Why I Hate Wednesdays and Sundays
By Guest Blogger on May 14th, 2014
People read this title and assume I am talking about something completely different. Have no fear as that is far from the case here. When I am speaking to people about online learning, do you know what the “experienced” adults who have taken an online course always say? It boils down to “I hated the discussion boards.” The fact is that I agree with them. I hated them too.
Adults who have taken online courses know the all-too-familiar requirement of writing an original post by Wednesday at midnight and a thoughtful response to at least two other students by Sunday at midnight. What tends to happen on these discussion boards is that people write their thoughts prior to reading the material for the week. Then, for responses, they find people that agree with their thoughts to comment on.
Meet FLVS Student Sarah Garvis
By Guest Blogger on May 8th, 2014
She’s the History Club President, a Young Marine Corporal, and about to hold a Bachelors of Theology degree before her own high school diploma. Who is this superstar? It’s Florida Virtual School student Sarah Garvis!
Sarah has been taking classes with FLVS since she was in middle school and has recently concluded her coursework with the Law Studies course.
“I have always been fascinated by government and I have such a high respect for it. I admire how the government systems run and this class taught me so much!” said Sarah.
Continue reading
Celebrating Teachers
By Guest Blogger on May 3rd, 2014
Mark your calendars! National Teacher Appreciation Day is this Tuesday, May 6, 2014.
As educators, we recognize the value of education and learning year round and we work hard every day to pass these ideals along to our students. National Teacher Day, which falls during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 3-9, 2014), is a wonderful opportunity to remind the larger community of the value teachers bring to our lives and the lives of children. Continue reading
If You’re an Introvert, Yell “I”!
By Guest Blogger on April 30th, 2014
“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” – Albert Einstein
Educators have been using the Myers-Briggs Type Indictor (MBTI) for years to identify the personality types and learning styles inside their classrooms and to meet the diverse needs of their students. A student’s interests and way of learning directly determines how he/she will see and make sense of the world. If a teacher and a student are both aware of their own unique learning styles, communication and learning will be positively impacted.
Teachers who understand the different personality types and learning styles in their classroom can approach the same lesson in multiple ways to reach multiple students capable of multiple intelligences. Continue reading
Research Colleges like a Pro
By Guest Blogger on April 22nd, 2014
No matter where you are on your college exploration path, there is a tool that can help you with your research.
The National Center for Education Statistics offers a free college research site that does exactly what its slogan says: “Find the right college for you.”
Using the College Navigator Search Options on the left-side panel of this helpful website, you can search for information about colleges in multiple ways. This blog post walks you through a few features you might find handy.
Get started by visiting the College Navigator online.
Brick by Brick
By Guest Blogger on April 15th, 2014
My brother David who has autism is one of the most caring and sweet people you will ever meet. Many people are surprised at this because they think that having autism means that you don’t show much emotion, or that you keep to yourself. In reality, David loves being around people and he wears his heart on his sleeve, so it’s usually pretty easy to see how he’s feeling (and why). Part of this is because he doesn’t guard his emotions, and you know what? I really admire that.
Openly showing emotion is often seen as a weakness. While it’s true that there are limits, overall I think it’s a strength to have the confidence to let your guard down. You aren’t afraid to have people see you as you really are in that moment. It also means that you can receive the love and support that you need from the people that you love.
Interview Tips: Knowing When to Stop Talking
By Guest Blogger on April 11th, 2014
Your palms are sweating. Your knees are shaking. You feel like you’re rambling. You probably are. STOP.
Job interviews can be incredibly intimidating. You sit across the table from high-level executives and try to prove your worth. In behavioral-based interviews, you are asked several specific, action-driven questions. Your interviewers want to know the details of specific instances when you applied your natural talents and learned skills to unite stakeholders, lead teammates, and solve challenges.
The first problem you face is you’re drawing a blank. Funny, I can’t think of a single time I ever spoke to a single customer or solved a single problem… Continue reading
Can a Caveman Teach Kids to be Healthier?
By Guest Blogger on April 4th, 2014
Can a caveman teach kids better eating and exercise habits?
The team at Florida Virtual School is betting he can. They’ve defrosted Cave Bro as part of an entertaining new game concept designed to teach kids how to make better nutritional choices. Cave Bro has been frozen for more than 30,000 years, so needless to say he’s hungry and will eat anything. It’s up to players to decide what he eats, how much, and how often. Good choices win. Bad choices create one really cranky caveman.
The concept originated as part of the new Health and PE course development, but after working with Fablevision to develop a playable prototype and testing it with kids, the team quickly realized this amusing game could teach good nutrition and exercise habits in ways teachers and parents never could. Continue reading
Standards, Grittiness, and the Underdog
By Guest Blogger on March 27th, 2014
In his book, “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants,” Malcolm Gladwell argues that the people we traditionally considered to be underdogs might actually have unique advantages created by the very adversity they had to overcome. Gladwell uses the allegory of David and Goliath to dramatize how David’s victory may not have been as unlikely or extraordinary as we are led to believe. Perhaps, David relied simply on an unconventional approach and his own audacity to blindside Goliath. His experience as an underdog forced him to view the situation differently and discover a creative solution to his problem. David didn’t view Goliath simply as an indestructible giant. Rather, he saw a slow opponent, dragged down by his armor, and unprepared to battle a swifter, more prepared adversary.
Gladwell continues his theory by describing a seeming disadvantage, dyslexia, as a “desirable difficulty.” Continue reading
The Truth Behind Conceptual Learning
By Guest Blogger on March 22nd, 2014
If It Breaks…I Can’t Fix It
I’ve never been one who has been good with his hands. I’ve always had the hardest time putting things together. This is one of the reasons I pay the extra money to get my child an assembled bike at Christmas, as opposed to one I have to put together, seeing as how I’d like the family to have an enjoyable holiday. The other day, however, I found myself tasked with having to put together a walker-like toy for my 4-month-old daughter. The box read “easy to assemble,” so I naturally thought it would take no time at all. I found myself looking at the directions over and over again, trying to figure out what in the world was supposed to go where. In my desperate attempt to complete the project, I finally threw out the directions and went off the picture on the box. A few hours later, as opposed to the 30 minutes the directions indicated it would take, I had a completed walker. I was so excited to see it fully assembled and felt accomplished. Continue reading