One common characteristic plagues students today: apathy. The struggle of the parent, student, and teacher is to overcome apathy and motivate students toward genuine learning. What can you do?

Online schooling provides flexibility, an individual approach to learning, and innovation; however, attendance might become an issue if not managed properly. In traditional school settings, attendance means that students are in school for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for a minimum of 180 school days. This adds up to about 1,050 instructional hours per academic year. In online school settings, the attendance policy simply requires that students log on, complete lessons, and “attend classes” by progressing in their school work.

E-learning reflects the reality of how people learn in the 21st century. As more and more parents are choosing e-learning for their children, there is a need to respond to the following questions: (1) What is e-learning? (2) What are the benefits of e-learning? (3) What are the challenges of e-learning? (4) How does my child apply his/her personal strengths to e-learning? (5) What is the future of e-learning?

When we speak (be it words of comfort, or advice, or persuasion, etc.), sometimes we appeal to the words of someone whose authority on the subject can be agreed upon by both, the speaker and the listener. We do this knowingly or unknowingly, and examples range from as simple as, “my dad said it’s better if done this way…” to as complex as, “astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the universe is expanding 5 percent to 9 percent faster than expected” (Ashley Morrow, NASA). 

Because the Bible is God’s word, it is an incredibly powerful thing. God has communicated His very heart to us in written form; He has given us wisdom and a glimpse into the mysteries of His very being and has revealed His work in human history to us. If the Bible says something, it is incredibly significant - it is something that we should hold on to with our lives! If the Bible gives a promise, that is a promise we can be certain will come true. These promises can give us the most comfort we will ever receive. However, what happens if we get one of these promises wrong? If we misinterpret the Bible and make it say things that it does not, we can give ourselves and others false hope and, in so doing, bring much hurt.

The Gospel is all about the person and work of Christ. If we do not understand the person and work of Christ, then we do not understand the Good News concerning our salvation. Christianity affirms that the one person of Christ is unconfusably, unchangeably, indivisibly, and inseparably fully God and fully man (Cf. the Council of Chalcedon 451). This is called the hypostatic union. Because the Gospel is God come in flesh to save fallen humanity, one must affirm that Jesus is God incarnate or God dwelling among us as true God and true man (John 1:1-14). This is Matthew’s declaration concerning Jesus: … and his name shall be called Immanuel. Immanuel is the Hebrew transliteration meaning God with us (Cf. Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). Jesus is God with us. While Scripture teaches this truth concerning Jesus, there are many who twist the Scripture and affirm otherwise.

At Enlightium Academy, we strive to place our students in appropriate courses suitable for their strengths, while remaining academically challenging. Therefore, determining each student’s academic standing is important for proper course placement. Entrance assessments and student records help counselors in this process, but what if your student was homeschooled and there are no official records?

Throughout my educational experience, I have learned the importance of parental involvement in a child’s life. The involvement can take many forms: being a role model, instilling good habits, being consistent in discipline, and building good relationships. This can be done by taking the time to nurture a relationship with grace and love. Equipping children in such ways can help them overcome various life challenges. Since social interactions are vital for children’s development, let’s review how social interactions occur in the family. 

Being a student can be expensive. From tuition costs to everyday items, families often find themselves looking for coupons and discounts. Thankfully, there are a myriad of businesses who want to help families just like you! 

In the current world of education, teaching and learning are moving from brick-and-mortar schools to the virtual world, from 30 students in a class to serving one student at a time. Especially in the last 10 years, online education is on the rise for homeschooling parents.¹ It provides students the flexibility to learn anywhere, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as long as there is Internet availability. Homeschooled online students can take advantage of unique course offerings such as world languages, Dual Enrollment (taking college courses while in high school), Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Honors courses, Gifted courses, and AIMS intervention. Importantly, homeschooled students enrolled at Enlightium Academy can obtain an accredited diploma recognized by colleges and universities around the world.

What kind of environment provides a proper context for learning to take place? This question is often asked by educators and parents. Let’s try to answer this question in a practical way so it can benefit students and satisfy parents’ and teachers’ expectations. In regards to the environment, the best approach is to minimize distractions while a student is working on school assignments. It is important that students take breaks, get fresh air, exercise, and have nutritious meals. Lave and Wegner (1991) saw learning from non-traditional lenses, instead of asking what kinds of cognitive processes and conceptual structures are involved in learning, they ask what kinds of social engagements provide the proper context for learning to take place.

What can get your kids practicing math, learning about chemical reactions, and following directions? How about working on a team, solving problems, and being creative? I humbly submit that planning and preparing food for the family is a great way for kids to practice all these skills and more. And while, yes, I am biased, I do believe that in a digital age, there is a lot of value in the hands-on, all-senses-engaged practice of cooking. There are many evenings when I get home from work after hours and hours of staring at a screen, and really start to reconnect with myself and my family over chopping vegetables, stirring soups, and sharing conversation. I think kids can have a role in planning meals and nourishing families, regardless of their age or abilities.

BONUS STEP: CONDUCTING AND USING RESEARCH

I’m going to start at the beginning with this, since, in my experience, finding good research is a major stumbling block for students. Even though most of my students are incredibly technologically literate and spend a lot of time online, it is a mistake for teachers (or students) to assume that this is the same thing as conducting research.

This is the final entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

STEP 9: REWRITING, REVISING, EDITING

Many students see the process of revision as an unnecessary bother, and rarely do more than correct a few spelling errors. I get it. There comes a point where you just want to turn in the paper, but the truth is that every paper can use some serious rewriting. I personally love this process, because it allows me to move the paper closer to how I imagined it and communicate more clearly.

This is the sixth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

STEP 7: BODY PARAGRAPHS

Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence. A topic sentence has the same function for the paragraph that the thesis has for the whole essay: it clearly defines exactly what that paragraph will be about. This helps you identify what information to include in the paragraph, and also ensures that the information connects directly to your thesis statement.

This is the fifth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link. 

STEP 5: OUTLINING

Outlining is the process of taking the information from your brainstorming list and organizing it so you can present it in the most logical and effective way.

Start by taking your brainstorming list and identifying ideas that go together. I like to use a numbering system, but you can also use symbols, highlighting in different colors, or whatever works best for you. The important thing to remember is that your essay should be organized based on ideas.

This is the fourth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

After identifying similar ideas, decide how to categorize them. What is the best way to describe this subtopic? How do they directly support your topic and ultimately your thesis statement?

STEP 4: THESIS STATEMENT

A clear thesis statement is key to writing a good essay. It’s not easy, but it is necessary.

This is the third entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

The point I’m going to make about thesis statements is very similar to the point I made about essay topics, but this time I have some fun illustrations.

STEP 2: CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC

The second step in writing a good essay is choosing the right topic. Your topic determines what you will write, so choose wisely.

This is the second entry in a series concerning the writing process. Make sure that you read Part 1: Reading the Prompt before reviewing this article.

Choosing the right topic for your essay can be tricky. Usually, there is flexibility built into a prompt, so that you have a choice of which part of the question to focus on.

Rules and structure are important standards to live by in life. As Christians, these standards are laid out in great detail in the Bible. Students of Enlightium Academy also have the Family Handbook, which is provided to students by the administration to set expectations for families for the school year. At Enlightium Academy, we fine-tuned three rules that you are expected to understand and follow to have the best year possible.

INTRODUCTION

Writing essays is challenging and intimidating for many students. This is understandable, especially for students who have never written an essay before. It’s stressful trying to produce a longer piece of writing.