I think everyone has been anxiously awaiting the coming of spring after the winter that we’ve had. And spring did seem to come a few days ago. The birds were singing, the daffodils and tulips were in bloom, I had planted my peas and lettuce. Ah, spring!
Then yesterday came. And snow along with it. Snow. All day. Suddenly spring slipped illusively away! Good bye 70 degrees and shorts; hello 30 degrees and winter coats. Yet those few lovely days gave us cause to hope that spring really would come.
Seasons are like that. They come and go, bringing their unique charms and challenges. There are sunny, beach days in summer and sledding in the snow in winter. The leaves are new and fresh in spring and glorious in autumn.
Yet there are some things that do not follow seasons; that are constant throughout the year. Online curriculum is one such thing. Its effectiveness doesn’t go dormant; its ability to engage students doesn’t wilt and die. Online curriculum is always in season. What makes it so? It is:
- Research-based
- Customized to each individual’s learning pace and needs
- Easily accessible and flexible
- Highly effective for student success
There are many sources of online curriculum but I would recommend these three:
Global Student Network. What makes GSN unique is that it offers six web-based curricula from which to choose – Plato, GradPoint, Apex Learning / Honors, A+, Rosetta Stone, and Alpha and Omega. These allow for AP and CTE courses and as many high school electives as you can imagine! All these can be explored from one website, www.globalstudentnetwork.com .
Another site offering six curricula is United Digital Learning. And www.uniteddigitallearning.com provides these curricula by monthly subscription. This breaks the cost of online learning into very affordable pieces.
Finally, International Virtual Learning Academy also offers online curriculum AND a certified teacher to go with it! An accredited online private school for grades 3-12, IVLA gives the best in online learning along with the structure and support provided by a teacher. (www.internationalvla.com)
I think what I love most about the seasons is the change. That first snow fall, the first bloom in spring, the first day in summer hot enough to swim outdoors, the first sweater in fall – all those are worth the wait! Thankfully, with online curriculum, you do not have to wait until a particular time of year – it’s available anytime and you could even check it out today!