With the flexibility of online learning and the ability to work from anywhere comes the risk of procrastination, missed deadlines, and falling behind. Online learning requires students to be self-motivated and consistent with their work to stay on track. Here are a few strategies to help your student complete their courses on time.
Creating a Schedule
Online students should create and stick with a schedule for completing coursework. Doing so will help them manage their time effectively and ensure course progress is maintained. Start by writing down on your school calendar a list of all the tasks that need to be completed in each class, such as reading assignments, quizzes, essays, and other projects. Then break each task down into smaller, manageable chunks and set deadlines for when they should be completed. This will allow students to stay organized and on top of their workload.
In advanced online schools, such as Enlightium Academy, the student’s schedule is incorporated in their school account. Students can also use Project Forecasts to see which courses have upcoming projects. Each Project Forecast includes the approximate time commitment and level of difficulty for a course’s projects. Students can also use supply lists to confirm that they have all of the required items for projects such as science experiments.
Maintain Good Communication
Good communication is also key to finishing your courses on time. Near the end of each term, students may begin to feel overwhelmed if they fall behind on their schoolwork. Students are encouraged to contact their teachers when they need assistance with their lessons. Remember that teachers want students to succeed, but students must let them know when they need extra help! Encourage your students to contact their teachers or access supplementary resources in livebinder when they are struggling with any lesson.
Parents can also take a proactive role in seeing how their students are doing, especially near the end of each semester. Enlightium Academy offers the Parent Portal to provide parents with access to real-time data, such as their child’s grades and progress. Parents can also sit down with their student and review their courses, communicate with teachers, and more.
Set Goals and Rewards
Setting goals is another great way to stay motivated throughout the duration of assigned courses. Decide what goals are important to achieve, such as completing a certain number of units by a certain date or getting good grades on all assignments and tests, then encourage your student to reward themselves by going out to see a movie or another fun activity. Knowing that there is something waiting at the end can make all the difference when it comes to staying focused on schoolwork and reaching these goals!
As an online student, it’s important to have strategies in place that will help keep your student motivated while also helping them finish on time. Taking the time upfront to create a schedule, maintaining good communication with parents and teachers, and setting goals with rewards along the way can go a long way toward helping your student successfully complete their courses and feel good about theirr school progress.
Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.