meanness of our world. Escaping it only makes the process longer and meaner. Perhaps the child would do better in a private school, but my thinking is that we show no mercy when we do not allow our kids to deal with unpleasantries. Our purpose as adults, parents and teachers, is to nurture, nudge forward, give advice and encouragement; then provide a place to run back to AFTER he has tried to find his way. Perhaps the online school can provide an opportunity to succeed and build self esteem so that he can face the world with confidence.

Sheri, you make some valid points -- learning to deal with adversity is a part of life . However, once people reach adulthood they have the maturity and self-confidence to deal with adversity. Yes there are mean adults -- but not nearly as prevalent as in teen years and the "mean" is a different kind of "mean." There is no defense against the adolescent kind of "mean." And to put the burden of "solving the problem" on the kid (albeit with adult assistance) is both ineffective and just plain wrong.

I teach an online class about bullying in schools -- this includes "simple" teasing all the way up through malicious tricks and bodily harm. Bullying can also be silent and subtle. Emotional bullying occurs when a student is simply ignored as if he were not even there at all with the result being isolation from peers.

I learned a lot in my research prior to and during the writing of that course. The sad thing about all this is that parents and teachers do not recognize the extent of the problem and even if they do, they handle it incorrectly.

As the mother of a 20 year old son who "marches to the beat of different drummer" I wish with all my heart I had known then what I know now about "socialization" in middle and high school. But I can tell you that middle and high school without friends is miserable. My son was fortunate to have 2 close friends in high school. Had they not forged a friendship they would all have been unbearably miserable.

My son's teachers loved him -- he's smart, funny, articulate, quiet in class -- and has an IQ through the ceiling and a photographic memory. With his peers, he was so quiet that he was overlooked and invisible for the most part -- although he got his share of mean teasing along the way.

The fact is that adults do not know HOW to handle these situations. And there is SO much of it going on that is hidden from the adults that there is no way they can stop it completely. And another fact is, that when adults do step in to "help" it backfires and makes things worse for the student simply because then the other kids take great pains to hide their behavior and words so no adult hears or sees. Then, as far as the adults are concerned, the "situation" is solved and they are relieved that they don't have to deal with it any longer.

Bottom line -- no teacher will take the time necessary to monitor and supervise teasing and taunting and isolating behavior. It simply cannot be done.

If it could be done, then why is this boy still a target for these traumatic experiences at school? If his teachers could "fix" it -- then they should have done so long before now. The fact that it has reached this point is enough reason for him to get out now.

Believe me, I am not being insensitive. I am, to a fault, empathetic and literally feel sick when I see the meaness that you describe. However, I still believe that dealing with those unpleasantries is best achieved in stages. I really cannot see how you can suddenly deal with adversity at adulthood if you have not steadily learned along the way. The problem that we face as parents is watching our children when they go through painful times. We cannot do anything but love them and encourage them. It is, in the end, a rite of passage. I hate the idea, but it's reality in my mind. Yes, I do remember those times myself, never quite fitting in. In the end I believe I gained more than I lost. I believe that my self esteem grew when I learned I could handle it.

LOL Sheri -- I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one