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.

According to a Barna Group survey conducted in 2016, nearly 60% of teens who grow up attending church walk away and become part of the unchurched population after graduating high school (roughly 45%). These numbers aren’t great; in fact, there are many that find them concerning and seek to offer solutions to the issues that are causing our youth to drop out of the church. Some of the studies that have been done on low church attendance among youth point to the need for revitalized programs and systems. If only the church would have a stronger youth ministry, or a greater focus on discipleship, or a more relatable sermon, or edgier worship music, or this, or that. While youth ministry is good and serves a good purpose, and while other programs and structures seek to serve the body in specific ways, the problem is not within these systems. The true issue is within misplaced responsibility. For too long, many have expected the church to do what is the God-ordained responsibility of the parents. Yes, the church makes disciples. Yes, we go to church to worship a God who is infinitely worthy of our praise. The primary disciple-makers of our youth, however, is not the church, it is the parents. Discipleship begins at home. Worship begins at home. 

My favorite Bible verse that I have dwelled on throughout my life is “… with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV)

In life, as humans, we face unpredictable circumstances: earthquakes, hurricanes, accidents, illness, even death, or circumstances created by humans such as unstable political situations or war. In any life circumstances, God says that with him and through him, “all things are possible.”

As education transforms with the rise of school choice options in the U.S. such as online homeschooling, there is a need to understand the arguments for and against school choice reforms from the angle of effects on a student’s academic performance, so parents can make more informed decisions as school choices will likely continue to expand.¹ The purpose of this academic article is to explore the impact on a student’s academic performance based on parental involvement in choosing online homeschools. I propose that if parents are actively involved in choosing an online homeschool to fulfill their child’s academic needs, that in and of itself tends to improve the student’s academic performance primarily because of the increased parental involvement in their child’s education. Research suggests that the student's academic performance is likely the driving force behind the parents’ choice.²

When you decide to enroll your student in an alternative to public school, whether it is enrolling him/her in an online private school such as Enlightium Academy or taking on all responsibilities yourself in homeschooling, you are cutting yourself off from the educational standard and therefore have additional steps to fulfill. It’s a tradeoff - you have more of a say in what and how your student is learning, and in return you are accountable to the state to ensure that your student is learning the basics.

Sometimes your academics may feel overwhelming. What classes should you take? What do you do if you’re struggling in a course? How do you make friends in a virtual school?

Remember that you’re not alone! Enlightium Academy was founded in 2003 and has helped thousands of students around the world. Learn from those who came before you with these seven basic habits of a successful student.

Dear Students,

In my recent Internet lurking I came a tumblr post or tweet by a student that said something like this

“I don’t know how people plagiarize on purpose. I’m terrified that I will fail because I accidentally used the same wording as a 16th-century manual on toasters.”

Welcome back to the next installment of Enlightium Academy’s Healthy Meals for Homeschoolers series. I am excited to share with you some of my ideas about family budget meals. As a recent college graduate (now repaying loans), I am familiar with the ‘B’ word - budget. When you think of family budget meals, what do you think of? Money? Spreadsheets? Penny-pinching?

Dear Students,

Plagiarism is a topic that is always discussed in specific ways. It’s outlined in school policies, and teachers explain the consequences and moral implications. The messages we as teachers convey about plagiarism by setting out the rules are important, but they are also incomplete. This open letter format is my attempt to continue the conversation with openness and hopefully some humor.

Often students enroll at an online school because they want to minimize the amount of interaction between themselves and their teachers. If that is the case, the student will most likely not respond to a teacher’s efforts to forge a relationship.

Some students find interacting with adults face-to-face intimidating, so the idea of interacting with their teachers digitally makes communication with adults more bearable. These students are more likely to respond positively to a teacher’s efforts to forge a relationship.

We live in a day and time when much of our lives are dependent on the Internet. People trade, communicate, work, and entertain themselves through an online medium. Students are able to forge a relationship with a teacher online, especially when the teachers make initial contact.

How Will Online Teachers Forge Relationships With Their Students?

It all starts with a good introduction.

Teachers at Enlightium Academy always send a greeting letter when a student joins their class. Teachers introduce themselves in a colorful way, where they talk about their interests and families and show themselves as fun, interesting people who will help their students through the coursework. 

For some students, this introduction is enough to break the ice; they will respond with an introduction of their own, and the teacher will remember this conversation.

For other students, an introduction is not enough, and teachers know this. So they keep reaching out to students in different ways. Most of their interactions are through chat on Ignitia, although some students have access to teachers through phone tutorials, screen sharing and face-to-face video chat. 

Be it face-to-face or just written communication, the chance to work one-on-one with the student is what gives teachers the opportunity to truly forge a relationship with them. It is during these interactions that teachers can continue to learn about the person behind the screen name. It isn’t uncommon for teachers to know the names of the student’s pets or to be in prayer with the student and his or her parents.  

What is a Verification of Enrollment?

A Verification of Enrollment (VOE), also known as a Certificate of Enrollment or Proof of School Enrollment, is an official document provided by the school confirming that the student is enrolled in that school. It can be used by parents to prove to their state or school district that the student is receiving a quality accredited education in a public school, private school, or homeschool for such purposes as receiving a driver's license in their state or other legal services. Students must demonstrate compliance with attendance requirements in order to receive a Verification of Enrollment.

Do you increasingly get the feeling that public school isn't right for your child? There are many reasons why students may not thrive in public school. Every child has a different learning style, and traditional schooling practices tend to ignore this truth.

Pulling a child out of school to homeschool is a tough decision, but it is one that can bring rich rewards in the quality of both your children's education and your family life. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about homeschooling.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Loss comes in many forms and for many reasons. Certainly we experience loss when a person we love dies, but loss can also occur when a friendship or romantic relationship ends, when we lose a part of our life that defined us, or when a drastic change in lifestyle (positive or negative) causes us to change our previous environment and habits.

Life’s Bumps and Thumps

Life often throws bumps in your road to achievement. Through elementary and middle school, your parents may have helped smooth the bumps into manageable pebbles. During your high school years, however, the bumps have grown and now they threaten to affect your future. Reality sets in when major obstacles put your goal of achieving a high school diploma in danger.

Dear Students,

Most of you don’t have cause to know this, because most of you do your best not to plagiarize, but I am very strict about plagiarism. I take plagiarism seriously because I believe that as a teacher it is my job to prepare students for their futures, and I know that academic dishonesty, and really any deceptive behavior, can create huge problems for students in school, in college and in the workplace.

As we drove into Igoda, I could hardly believe my eyes. When I left in 2011, most of these houses had grass roofs. A motorcycle was still a novelty, to be exclaimed over by children. Little one-room shack shops had just started to pop up along the main road.

This little village in the mountains of Tanzania had undergone a transformation. Now, signs of new affluence were in evidence everywhere: new buildings, new tin roofs, new beautiful, big shops selling fabric, fresh fruit and even toothpaste. And there were cars, CARS parked in front of houses.

When I was 13 years old, a big change took place in my life: my family moved. Suddenly I had to adjust to a new home, a new city, and a new school. It soon became clear that the public school I was enrolled in was not a good fit for me. The classes were not at an appropriate level for my abilities, and I had difficulty making friends. So I came up with a plan: have my parents homeschool me for 8th grade. I devoted months to convincing my parents and it worked. At that time, the only option I considered was traditional homeschooling, as cyber school education was still a new development in education.

In an age of instant posting, messaging, tweeting, status sharing, etc., social media etiquette for students is an essential subject. Considering the global and permanent nature of the Internet is key. You might think that the comment or picture you posted this weekend will eventually disappear into cyberspace; however, that is not the case.

Many parents ask themselves at one time or another, “How can I set a good example for my child? When is a good time to start? Does it really make a difference?” As Christian parents, we know that God has given us children to teach and direct in His way. It is a great responsibility, but where do we begin?

As a Christian educator, I believe that it is the parent’s, rather than the state’s, primary responsibility to take an active role in their child’s education. The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). W. H. Peterson, in his article regarding religious education stated that a child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture a child and direct his or her destiny have the right, coupled with the parental duty, to recognize and prepare their child for life (Petterson, 1968). This is very important because parents should have a choice when selecting a school that meets the academic and developmental needs of their child.