Comments on: Iowa Launches Virtual Academy, an Online Public School http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/ Education News Wed, 22 May 2013 01:17:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: amy http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-8434 amy Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:54:26 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-8434 Be careful that you aren't generalizing that all home schoolers have social issues. I was homeschooled and am now a music teacher. I not only graduated from college with a 4.0 grade point, I now teach music in a public school setting. In addition, I also operate a music business in which I am dealing with parents and students each day. My sister (also homeschooled) is currently the music teacher in a large public school district nearby. I have worked with both homeschooled and public schooled students. In my opinion, the public school students are slower to interact with people from age groups other than their own. They are in an environment which is like a bubble that contains people only their own age. I have found that they seem more reluctant and often uncomfortable to talk with the elderly, the handicapped, etc. In addition, if a child does have social problems that require special attention, I do NOT believe that the public school system is the only answer. An overcrowded public school special ed classroom will NEVER provde better help than the one-on-one specialized attention that a student may receive at home. Be careful that you aren’t generalizing that all home schoolers have social issues. I was homeschooled and am now a music teacher. I not only graduated from college with a 4.0 grade point, I now teach music in a public school setting. In addition, I also operate a music business in which I am dealing with parents and students each day. My sister (also homeschooled) is currently the music teacher in a large public school district nearby. I have worked with both homeschooled and public schooled students. In my opinion, the public school students are slower to interact with people from age groups other than their own. They are in an environment which is like a bubble that contains people only their own age. I have found that they seem more reluctant and often uncomfortable to talk with the elderly, the handicapped, etc. In addition, if a child does have social problems that require special attention, I do NOT believe that the public school system is the only answer. An overcrowded public school special ed classroom will NEVER provde better help than the one-on-one specialized attention that a student may receive at home.

]]> By: Beth Gerken http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-8147 Beth Gerken Sun, 15 Apr 2012 04:26:41 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-8147 I think it's nice for parents to have options. We adopted 2 special needs foster children and the public school failed them repeatedly. I pulled them out a year and a half ago to homeschool them and now they are thriving academically, emotionally and socially. There are many programs outside of school for kids to join so they can socialize. My kids have many friends in the neighborhood to play with as well.....I signed my kids up for Connections Academy on-line school for next year. If it works out, then great. If not, I will go back to our present program. I think it’s nice for parents to have options. We adopted 2 special needs foster children and the public school failed them repeatedly. I pulled them out a year and a half ago to homeschool them and now they are thriving academically, emotionally and socially. There are many programs outside of school for kids to join so they can socialize. My kids have many friends in the neighborhood to play with as well…..I signed my kids up for Connections Academy on-line school for next year. If it works out, then great. If not, I will go back to our present program.

]]> By: Kris http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-5523 Kris Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:30:25 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-5523 You know, there are public school children as well that lack social skills. I can recall several introverted children from when I was in school. I know MANY homeschooled children, and they are all more mature and have better social skills that public school children. People have such misconceptions about homeschool, especially people that work in the public school system. Before you make such a generalized statement about the disservice of homeschooling, maybe you should make an effort to meet a variety of homeschooled children and see how well rounded they really are. I homeschool my youngest 2 and my oldest goes to public school. He was homeschooled thru 4th grade. He is a 4.0 student, very popular and active in sports. He would never be labeled unsocialized. It is really a shame there are people such as yourself that try to give homschoolers a bad name. The student you mention could have received help whether or not he was in public school. Obviously someone dropped the ball somewhere in his life. Homeschooled children are either supervised by a licensed teacher, or required to take standardized testing to monitor their progress. If he was not testing at grade level, mandatory steps would have been followed. Look at all the failing students in public schools. No matter where a child is schooled, there are going to be those on both ends of the spectrum, from gifted and talented to special education. Neither is a result of where the schooling takes place. Please educate yourself and not be so narrow minded. You know, there are public school children as well that lack social skills. I can recall several introverted children from when I was in school. I know MANY homeschooled children, and they are all more mature and have better social skills that public school children. People have such misconceptions about homeschool, especially people that work in the public school system. Before you make such a generalized statement about the disservice of homeschooling, maybe you should make an effort to meet a variety of homeschooled children and see how well rounded they really are. I homeschool my youngest 2 and my oldest goes to public school. He was homeschooled thru 4th grade. He is a 4.0 student, very popular and active in sports. He would never be labeled unsocialized. It is really a shame there are people such as yourself that try to give homschoolers a bad name. The student you mention could have received help whether or not he was in public school. Obviously someone dropped the ball somewhere in his life. Homeschooled children are either supervised by a licensed teacher, or required to take standardized testing to monitor their progress. If he was not testing at grade level, mandatory steps would have been followed. Look at all the failing students in public schools. No matter where a child is schooled, there are going to be those on both ends of the spectrum, from gifted and talented to special education. Neither is a result of where the schooling takes place. Please educate yourself and not be so narrow minded.

]]> By: gary siegwarth http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-4009 gary siegwarth Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:06:31 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-4009 Never before in the history of human culture has an advanced society become more disconnected from the very land community we are part of in such short period of a time. The once diverse Iowa landscape is dissappearing before our very eyes and few even realize it is happening. Will the next generations? Look at them, they are all staring at various size screens of virtual worlds and no longer have time or incentive to even look up, let alone experience a hands on or truly meaningful encounter within the natural world. Our school recently issued Ipads to all the students...yet another step in that disconnect. Now a virtual Academy? Just what part of our educational and cultural self destruction are we missing here? When are we going to step back and look at the bigger picture here? Never before in the history of human culture has an advanced society become more disconnected from the very land community we are part of in such short period of a time. The once diverse Iowa landscape is dissappearing before our very eyes and few even realize it is happening. Will the next generations? Look at them, they are all staring at various size screens of virtual worlds and no longer have time or incentive to even look up, let alone experience a hands on or truly meaningful encounter within the natural world. Our school recently issued Ipads to all the students…yet another step in that disconnect. Now a virtual Academy? Just what part of our educational and cultural self destruction are we missing here? When are we going to step back and look at the bigger picture here?

]]> By: Ashley http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-3873 Ashley Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:49:13 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-3873 Hi Kevin and Sean, Please visit our K12 Facebook page. We have a large community of parents there who could share with you why they chose online schooling and how it works for their families. https://www.facebook.com/K12inc Ashley MacQuarrie K12, Inc. Hi Kevin and Sean,

Please visit our K12 Facebook page. We have a large community of parents there who could share with you why they chose online schooling and how it works for their families. https://www.facebook.com/K12inc

Ashley MacQuarrie
K12, Inc.

]]> By: Libby http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-3854 Libby Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:29:42 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-3854 They'll still miss out on the most important aspect of school-Social skills!!! I am working with a 15 yr old that has been home schooled all his life and comes to public school every other day for certain classes this year and this young man cant even make eye contact with anyone!! His parents did not do him any favors not to mention if there are issues that would have been caught much earlier in public schools and identified he has missed out on Special Ed services that would have benefited him greatly!! They’ll still miss out on the most important aspect of school-Social skills!!! I am working with a 15 yr old that has been home schooled all his life and comes to public school every other day for certain classes this year and this young man cant even make eye contact with anyone!! His parents did not do him any favors not to mention if there are issues that would have been caught much earlier in public schools and identified he has missed out on Special Ed services that would have benefited him greatly!!

]]> By: Sean the Welshman http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-3827 Sean the Welshman Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:01:13 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-3827 I am also curious. I've read a few articles on ednews and other sites about online primary schools and was curious about how they work and what parents thought of them. I am also curious. I’ve read a few articles on ednews and other sites about online primary schools and was curious about how they work and what parents thought of them.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.educationnews.org/online-schools/iowa-launches-virtual-academy-an-online-public-school/#comment-3816 Kevin Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:04:05 +0000 http://www.educationnews.org/?p=207356#comment-3816 Any parents out there who can talk about under what circumstances they'd consider online schools for their kids? I'm very curious. Would it make a good alternative for those who want to homeschool? Any parents out there who can talk about under what circumstances they’d consider online schools for their kids? I’m very curious. Would it make a good alternative for those who want to homeschool?

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