Today, the online model of K12 education impacts students on an individual level.¹ Studies show that the effectiveness of education appears to have more to do with who is teaching the student than any other factor.² Technology opens the door to new methods of learning! Yet, while the technology itself is a powerful tool, knowing how to use it well requires wisdom, knowledge, experience, and the professional judgment of teachers. 

Technology allows students to have more teacher interaction since teachers can focus their attention on one learner instead of a classroom of students. Online teachers can also address student questions individually which allows students to be open and inquisitive with much less anxiety than if they had to ask the same questions in a classroom setting. 

No two kids learn the same way. The “one-size-fits-all” approach in education does not cover the needs of every child. Children have different learning styles, work at different paces, and have unique strengths and weaknesses. However, many brick-and-mortar schools are struggling to meet each child's individual needs in the following areas:

• Learning accommodations
• Special needs
• Gifted and talented programs
• Flexibility to accommodate chronic illness, injury, or difficult life circumstances

An individualized approach to learning has been used for decades in K-12 schools as it addresses students who need to proceed through a curriculum more slowly or immerse in a certain topic or principle to really “get” it. 

Personalized learning goes beyond individualization; it seeks to understand the personality of the learner which includes the student’s preferences, interests, and aspirations. In personalized learning, instruction is tailored to each student’s interests, innate curiosity, strengths, and needs. It includes enabling student voice and choice in what, how, when, and where they learn - to provide flexibility and support to ensure mastery at the highest standards possible. 

As you experience the differences of schooling with Enlightium Academy compared to your child’s previous school, you may feel the need to celebrate your journey with family and friends. Since you likely share stories with your friends and family about important milestones and events in your child’s life, along with the joys of watching them grow, we would like to empower you with this guide on how to share your educational achievements and the fruit of a sound Christian education through Enlightium. To help you celebrate your story with your friends and family, our Referral Program allows you to gift a tuition credit or Amazon gift card to anyone who enrolls and receive a tuition credit or gift card for your family per referral.

Some of the most important developments in education have happened since the launch of the Internet - online learning.

In online school settings, the online teacher and student are separated from one another by distance and often by time, so knowing and understanding online students is an important factor in building teacher-student relationships.¹ Research suggests that online students are successful if they respond to three different types of learner interactions: (1) learner-to-content (appropriateness of the course material and delivery), (2) learner-to-instructor (access and support), and (3) learner-to-learner (procedures for dialogue).² Watson et al. (2014)³ noted that practical consideration of the role of a teacher in an online classroom similar to those of traditional face-to-face classroom is important to ensure student success.

The right of parents to choose an education for their children was declared at the United Nations General Assembly in 1948: “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”¹ The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture and direct his or her destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare the child for life. The state may require that all children of proper age attend school, that teachers would be of good moral character and patriotic disposition, that certain studies essential to good citizenship must be taught, and that nothing be taught which is manifestly inimical to the public welfare.²

For parents, homeschooling has been an alternative to Brick-and-Mortar schools for decades, since home education provides parents the opportunity to teach moral and religious principles to their children.¹ The first families to choose to homeschool their children dealt with backlash from numerous groups including family members, educators, politicians, and neighbors who felt they were doing their children an injustice. However, proponents of homeschooling held fast and helped to establish the laws and regulations that recognized that teaching one’s children is a right.² In the 1970’s, only 10,000 children were homeschooled, and by 2010, about 2,000,000 students were part of homeschool options.³  There are more than 3.76 million students in the U.S. who were homeschooled in 2020 and by 2022, there were 4.3 million students who were homeschooled.⁴

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?

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. 

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.

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

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.

Most parents will experience a distinct moment when they ask the question, “When, where, and how should I start setting a good example for my child?” As Christian parents we know that God has given us children to teach and direct in the way of Him. It is a great responsibility! How do we know where to start?

Here a short guide to when, where and how to set a good example for your child:

As a student, you encounter many trials in your social, academic, and spiritual life. Though there are constant bombardments, isn’t it good to know that there are encouraging Bible verses for students throughout God’s Word?

Here are some encouraging Bible verses that you can post to your social media accounts (Pinterest, Facebook, etc.), print and use them as a bookmark or even use as your desktop background. We hope that you take courage with these verses:

A parent’s heart breaks a little bit when their child slumps home from being with their friends, throws their backpack on the floor and declares how “dumb” they are. From the parent’s perspective, the child is wonderful and it is strange that they would doubt that. From the child’s perspective, they are feeling like they can’t compare to their friends or siblings, and so they must be permanently flawed.