Online High School Provides A Vibrant Opportunity For Core Education Classes And Career Exploration
By Destiny Wells, Stride Student Advisor
Each day is a bit different for me, as an online high school student, but I find that they all follow the same basic routine… even when a lot of subject matter variety and social clubs are added into the mix. So, for those of you who may be wondering what attending an online high school is really like, let me share with you my typical school day… and, by extension, my typical school week.
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During the mornings of each day, I attend all my classes and complete most of my assignments. During the afternoons, I have clubs and community service. By the time evenings roll around, I’m off school and have time for work, chores, hobbies, or anything else that I may want to do with the rest of my day.
Now, let’s look at the week, overall (keeping in mind that a schedule like this usually requires some good time blocking skills)…
I call Mondays my “Prep Days,” because I only have four classes and no clubs. I also never have any CRQs due on Monday. For those who aren’t familiar with it, “CRQs” are constructed response questions, and they are essentially writing prompts that my school has once a week, in every class. Each of my classes last for 50 minutes total, and I usually have 10-minute breaks before the next class starts. Lunch break lasts from 11:20 a.m. to noon. During my breaks between online high school classes, I like to look at my upcoming schedule and work ahead, if I can. I’m constantly creating PowerPoints and writing articles for my clubs.
On my “Busy Tuesdays,” I have five classes and (sometimes) three club meetings, back-to-back. At 2p.m., I have my community service every week, as well. For the past three years, I’ve been attending my English teacher’s after school help sessions. I also love tutoring the 9th graders and spending time with Mrs. K. At least twice a month. In addition, I have Technology Student Association meetings, too. During TSA, we usually break off into rooms to code together. Sometimes, I’ll attend both sessions at the same time, using my phone for one of them. Occasionally, I’ll have to save time with Mrs. K. for next week. As you can see already, the life of an online high school student is full and vibrant.
I also have my Credit Recovery class for the first time of the week on Tuesdays. To receive all my credits for early graduation, I had to take my math class as credit recovery. This means that instead of logging on to a live class, each week I log onto a website and complete work. These courses are learn-at-your-own-pace, as long as you complete the class by the end of the semester.
Due to the large gap of time that I have between classes and clubs, I call Wednesdays “Catching Up Days.” I like to use that day of the school week to finish out any projects and assignments I might have, and to finish up some personal chores. In fact, I used that time to write the majority of this blog!
“Literary Thursday” is my favorite day of the week, as an online high school student! All of the clubs that incorporate my love for literature fall on this day. First up is “Poetry Out Loud,” where for half an hour, I can listen to and share poems. I even participated in a competition within this engaging club! “Creative Writing Club” is a club that I actually created with my best friends, and it is amazing to get to participate socially and creatively with this group. We give our fellow writers a place to receive advice and constructive feedback, listen to and share stories, and (perhaps most importantly) to have fun! Then I close out my day with “Book Club.” Currently, we’re finishing up reading “The Giver.”
All high school students, whether online or at brick-and-mortar schools, tend to love Fridays. For me, Fridays are considered “Rounding Up Days.” Friday each week has a rather light schedule (not a bad way to wrap up the overall school week, I think), and I love to use the time to finish up any loose ends… send off assignments, polish up blogs, work on essays, and finish Canva and PowerPoint presentations. My last school activity on Fridays is usually the “Rock-It Day Planning Committee.” Rock It Day is a fun day we have at the end of the semester. If you have at least a 75% average in all of your classes, you get to attend a game, movie, or music session. However, if you’re falling below that average point, as an online high school student, then you attend help sessions instead. Help sessions are designed to aid you in pulling up your grades for learning success.
There are many people who tend to think that online high schools aren’t as engaging for students as brick-and-mortar options. It’s my hope that by sharing what an average week in my life looks like, that I can dispel the myth and encourage students who might be considering making a change to give it a try. There’s lots to learn and explore with online high school and career prep programs. Why not see for yourself?
Make sure to visit 5 Tips For New Online High School Students, to get a Stride Student Advisor’s important advice for switching to online learning and career prep.
And, you can also read a blog post about How To Choose The Right Career Path from another Stride Student Advisor, for more inspiration along your professional journey!
And, to learn more about Stride Career Prep's Student Advisory Council, be sure to visit https://www.k12.com/stride-career-prep/about/student-advisory-council.html
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