Parent Edition
Writing: A Family Affair
By Florida Virtual School on October 20th, 2015
This is one of several posts celebrating Connected Educator Month during the month of October. October 20th is National Day on Writing and we are joining The National Council of Teachers of English to celebrate how writing helps us connect. Join the #WhyIWrite and #CE15 discussions on Twitter to share your thoughts!
As we celebrate the National Day on Writing today, what better way to encourage our younger writers than by getting them involved in daily family routines that involve writing!
When my daughter was younger, she helped me write our grocery list every week. She loved using the “special” checklist notepaper I kept on the fridge and writing the words she already knew (milk, juice, apples, cereal). For new words, I encouraged her to “sound it out” and write it the way she heard it.
Now that she’s older, we take it a step further and have her be in charge of the list – checking off each item as we pick them from the shelves at the store. Continue reading
#WhyIWrite – National Day on Writing
By Guest Blogger on October 17th, 2015
This is one of several posts celebrating Connected Educator Month during the month of October. October 20th is National Day on Writing and we are joining The National Council of Teachers of English to celebrate how writing helps us connect. Join the #WhyIWrite and #CE15 discussions on Twitter to share your thoughts!
I taught Language Arts and English for many years.
As far back as I can remember, I have loved the English language. Having the opportunity to teach my passion was truly such a gift. Part of teaching English was teaching writing. And that by far was one of my greatest joys. Passing on a passion for writing to my students has always been an important goal for me. So dedicating an entire day to the celebration that is writing, well, that’s pretty special to me. This year we will celebrate “National Day on Writing,” on October 20th. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Why I Write.”
I write for so many reasons. I write to tether intangible emotions to something as concrete as words. I write to inspire, to grow, to change. I believe that language is a powerful tool and shaping it into phrases to share my story makes a difference. Continue reading
What Travel Has Meant to My Career
By Guest Blogger on October 12th, 2015
This is the sixth post in a series by the Cooney family about their world travels, made possible by the flexible learning offered at FLVS.
Traveling has been such an amazing opportunity for me in so many ways.
It’s taught me more than I ever could have learned from solely reading books. It’s showed me how to relate with people and find ways to communicate with others, even if we don’t speak the same language. You begin to realize deep down we’re not all that different.
Traveling has been an extremely liberating experience, though it wasn’t always easy. It pushes you and constantly forces you out of your comfort zone. Early on I had to find a way to be able to continue school while traveling. FLVS was such a great way to be able to do that. There were times when I was in the middle of the jungle in Central America, monkeys were swinging above my head and I was still able to take a test online. Continue reading
Celebrating My Hispanic Heritage
By Florida Virtual School on October 2nd, 2015
In our Spanish for Spanish Speakers course, an assignment asks students to compare their lives in the United States with that of a fictional character in the lesson.
This character writes an entry in her diary describing her struggles to fit in with two different cultures, dealing with attitudes towards her language and towards her, and even learning to speak “Spanglish.”
I especially like part of her entry where she talks about another Spanish-speaking lady she meets at her kid’s school who owns a store in town where she can meet for a cafecito* and some very-needed Spanish conversation.
Teaching this lesson, I suddenly realized that I struggle with the very same things! Continue reading
What Successful People Know
By Guest Blogger on September 28th, 2015
No one likes to fail.
No one likes the feeling of failure, that lead rock deep inside your gut weighing you down. And for a long time, I was afraid of failure. This was because I didn’t understand what successful people know.
What successful people know is that failure doesn’t have to be the worst thing. It doesn’t have to ruin us or break us. In fact, the incredibly beautiful fact about failure is that it is as much a part of success as hard work, as talent, as passion, and drive. Failure is actually a huge piece of the success puzzle. It’s just that most people never recognize it. The sooner we realize that failure is just one part of the road to success, the sooner we can learn from our failures, get back on track, and grow. This is what it means to have a Growth Mindset. Continue reading
Saving the Arts: Why Virtual Options are the Savior of Fine Arts
By Guest Blogger on September 21st, 2015
Since the recession, difficult decisions and increasing budget cuts have left few school districts unscathed, with program cuts occurring across the board. Perhaps unsurprisingly, arts education has suffered the most under budget cuts, particularly in high-need communities, according to a recent Department of Education report.
Despite the fact that they are most frequently on the chopping block, arts programs are far from expendable. The power of performing arts is undeniable. There’s no question about the benefits of fine arts programs, and even in the face of budget cuts, students should be encouraged to continue their passions by joining local art classes, programs or events. These programs help students develop social skills and express themselves in a positive and emotional manner.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
By Caroline Lyles on September 15th, 2015
National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed from September 15 through October 15, was first created by President Lyndon Johnson as National Hispanic Heritage Week. President Reagan later expanded the week to a full month in 1988.
September 15 was selected as the date to celebrate the anniversary of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
Are you taking Spanish with FLVS?
Here are a few fun facts:
- More than 400 million people worldwide speak Spanish.
- Spanish is the official language of 22 countries.
- St. Augustine, our nation’s oldest city, is known for its Spanish architecture and is celebrating its 450th year anniversary this month (founded in 1565)
Never Stop Exploring
By Guest Blogger on September 4th, 2015
This is the fifth post in a series by the Cooney family about their world travels, made possible by the flexible learning offered at FLVS.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
In Margret Mitchell’s novel, “Gone with the Wind,” Gerald O’Hara states that, “Land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.” While I agree that the preservation of natural places is one of the most important goals, Mitchell’s character is only partly right, in that there are other things in life worth the effort as well. There are non-material events and knowledge, which are incommensurable. Continue reading
Twenty Crazy Facts about Florida
By Guest Blogger on September 3rd, 2015
This article was written and published by a Florida Virtual School student for the FLVS student newspaper, News in a Click.
Although FLVS students live all around the world, the majority of them live in the state of Florida.
Many people know that Florida, also known as the Sunshine State, is famous for its sunshine, beaches, and warm weather. However, the state has other interesting and a few crazy aspects that many of its natives may not even know about. Here are twenty crazy facts about Florida.
1. Florida is the flattest state in the U.S.
Start Strong with FLVS: Video Tutorials to Help You Master Online Courses
By Guest Blogger on August 28th, 2015
There’s only one person in charge of your academic success…and that’s you!
If you or your student is taking a Florida Virtual School course for the first time this year, the FLVS Quick Start video series is a great place to learn about course basics and topics like academic integrity and where to find important information that will help you become a successful Florida Virtual School student.
Learn the basics of taking an online course with Florida Virtual School through our New Student Orientation. These videos for middle and high school students walk you through our Student Dashboard, navigational tools, school options, and more.
You should know that your instructors will be using proctored exams, online comparisons, and discussion-based assessments to verify the work is yours. To stay on top of your course schedule – be sure to print your pace charts, submit your work on time, and track your progress in your online gradebook. Don’t forget to read your teacher’s comments too! The personalized feedback you receive will help improve your work and give you encouragement to keep going. If you have questions along the way, know that your instructors want you to do well and are here to help. That’s why they’re available via phone, email, text, or IM. You can find your instructor’s contact information inside your student dashboard.
Which brings us to your dashboards. When you’re ready to login, go to flvs.net and click login to access your student dashboard. Once you select a course, you will be taken to what’s known as your course dashboard, where you can find your teacher contacts, course information, grades, messages, pace charts, and more. Spend some time with your dashboards. Almost everything you’ll need is right there!
Even help is just one click away. If you have questions about your course – call, email, text, or IM your instructor.
Thank you for choosing to become an FLVS student. We are really glad you are here!