It seems as though remote access has changed the way that business is done throughout the world. Being able to have meaningful discussions with people on the other side of the planet from you is as easy as flipping open the lid to your laptop. This access has also changed the way students learn today as more and more colleges are introducing online courses to their curriculums. It seems as though this trend is making its way down to the earlier stages of education as Philadelphia and its surrounding areas are now seeing more completely off-site and remote cyber charter schools offering programs for children of all ages.
Philadelphia cyber charter schools are changing the way children join the classroom
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Renowned PA Cyber Charter School was Pennsylvania’s first all remote cyber charter school providing education from Kindergarten to 12th grade. This school built its reputation on a model that allows students to learn from any location they chose and completely skirts the idea of being relegated to a certain level of education simply by where you live. Students can enroll from anywhere as long they have access to an internet connection to join in and participate in classes being taught by state-certified teachers. While this may seem ideal for many students, this level of freedom can lead to distractions for many.
“If you are in a home atmosphere, you have to have self-discipline,” explains Christina Zarek, who is the Director of Communications at Lincoln Learning Solutions who helps to develop and deliver the curriculum for PA Cyber. “Just like anything else really, cyber school is not for everyone and brick and mortar schools are not for everyone. But as [Brian Hayden] the CEO of PA Cyber always says, like many kids that are enrolled in PA Cyber there as many different reasons for them having chosen PA Cyber. I think it really does get kids to get into that mindset of ‘ I really can do this from home!’ You have a phone, you have a computer, you have the technology at your fingertips and research tools. If you have the will, you can accomplish a lot!”
As Benjamin Ozgur, the Marketing Specialist for the neighboring 21st Century Cyber Charter School sees it, these cyber charter schools will provide students with all of the resources and opportunities to excel in a more flexible academic environment. It is just up to them to be able to seize on this type of freedom to make the most of learning remotely.
“Some students perform way better compared to a brick and mortar setting and some can’t get the grasp and they leave after a while,” explains Ozgur. “It works perfectly for some students because it’s exactly what they are looking for. Motivation and determination are key from the student’s standpoint.”
21st Century Cyber Charter School has even made it easier for its students that may have chosen this style program because of busy outside athletic or artistic training to connect with their teachers and finish assignments on their own time. While the school is open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, students have the option to connect with their teachers between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm in order to stay on track with their studies.
So while you may be in the midst of applying to different charter schools for your children for the 2019-20 school year, you may want to consider these remote options.
