Posted: 02.03.2008 at 02:43:30
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I figured this was probably a better place to put this, since I know that this is an option a lot of people with FA (especially MLTFA) look into eventually.
I'll be back to post what I know. Which is plenty. (Both good and bad.)
Please feel free to add whatever you know about this schooling option!
Posted: 02.03.2008 at 02:59:42
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Alrighty then.
The Good:
Cyberschools are public schools. Therefore, you can get a 504 plan with them just as with any other public school.
Materials are very high quality, often NEW, and are similar to (or even better) than what is used in classrooms.
Curriculum can be more flexible for kids with different learning needs.
Safety day-to-day is a no brainer. You control the 'school environment' with two exceptions-- field trips and mandatory state testing. (More about that later...)
Many programs allow students to work at a pace which is best for them.
This is 'real school' with real records, and a real teacher to fall back on when you need help. (Again, more on this later, is it definitely falls into both pro and con categories...)
Because you are 'teaching' your child (at least in K-6 programs, you do... less and less so through high school, where scheduled instruction takes the place of the flexible 'homeschooling' style instruction) you can control the emphasis and to a certain extent, the learning style of the coursework.
Unlike homeschooling, you do NOT pay for curriculum in a public cyberschool. It is as free as the neighborhood public school. (But if you choose to enroll in a non-public cyberschool in your area, costs are fairly high in relation to other 'homeschooling' options.)
Because you are involved in the day-to-day, HUGE academic problems are relatively rare, as compared to B&M schooling. I mean, it is hard not to notice if your child doesn't 'get' something-- they certainly aren't going to be fooling Mom or Dad for long. (Unlike a teacher who doesn't know them very well.)
The rewards of schooling your children? Priceless. If you can stand it. (And I mean that.)
The Bad:
Make no mistake. You are making the same kind of time-commitment as you would if you were homeschooling. This isn't 'homebound instruction.' YOU are doing the scut-work, not some cyber-teacher at the other end of the state.
The materials are NOT ones that you 'choose.' So if you hate your social studies book, too bad. You're stuck with it anyway.
You have basically the same requirements for attendance as you would at a public school-- immunization records, age restrictions, testing requirements--all of that still applies. This is not homeschooling.
Your 'teacher' is really more of an 'administrator.' Expect to hear from him/her a couple times a month. You're not without 'help,' but you are kind of on your own in the day-to-day. Teacher responsiveness varies tremendously.
Expect this to eat up your time. ALL of it.
I'll add more as I think of it. But don't think you don't need a 504 plan if you enroll with a cyberschool. You do.
Posted: 02.03.2008 at 04:00:32
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Ditto everything above.
Pros: The lesson planning is done for you. Takes the guesswork
out of wondering at what point to introduce certain concepts.
There are school sponsored field trips. Ok they may not always be
safe for food allergies, and often they are not, but some are. It's
probably a comfort zone issue here, we are dealing with a very sensitive child so our field trip options are limited. But for
those who are ingestion only, you will have many, many field trip
opportunities, depending on where you live.
You will have regular contact with your childs teacher.
Cons: If you follow the lessons to a T and then even embellish
upon them, it can take forever. I have found that we can go off
on tangents. An example, when learning science and talking about
stars ds will want to look at his books and talk about telescopes,ect.
it's easy to get off track.
When you are cyberschooling you don't simply pick up a book and call it reading time. You log onto the computer, read your lesson, get out the three books you need and the alphabet cards and the handwriting book and the spelling words and then you can start your lesson. So,
you need to set the time aside, a big block of time.
you will have regular contact with you childs teacher (yes, I will put that in pros as well) so you must be available for communication
times.
After re-reading my post all of my cons are time constraint issues.
HMMMM..
Posted: 02.03.2008 at 04:12:23
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One more for the 'pro' side of things:
Unlike in traditional homeschooling-- there are (beginning often in about 3rd-4th grade) opportunities for your child to participate in 'live lessons' which are basically virtual meetings led by the class' teacher(s).
These vary in quality-- but they are a great way for cyberschooled kids to have real interactions with thier classmates, and it keeps the FA totally out of the picture.
.... and another for the con side:
Field trips. Parent volunteers run the show. A local parent volunteer for your geographical area is pretty much the only person that you have in terms of field trip safety or suggestions. You can't 'help' with this, in general, as the school takes a while to even approve these people. (Whatever.)
These other parents may handle (or not) your child's disability as they see fit. This places you in the uncomfortable position of (mostly) negotiating with other parents about safety on field trips. Every. single. time.
There is also a tendency to think that 'bigger is more successful' with field trips. This is obviously a bad idea under the baseline conditions, as you might imagine-- more parents involved makes this a bit like a school-wide picnic.
We've had some hits and misses with field trips, including some reactions that were from 'surprises' and needed medication. This is with all the right 'signals' that things would be safe.
The field trip conditions are frankly illegal. Strictly speaking. But the school doesn't know how to fix it.... so they don't.
Posted: 02.03.2008 at 04:19:56
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I will say, in the ultimate 'pro' here...
My child feels no 'different' from any of her classmates. Because this is a level playing field for her. (Mostly.... as noted about field trips.)
What schooling situation can make a child's disability melt away like this? Priceless. And I've told my state legislator this.
And another really big pro:
Kids who are kinesthetically inclined often have real problems with the traditional pedagogy of the classroom. That, too, is totally absent here. Your child can do his/her work while s/he sings and stands on his/her head if that is what works for him/her. S/he can run around the house after each spelling word if that's what it takes. Wiggle and chew gum? Why not?
Posted: 02.03.2008 at 08:39:37
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Thanks for the info. I've been considering this as an option lately, but haven't started researching. The time constraint does concern me, having a toddler who needs my attention too. Though I find my unofficial homeschooling eats away at that time. DS1 has been home for 3 weeks now for safety reasons.
Posted: 02.04.2008 at 12:58:44
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Well, another big plus? (And this may sound snarky and tongue-in-cheek, but it isn't.)
It does free you up when you don't spend your days trying to get the teacher, nurse/administrators to return your phone calls, or trotting down to the school for a party, then lunch, then pick-up....
My daughter has no idea what it would be like to bear the brunt of anyone's anger over cupcakes. Or to sit eating graham crackers and fruit while everyone around her eats cupcakes that she knows could kill her.
I don't fight with other parents or my child's teacher about food in her classroom.
With the provisions of her 504 plan, I don't even have to worry about whether they'll understand how careful they must be while she's being tested each year.
Yes, the time I spend teaching and preparing things is substantial. But I'd rather spend that time directly ON my child than spend it on administrative crap on her behalf.
Posted: 02.04.2008 at 08:39:00
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Well you've got that right CMdeux.
After ds had his reaction at school on the way home from the hospital, he said 'I'm never going back to that place again because I don't even know what I did wrong'. Point is my son feels safe at home, because he is. And for the few moments when he was in school, I was a mess. I couldn't concentrate and I was at the school three or four times a day, drop off, snack time, lunch time and pick up. More importantly,he was scared to be there. That's awful.
My son has never ever been teased or humiliated by a teacher in
front of his peers. He's a little boy who has the self confidence to be who he is.
I don't want anyone to think that my frustrations begin with our cyber school, they do not. Not at all.
I'm frustrated with our traditional school. It's my position that if
they can't provide a safe environment for him at school, then it's up
to them to figure out how to give him an education. I should have more options, not just the - well then mrs pumpkin if you don't like it here, then leave.
Posted: 02.04.2008 at 08:44:44
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Oh gee. That post really belonged in the other thread. I think I
forgot where I was for a minute. Sorry
Posted: 02.05.2008 at 12:16:49
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I foresee ds1 not wanting to go back to school if/when our issues are resolved. I know that he feels very safe at home, and is fully aware that level of safety does not exist in school.
He has been let down by his teacher and other staff more than once. He knows they don't "get it".
Would he be in an unsafe environment if/when he returns to school? We are doing everything we can to ensure a safe environment for him. Know exactly what is acceptable and what is definitely not, but I do realize the plan is only as good as the people enacting and enforcing it. My current opinion of said people: not much.
Pumpkin, I totally understand your point about the public school educating him as a homebound student. This is something we have pursued as an option until we can reach an agreement w/sd. Don't know the status (atty handling), but I know they weren't here today, and won't be coming tomorrow.
Your input has been very helpful, definitely puts matters in perspective.
Posted: 12.12.2008 at 09:32:57
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Thanking all who contributed to this thread.
Is there a national cyberschool that's a fave?
How do you find the "good" ones within your state? What criteria should I pay attention to if/when selecting one?
Posted: 12.12.2008 at 09:38:46
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Here's another thread.
http://allergy.hyperboards.com/index.php?action=view_topic&topic_id=7940 I'll add more as I find them.
Some negotiating tactics w/ bearing on cyberschool:
http://allergy.hyperboards.com/index.php?action=view_topic&topic_id=7095&start=1
Posted: 12.12.2008 at 10:31:54
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Con: There are no substitute teachers.
Pro: You can make it up on the weekends.
Pro: You are not pulling your kid out for Doc visits.
Con: No Snow days.
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 06:14:38
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Do people end up having their kids join a regular school by the high school years or do people that homeschool/cyberschool do high school at home too? Do any of you know homeschoolers that are teacher their highschool children right now?
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 08:49:43
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Yes, I do. A couple of wonderful families homeschool. The oldest starting pre-med this next year.
Some of the community colleges actually have classes that are set up for homeschool highschoolers to take for both Highschool and college credits.
There is also a homeschool program from an accredited school that does all the work on a computer. Some kids really like that. I knew a family who loved it. I wish I could remember the curriculum name, but any homeschooler could probably tell you.
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 09:43:18
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12.13.2008 at 06:14:38, wrote:
Do people end up having their kids join a regular school by the high school years or do people that homeschool/cyberschool do high school at home too? Do any of you know homeschoolers that are teacher their highschool children right now?
Some people go into it thinking that, for sure...
but the school's interaction with the child grows as the child gets older. (Referring specifically to Connections Academy here, as that is what I know about.)
For example, my daughter, now in 7th grade, has ~4hrs each week in 'class.' Yes, on the computer. They use Breeze Meeting for those-- one of them is FULLY interactive, with microphones for all the participants. (Most of that type have to be pretty small b/c of the technology. But it works pretty well... even if it is a little hard to describe.) My daughter's favorite class is that fully interactive one-- even though there is a TON of outside writing for it. It is a literature course-- with student-led inquiry.
She also has direct e-mail (and occasional phone) contact with all her teachers. (Each subject, that is.)
In high school, here's the thing, though... you do lose some of that 'flexibility' w/r to scheduling. Because classes with teachers and other students have to happen at specific times-- no way around that. But it is STILL a lot more flexible than a bricks and mortar school.
A surprising number of people turn to cyberschooling (or don't leave) in the late middle school years because of PROBLEMS with/in the local schools. A HS with serious gang/drug problems is, in many parents' estimation, no place for their child to be 'learning.'
KWIM?
We are realizing that (in spite of our original plan) a middle school (no matter how fine academically) is no place for a child with DD's MFA sensitivity..... coupled with her relative youth compared to her classmates. I mean, either one would make you an easy mark. The two together could make you an easy mark with absolutely NO friends.
Yes, I know several people who choose cyberschooling for their HS students.
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 09:47:06
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Yes, I have many friends that are cyber or home schooling their friends. They are very close to their kids and have been doing it for years (it is what the kids expect). I have seen where some kids are a bit sheltered, but that is because of the parents--not the schooling
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 09:53:38
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CM and PM,
How did you pick your cyberschool? Are some better than others?
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 09:58:53
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12.13.2008 at 09:53:38, wrote:
CM and PM,
How did you pick your cyberschool? Are some better than others?
Uhhhh..... well. As noted in my charter versus cyber remarks in the other thread just now....
We chose ours because it was, at the time, the one that had a public charter within our state.
Until then, we'd been homeschoolers.
I will say this, though-- BOTH Connections Academy and K12 seem to produce pretty happy families.
As far as I can tell, the programs are pretty similar. Both are based on current 'best practices' educationally speaking, and the textbooks/materials are almost always new or nearly so (big difference from my LOCAL schools, I'll tell you....). Of course, ALL of DD's materials are new. Always. (Part of her 504 plan.)
Posted: 12.14.2008 at 07:44:15
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Are cybers easier to deal with on 504's/IEP's? I have current IEP process started with current school.
I'm very gun shy of starting this all over again....but it's sure looking better than what we're going through now.
Are field trips and new curriculum the only thing I will need accomodations on for Food allergies in a cyber?
Posted: 12.14.2008 at 08:12:51
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No-- you'll particularly need strong accommodations w/r to mandatory state testing.
They need to understand what is needed to provide a safe environment for testing to take place-- and they'll need to pay careful attention there because it isn't going to be a part of ANYONE'S 'routine,' the way accommodations at a local bricks and mortar school become.
Our school elected to have me provide the 'safe environment,' but that means that they proctor HERE, at our house.
HTH.
Posted: 12.14.2008 at 08:17:13
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WOW
That's only 3 accomodation areas....much less than we're used to...
Sounds dreamy!
Thank you so much for your help!
Topic: Cyberschooling: (FAQs and the real dirt) (Read 3391 times)
