Student Edition
Make the Choice to Move Forward
By Amy LaGrasta on April 24th, 2014
Stop and think about your life’s journey so far.
Some of us are just getting started on school, many are at the beginning of our careers, and others are nearing retirement. The reality for all of us is that every choice we make and action we take has gotten each of us to where we are today. You, and you alone, are responsible for your happiness or unhappiness, success or failure.
Fate and luck are of no consequence. Accepting personal responsibility is the first step to success. It is the only requirement needed to achieve goals. If you say things like, “it’s not my fault” or “life is unfair,” then you have not yet accepted responsibility for your actions.
It is not too late or too hard to change.
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.
Got Grit?
By Elise Harris on April 17th, 2014
Bright eyed and bushy tailed I moved right from graduation to teaching geography, reading, and running a computer lab. Everyone said, your light will dim and your focus will change. Well, they were wrong.
Let the record show, that was some 10 years ago and my intentions have not changed, but have only grown stronger and more awesome. Why? Because I “got” grit and I teach my students to have grit.
How else can I prepare my students to function in the interconnected online global world that is full of competition? By never stopping to achieve their goals – that’s how! Do not be pushed down in the face of adversity. Remember, it is okay and even good to make mistakes; this is how we learn. Stand up for what you believe in. If you get knocked down, get up! Life can be hard and hurtful. Learn from this and get back to work.
Test Anxiety
By Amy LaGrasta on April 9th, 2014
Anyone can get test anxiety. In fact, it is normal to feel some stress before a test. The anticipation and nerves you feel can actually help you perform at your peak. However, for some people this normal stress is much more intense. Students who worry a lot in general may feel more anxious at test time. Those who worry about getting every answer correct may be even more prone to test stress.
Students who eat right, get plenty of rest, and get ample play and exercise time are better equipped to combat test anxiety. These are important factors all the time, but it’s most important to get all three the day before a test.
Practicing these few tips prove to be valuable skills not only when dealing with test anxiety, but in many of life’s situations: 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
Admirable Women: A Reflection
By Darcey Addo on April 2nd, 2014
Sandra Day O’Connor once said, “We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone. Whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life…” During March, the world celebrated Women’s History Month – honoring and recognizing the greatness of the women that contribute to our accomplishments and celebrating the legacy of that greatness upon which we stand.
My story contains many threads, but today I celebrate just a few of the remarkable women who stand out and help me aspire to greatness.
I recall learning about Susan B. Anthony as a fourth grader. I remember learning that she was told she did not need to learn math because she was a girl. I was a feisty 10-year-old and that riled me up, probably as much as it riled up Susan B. Anthony. Continue reading
Giving Yourself a Helping Hand
By Guest Blogger on March 17th, 2014
I’m not really good at math. Once I understand the general concept, I’m completely fine, but whew…sometimes it takes me a little while to get there. This is definitely an area in my life where I continually have to battle problems and find solutions (literally). At times I find that I really don’t “get” something, so I keep re-reading the same information. Then I go over it again and again. Sometimes I just find that the explanation still doesn’t click with me or with my learning style. At times like these, I find that I essentially have two options: I can keep going over the information in the hopes that it finally clicks, or I can ask for a little help.
As a teenager, my first reaction to asking someone for help is often “Nah, I’ll take care of it.” Sometimes, that’s fine; we shouldn’t depend on others to solve our problems for us all the time (plus, it’s human to fail; we can’t overreact every time an obstacle pops up and blocks our path). Continue reading
To Certify or Not to Certify
By Guest Blogger on March 14th, 2014
Since so much emphasis is being placed on kids to accelerate in school, earn college credit while still in high school, and learn more and more, earlier and earlier…one might ask, “Why should I consider getting an industry certification?”
The answer is quite simple: college and career readiness.
Had I been given opportunities to earn a drafting certification during my drafting years back in school (I know this is starting to sound like “I walked to school five miles, uphill both ways…”), my career may very well have taken a different road. I might have become a full-fledged mechanical engineer, instead of the only one in the shop who knew how to operate CAD software and earning the title by default. Continue reading
Random Acts of Kindness
By Amy LaGrasta on March 12th, 2014
Recently, a mother took her two young boys to the grocery store. As she shopped, she helped them to put back their “fun finds” and stick to their list. She explained that since daddy had passed, they could not afford all of the things they used to and that they needed to stick to their budget. She told them they could now only purchase the necessities. What mom didn’t realize was that someone had overheard their conversation. This person picked up every item she put back on the shelves. As the family finished shopping, this woman followed them to the line, but managed to get ahead of them. She purchased all of the “fun finds” and left money with the clerk for mom’s shopping. When mom checked out, she was notified that her groceries had all been paid for, a cart of goodies was left for them, and they even had money left over. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to chase down the mystery woman to thank her. She never caught her, but contacted the local news to share her story. She hoped the mystery woman would hear and know how grateful she was for her gift of kindness. Continue reading
Secret Sauce to Online Schoolwork Motivation
By Guest Blogger on March 10th, 2014
So, have you figured out all the perks of going to school online yet? Obviously, you can do your school work any time of the day that suits you, but it is the “anywhere” perk that I find awesome. My first two years of college I spent at a physical college campus. The second two years I went to college online. This allowed me to work full-time during the day (much like some of you go to school during the day) and then complete my college work at night and on weekends.
Maybe this isn’t something an FLVS staff member should admit, but hey, I’ll be honest – most Saturdays, the very last thing I wanted to do was schoolwork. Can you relate? Continue reading