Is an online course a good option for my child with learning disabilities?

Is An Online Course A Good Option For My Child With Learning Disabilities?

By Kay Johnson, Linda Broatch, M.A

First, you'll want to know if online instruction will work for your child. Taking a course or courses from an online school offers some potential benefits to kids with learning disabilities. The child can avoid the anxiety or embarrassment that his learning difficulties may cause in a classroom setting. If a child is stigmatized or even bullied as a result of his learning problems, online courses can help reduce the distractions that result from these issues. Pacing of instruction in an online school can be highly individualized.

However, especially for children with language-based learning disabilities, an online school may not be a workable choice because content, assignments, and assessment may be largely text-based. Parents will want to ask some basic questions, including:

* Do you have reading specialists on staff to work with my child?

* Do you have academic counselors on staff who can work with our traditional school to determine whether an online course is appropriate for my child?

* What accommodations do you offer students with learning disabilities?

* Do you offer an audio option for delivering content?

* How flexible is the pace of the learning?

* Will the coursework help prepare my child for statewide or district-wide standardized testing in the relevant academic content area? * Will my child be able to use the assistive technology tools he uses at home (or school), for your courses?

* Does the school teach study and/or time management skills?

* How much time and effort is required of parents to support their child's online coursework?

* Does the school offer a trial period so that students can see if an online class is going to work for them?

Kay Johnson, FLVS Communications Liaison, says: "At FLVS we have a team of reading specialists to work with students with reading struggles. If a student is two or three grade levels behind in reading, we can probably come up with strategies to help them. But if they're farther behind than that, it will likely be difficult for them to achieve in this environment. Also, while 'at-risk' students who have family or social-emotional issues can really benefit from face-to-face support, they can do quite well in the virtual school environment with that little extra face-to-face help."

Will my child's traditional school accept online school credits?

Even if an online school has an established relationship with your state's public schools, you should find out whether online school course credits will be accepted by your child's traditional school, and if they meet college admission requirements. There are several basic questions you can ask:

* Is the school accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency?

* Do the school's courses align with your state's academic content standards?

* Does the school provide a list of lessons and a recommended timeline for each course?

* How many courses are offered, overall and within specific content areas?

* How often are courses updated?

"All of the courses at our school are accredited and mapped to state and national standards," says Kay Johnson, "but even in that case, to be safe, parents should still make sure before enrolling in online courses that the traditional school is going to accept the credit."

Online Classes for Middle or High Schoolers

If you are thinking about letting your child take online courses not available at their current school, it is important to have the information to pick a reputable program.  Below is an article giving you valuable advice.

Online classes: A choice for your middle or high schooler?

By Kay Johnson, Linda Broatch, M.A

Online academic classes for students in grades six through 12 have become a booming industry over the past decade. Online schools served 700,000 students in 2005-2006, mostly at the high school level.1 Students - and their parents - are drawn to online schools for very practical reasons: Kids can take classes not available locally, they can complete coursework at home, and they can set their own schedule and pace for completing a class.

When you hear the terms "online learning," "distance learning," or "virtual school," you might imagine a student working alone at a computer on an old-style, self-directed correspondence course, with minimal instructor contact. But, in fact, today's more sophisticated online schools may offer students such features as "real time" classroom discussion with the teacher and other students; regularly scheduled and/or "as-needed" phone and email contact with the teacher; assignments based in the real world; or the chance to join group projects and clubs.

Who sets standards for online schools?

Figuring out whether an online school might be a good option for your child and family requires the same kind of careful evaluation process you'd use to select any school. For parents of kids with learning difficulties, identifying a high-quality online school is just the first step. You'll also want to ask some specific questions to find out if a program is a good match for your child's particular strengths and challenges, both academic and technical.

Careful evaluation of online schools is also important because there are big variations in program quality, and in the way states oversee, regulate, and participate in administering these schools. In some states and districts, online schools are a hotly debated topic because of funding, oversight, regulatory, labor, and philosophical issues. As of 2006, according to the North American Council on Online Learning, 38 states had established either state-led online learning, or policies regulating online learning, or both.

There is no body of well-designed research yet on how effective online instruction is for middle school and high school students as a whole. However, there are some "best practices" emerging that help define higher quality programs. This article will describe several basic features to look for in an online school, and suggest questions parents can ask to help evaluate how well a school will meet their child's needs.

We decided to talk with representatives of the 2007 winner of the Best Practice Award from the nonprofit United States Distance Learning Association - the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) - so they could provide us with information and resources for this article. Florida Virtual School has been in operation for 10 years; in 2006 it provided 55,000 half-credit courses to middle and high school students.

Tomorrow the article will address is an online course a good option for my child with learning disabilities?

Happy Memorial Day

             Happy Memorial Day

I want to truly thank all the men and women who served and are serving our country in the armed forces.  It is because of your love dedication to this country all children can get the "Best Education Possible".  God Bless you all and God Bless America!  Have a wonderful Memorial Day!!

Debra West

Great Teacher Gifts: Part 2

Now that 2010-2011 school year is almost over, parents are wondering what they should get their child's teacher to show apprecition. An article from greatschools.com gives some tips, that show your appreciation with gifts that will make teachers smile not sigh.  Below are more suggestions for teacher gifts.

Gifting the inspired, exhausted, and poor

By: Great Schools Staff

1. Coordinated love bomb: The group gift

For a real splurge, the whole class can take up a collection and send the teacher to a spa for a massage or other pampering treatment. Or if your school has a fund for needy children, the class can make a donation in the teacher's name.

If you really think big, the whole school can collaborate on a gift for all the teachers combined. When Susie Kameny was a paraprofessional working with autistic students at Grattan Elementary School in San Francisco, the PTA subscribed to an organic delivery box for the teachers so that they could enjoy fresh fruit in the lounge every week.

Remember, such coordinated group gifts need not break the bank. If you know that a sophomore English teacher loves the work of a local poet, students might write letters to the luminary asking him or her to pay a visit to the class. Does your kid’s chemistry teacher revere a certain Nobel prizewinner? Consider contacting the scientist and asking for an autographed photo and letter.

2. What teachers really need

With many school budgets strapped by the recession, your child's teacher may be spending a lot of his or her own money on basic classroom supplies. So some teachers appreciate the most practical sorts of gifts.

Randi Richards, who retired last year from teaching middle school in Winslow, N.J., says that her favorites over the years were tissues, hand sanitizer, Post-Its, pencils, and pens — all things she used regularly in the classroom.

Don't be shy about asking your teacher what he or she really needs to get the job done. "This saves teachers a lot of out-of-pockets expense in the classroom," says Kate McCauley, the mother of two and a teacher herself for more than 25 years in the Washington, D.C., area. "It's much more useful than a 'world's best teacher' mug."

3. Thoughts that truly count

The most meaningful gifts are often those that show just how much teachers mean to their students. Anita Bell, who teaches third grade in Berkeley, Calif., says: "One year my class and a room parent worked together to make a huge glittering sign with pictures and individual messages on the bottom and 'Anita rocks!' in six-inch glitter letters across the top. I was surprised to find it posted on the classroom door when I came to school one day. It made my day, week, year."

A photo album or scrapbook from the class will deliver the same emotional wallop. Theresa Gramza, a fifth-grade teacher in Vernon Hills, Ill., got a CD on which students and parents had recorded their favorite memories using a service called LifeOnRecord. "All the other teachers were jealous," says Gramza, "and although I received the gift two years ago, I still love listening to the CD."

Especially in these tough financial times, parents and students need not feel obligated to shell out a lot to make teachers feel special. "The best gifts I have gotten are thank-you cards telling me how much the student or parent appreciates me," says Danny Kofke, a special ed teacher in Georgia. "These notes help me realize why I became a teacher — to hopefully make an impact on someone's life and make this world a better place."

Great Teacher Gifts: Part 1

Now that 2010-2011 school year is almost over, parents are wondering what they should get their child's teacher to show apprecition.  An article from greatschools.com gives some tips, that show your appreciation with gifts that will make teachers smile not sigh. Gifting the inspired, exhausted, and poor

By: Great Schools Staff

Teachers are "inspired, exhausted, and poor," quipped a keynote speaker at a recent education conference. Now's the time of year when many parents and students will be wandering the halls of department stores wondering, What gift will help these heroes keep their faith alive? How do we show them we care? Will a giant ceramic apple send the right message? A "world's best teacher" coffee mug? Meditation tapes to reduce stress? A bottle of gin?

After exhaustive research, we've cracked the code on teacher gifts. Here's our primer on which to avoid (all of the above) and which will give them the goods (or goodies) to keep teaching another year.

A break from baked goods

Tempted to brush the flour off the family holiday cookie recipe? Think again, say veteran teachers, who get more than their gut-busting fill of gingerbread men and Swedish dreams every year. If you really want to go homemade and edible, consider making a sauce or jam that can keep for a while. Otherwise, all the work you put into baking may go to waste.

"I'm usually going out of town the next day for two weeks of vacation, so I could never eat it all even if I was tempted," says Leila Sinclaire, on leave from teaching in El Cerrito, Calif., about the pile of perishable sweets she typically received. Likewise, a plant may be a better bet than flowers.

Green light on gift cards

If you're at a loss for what your teacher might really like, consider a gift card from a bookstore. "I bought books for my classroom or myself and thought of the child who gave it to me when I made the purchase," says Carol Gordon Ekster, who taught fourth grade for 35 years in Derry, N.H.

Gift certificates good for a local movie theater or restaurant are also popular. Even a coffee card from a café near school is another way to give your teacher a much-needed break. "Teachers spend so much of their personal money on school supplies that it's wonderful to get treated to food and coffee through gift cards by generous parents," says Ekster.

Your Fifth Grader and Technology: Part 1

Your fifth-grader and technology

By the end of fifth grade, your child should demonstrate advanced keyboarding skills to edit her work.

By Miriam Myers, GreatSchools Staff

In a technology-rich classroom, your fifth-grader uses tools to enhance her understanding of language arts, science, social studies, math, and art. Her use of new tools to answer age-old questions is the first step to technological literacy.

Resources range from computers, software programs, and the Internet to digital cameras, camcorders, and voice recorders. Technology isn't a substitute for teaching, but a way to bring the world into the classroom. Plus, it's an essential tool for your child's future.

The Internet can connect kids to native speakers of a language they are learning or to scientists around the world. Computer-based programs can give teachers real-time feedback on how well students grasp a concept in math. But technology is no substitute for learning mathematical concepts or the basics of writing an essay.It's simply one way to enhance classroom instruction and help your child practice new skills and master new concepts.

The technology skills she learns will help your child write research papers in history and do multimedia presentations in science. She will develop critical evaluation skills by assessing the credibility of websites and learning about copyright laws and the ethics of using online information or pictures.

"Fifth-graders are very comfortable using a computer to complete learning projects," explains our teacher consultant Gayle Berthiaume.

Technology use varies from school to school Many states base their technology standards on the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS). But because children aren't tested on their use of technology, teachers aren't typically held accountable for teaching it. That means computer use varies widely from classroom to classroom. Your fifth-grader may have one or more computer workstations in the classroom, go to a computer lab once a week, or not use technology regularly.

To get the maximum benefit from technology, the best classrooms incorporate technology into regular lessons that develop students' higher-order thinking skills, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning. Your child's teacher may use technology to evaluate students' progress.

Technology terminology

Fifth-graders build on their vocabulary to communicate about technology. Your child should be able to discuss common uses of technology in daily life and its advantages and disadvantages. He should apply strategies for identifying and solving routine hardware and software problems. Your child should be learning the names of computer parts - monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and speakers - and software terms - menu, file, folder, application, save, and quit.

Keyboard and mouse

Your fifth-grader continues to improve her skills in typing and using a mouse. She practices typing and increases the rate of words she types per minute. A fifth-grader should type 20 words per minute. To avoid repetitive stress injuries later on, she should learn to use the correct hand, wrist, and body positions and the proper techniques for striking the keys. By the end of the year, she should demonstrate advanced keyboarding skills such as cutting, copying, and pasting to edit her work. Schools may use a typing program that teaches students how to type.

Your Fourth Grader and Technology: Part 2

Your Fourth-Grader and Technology

Fourth-graders may do Internet research and use various types of software to complete activities that build on their classroom learning. Below the article continues from yesterday.

By Miriam Myers, GreatSchools Staff

1. Technology terminology

Fourth-graders build on their vocabulary to communicate about technology. Your child should be learning the names of computer parts - monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and speakers - and software terms - menu, file, folder, application, save, and quit.

2. Keyboard and mouse

Your fourth-grader continues to practice and improve her skills in typing and using a mouse. She works to build speed and accuracy. A fourth-grader typically types 15 words per minute. To avoid repetitive stress injuries later on, she should learn to use the correct hand, wrist, and body positions and the proper techniques for striking the keys.

By the end of the year, she should demonstrate advanced keyboarding skills such as cutting, copying, and pasting to edit her work. Schools may use a typing program that teaches students how to type.

3. Word processing and email

Your child can use a word-processing program the same way a professional writer does: to prewrite, draft, revise, and publish work. He may type his ideas in the first draft, then proofread and make changes. In the final stages of the writing process, your child may use word-processing software to add clip art; change the font, size, and color of the text; and learn to use spell-check. He may add bulleted and numbered lists and explore some of the advanced features of a word-processing program, such as using borders, shading, and page layout. He may also learn how to access files over a network. Gayle Berthiaume explains: "Many schools share and save files over a network. Students may access their saved work from any computer in the building."

Your child may make a class newsletter with pictures and text, write a book review, or email a pen pal in another class. He may learn to use cut, copy, and paste to transfer text or graphics from one program to another. Your child may use email or a program like ePals to contact a peer, another class, or experts worldwide.

4. Draw-and-paint software

Draw-and-paint software programs such as Kid Pix and AppleWorks are common in many fourth-grade classrooms. Students use the tools in the programs to type and create pictures. "Students create illustrations with draw-and-paint software for their presentations, brochures, or reports," Berthiaume says.

5. Presentation software

Your fourth-grader may use software, such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages, iPhoto, and AppleWorks, to add to a class book or presentation in which she makes a slide with pictures and text. Presentation software combines graphics with text to communicate in a visually exciting way. To create an effective presentation, students should be given clear guidelines, such as the number of words, graphics, or background colors to use on each slide. Your child may do a presentation on your state's history or present information for a book report.

Technology helps students present ideas, but it isn't a substitute for knowledge of history or geography. Berthiaume explains: "By first planning out or storyboarding their book or presentation, students concentrate on the content of their project."

6. Spreadsheets and databases

Fourth-graders may use spreadsheet programs like Excel and AppleWorks to organize data and make graphs. Your child may use database software such as FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access, and AppleWorks to classify information. He may work with templates in which a spreadsheet or database has already been created. His job is to enter and organize the information. Your fourth-grader may contribute to a spreadsheet of his class's favorite hobbies or a database classifying its library of books.

7. Internet

In fourth grade your child may visit websites the teacher has bookmarked to further explore what is being taught in class. She may also learn how to bookmark her own sites. She develops critical evaluation skills by assessing the credibility of websites and learning about copyright laws and the ethics of using online information or pictures. She learns Internet search strategies and how to use search engines to do research.

The class may go on virtual field trips to regions, environments, and countries far from home and engage in activities such as viewing an active volcano. After reading a story by an author, your child may visit the author's website and send an email to ask a question about the book. Your child may learn to use an online dictionary and thesaurus. Your child may check weather forecasts online to compare the weather in different cities. She may go online to find primary-source materials such as letters and journal entries.

To learn about artists, your child may look at artwork online. There are also many museum websites your child can visit. The teacher may publish students' artwork by scanning pictures the children have created and making an online art gallery.

Classrooms may take part in science investigations with students from around the world through programs like the Jason Project. The class may also view online science lessons such as a simulation of a hurricane. Students can ask questions of scientists on the Internet.

What you might see in a well-equipped classroom

* Multimedia encyclopedias and dictionaries

* A digital camera and photo editing software — digital photos can be displayed in a slide show or used in books and projects

* Interactive storybooks on a computer

* One or more computers with access to the Internet and a printer

* A large-screen display connected to a computer used by the teacher to demonstrate a technology lesson to the class. If there is not one available, the teacher may have smaller groups gather around the computer to introduce a lesson or technology skill.

* Use of email with support from the teacher or classroom helper

* An interactive whiteboard — an electronic writing surface that can capture writing