Guiding a child through the early school years has become more difficult in many ways. Some parents are taking a hard look at whether brick-and mortar schools are the best choice for their families. With increased and confusing academic demands, wide variations in the quality of schools, and rising costs for private education, many parents are looking for alternative approaches for their young children.
Another increasingly common feeling among today's parents has nothing to do with cost or logistics and everything to do with wanting to stay more connected to their children. Many parents are coming to realize that, with the support and guidance of a cyber school, they can not only meet their children's educational needs, they also get to have front row seats to watch their sons and daughters develop into mature, creative, independent thinkers.
The following parents weighed different options, but in the end, enrolling in PA Cyber's elementary program was as simple as ABC.
An accredited academic community
Katie Reed lives with her husband and three daughters in Franklin Park, just north of Pittsburgh. When it came time to enroll her oldest, Caroline, in kindergarten, Katie had trouble imagining her being away from home so much. She chose to purchase several curriculum guides and was able to create a successful homeschooling program for her daughter.
The following year, however, Katie began to wonder how she could connect to a larger community and began looking into alternative schooling programs. "I wanted someone to partner with me in my daughter's education," she said. "PA Cyber seemed to offer a lot of options, a lot of opportunities, and I knew we would benefit from plugging in to their approaches."
Caroline has completed PA Cyber's first grade Calvert curriculum and has begun the second grade material. Meanwhile, her younger sister Meredith completed K4 (Kindergarten for four year olds) through PA Cyber and began K5 this fall.
Katie and her husband now have an affiliation with an ever-growing group of families who share the same concerns about education, and they feel confident with this approach to education. Other Pennsylvania families report that they are happy to have made the same choice.
Mari Shafron of Westmoreland County, whose daughter Leah has completed third grade through PA Cyber, is grateful for the support she and her husband receive from their Instructional Supervisor and the Calvert teachers. "I feel we are a team working toward the same goal," she said, noting how much she appreciates the stickers and handwritten notes Leah's teacher adds to the graded assignments. "If we get stuck or have any problems, we are not alone. We know we have lots of people to turn to."
Leah qualifies to receive online tutoring for extra practice and enjoys "talking on the computer" with her tutor, Mrs. Turley. "I think it's really cool being schooled at home because I always have my Mom as a teacher," said Leah. "I get to learn about maps in geography, and I also like how we talked about the Greek gods because they were so silly."
Lauren Bensink, PA Cyber's Elementary Education Coordinator, is thrilled to hear these success stories and feels empowered by the many ways she and her staff can help the youngest students at PA Cyber. "From the child's very first assignment, we have certified teachers working with the families, helping to identify strengths and areas of weakness," she explained. "Students can play and replay podcasts of teachers going over material, we have supplementary software for students who need extra challenges, and tutors can work one-on-one with students for just a couple of sessions to help them better understand a topic or they can work with a child on a regular basis.
"We see these programs working because they respect the child's individual pace," Bensink said. "Parents often enroll only one student at first to try things out, but every year, there is a huge increase in sibling enrollment because parents see the benefits of this approach and want all their children involved."
A better balance for the student
PA Cyber states that it makes accredited curricula available to its students at any time, any place, at a steady pace. It is this pacing element that allows families with young children to establish a good balance between schooling and other areas of their lives.
Katie has found a good rhythm with her family, sticking to a schedule for most days of the week and enjoying spontaneous learning opportunities with her children as well. "If I see Caroline getting really interested in a subject she is studying," she said, "we all head to the library and check out a stack of books so we can read more about it." When Caroline advanced quickly through the first grade math curriculum ≠ completing the requirements by last March ≠ Katie talked with her Instructional Supervisor and soon received the second grade curriculum.
"I've found that it's pretty easy to keep the girls challenged and interested in what they're learning," said Katie. "We have access to the school's online tools, we can watch really high-quality educational programming through our computer, plus there are links to interactive websites that are extremely helpful with keeping the kids engaged."
Another PA Cyber family, Rosanne and Gregg Roberts of Whitehall, faced the dilemma of sending their son Nathan to kindergarten or holding him back a year. "Nathan was advanced academically," said Rosanne, "but he didn't seem emotionally ready. Pushing him ahead would have kept him academically challenged, but he would always be the youngest student in his class." Nathan's parents researched alternatives and found PA Cyber offered the most comprehensive program, and they have been very pleased with the school's approach. "He just loved learning this way, and we were even able to advance to a first grade curriculum. He kept sneaking into the room where I put the big box we received with all his supplies for first grade, trying to get into the stuff before I unpacked it. He was so excited."
As Nathan has progressed through the curriculum, Rosanne learned how to tailor the work to meet his needs. She knew, for instance, the time of day when he was most agreeable, and so she structured a schedule to ensure he was able to focus on schoolwork. She also allowed time for her own career, which includes teaching night classes at a community college and completing her Ph.D. in psychology.
Rosanne and other PA Cyber parents have been able to balance their children's education with their own family lives. What about the social skills aspect, though, which seems to be such a hot spot with those who fear schooling at home isolates children? "Worrying that these kids don't develop social skills is something I have never understood," said Mari Shafron. Her children are active in their church's Sunday school and choir, Girl Scouts, their 4H club, a school-at-home co-op, and activities at their local library. "Because we school at home," said Mari, "we are actually more in control of our time, and so we can take part in even more of the activities that we feel keep our kids healthy and happy."
Katie also dismissed any concern about her daughters' social skills and emphasized how much she has enjoyed seeing Caroline, Meredith, and their youngest sister Chloe spend so much time with one another. "It's pretty basic," she said. "I like having this kind of time with my family. It's a really good balance for us."
Cost? Convenience? Yes, but it is mostly about choice.
PA Cyber is a public school and open to all residents of Pennsylvania. The school provides all the materials a student needs, from top-of-the line computers, printers, and modems to texts and workbooks, from boxes of crayons to writing paper, all at a very reasonable cost: nothing. Parents who home school their children have to buy their own materials, document what they teach, and make sure their child meets specific standards. Conversely, PA Cyber handles all the necessary paperwork and documentation as students progress through their education. So yes, the cost and convenience are hard to beat.
What seems most important to PA Cyber families, however, is that the approach allows them to make important choices for their children, whether they are five years old and just entering school, or teenagers advancing toward high school graduation.
After Mari spent four years homeschooling and dealing with an unfriendly school district, she now appreciates both the flexibility and the support systems that come with enrollment at PA Cyber. When asked why schooling at home works for her family, she responded, "Who knows your child better than you? Who wants what is best for your child more than you? Who is willing to do more for your child than you? Making this choice has proven to be such a joy."
Rosanne echoed this sentiment, saying, "I love being a part of Nathan's education, part of his days. I think the best memory I have is when he gave me a valentine that read, 'For my Favorite Teacher.' They say parenting is not about the skills you have; it is about the relationship you create. And schooling at home has helped us to develop a relationship in so many ways."