Nov. 16, 2015
Creating Structure With Educational Freedom
(Provided by CalPac, Monday, November 16, 2015)
Okay, let’s get real, online school does give you a ton of freedom. We do have structure, yet it’s not as if you have to arrive to Homeroom at 7:45am to hear announcements in a large school after being dropped off in a huge traffic jam near the school, then rush to Period 0 or 1 to sit at a desk in a classroom of 40 students, and listen to the bell ring after the class is over, while you grab your backpack, try to find and open your locker in the crowds, and run through the crowded hallways to the next class or to the lunch line in the cafeteria.
Some people thrive in that environment and others would prefer to work from home.
However, there is also structure to online school, and following structure is healthy for all of us. We all need it! You create some of that structure and we create some of it.
We schedule live sessions, tutoring, social hours and field trips -- and you do your part! Ideally, you wake up by 8 or 9am and start your live sessions at 9am or 10am and then do your school work, take a lunch break and then do a couple of more hours of focused and productive work after lunch. Then you may do sports, music, or focus on other activities that are meaningful to you.
Maybe you are write computer code or do graphic art, or volunteer to help animals or at a local hospital. Perhaps you are a musician.
Ways to be Productive in Online School
• Create a schedule each day when you will sit in a focused place to do your school work. Do the lesson for that day in your Assignment calendar in each class. That way you will avoid having to catch up over weekends and holidays. It will also relieve a lot of stress and anxiety.
• Take breaks where you can relax, yet focus while working. In other words, do not surf the internet while you are watching a lecture about World History or Psychology. All of us can relate to that. It’s so tempting to check email, go to social media.
However, that can create chaos and confusion -- and we want to be productive! We want to accomplish goals and enjoy the experience. Learning to focus is an important skill, particularly when there are so many temptations to take our focus away! Focusing on one task at a time is prove to be more effective than multi-tasking.
• There are times of the year where we just feel lazy. It happens to all of us. Hey, it’s not finals week, so why do any work? A teacher isn’t standing there collecting my paper. Why do I have to work? Okay, you may think you work well under pressure, yet doing an entire course in a week is just not a good idea and it’s not easy. Imagine having to do 5 courses in a week.
If you want to stay awake 24 hours a day and expect to think clearly, then you will realize that it’s not too easy. Try to write a 5 or 10 page paper all night. That is not easy either. It’s much better to work more consistently throughout the semester. Yes, we may have few days that we need to take a break over the semester. However, staying on pace will enable you to breathe and take that break without being so stressed. You have built some mileage in your courses, so you can jump right back into your courses after a day off once in a while.
• Go to your live sessions, get to know your classmates, interact with your teachers. If you need help, go to tutoring. At CalPac, we are here to support you to thrive in school and in life as a learner and person! However, all of us need some support. We are all connected and being pro-active about your schooling will help you with your school work and in life. Your voice matters at CalPac!
Contact Us Today @ (855) 225-7227.
Email - enroll@cal-pacs.org
