Online Elementary School
Online Learning in 2021 and Beyond: Insights from FLVS Parents
By Florida Virtual School on May 3rd, 2021
Last year, we saw one of society’s most significant cultural shifts as people transitioned from in-person birthday parties to Zoom parties, everyday outings to at-home alternatives, and traditional classrooms to online learning. The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything about how people worked, lived, and learned.
While the transition to a stay-at-home lifestyle and online learning presented challenges, it also provided many families with a new sense of safety and flexibility. And it’s not surprising that with the end of the 2020-21 school year approaching (the first full year of virtual learning for many), parents have a new take on online learning and how it fits into their families’ post-pandemic lives.
Continue readingWays for Online Elementary Students to Stay Active
By Guest Blogger on September 22nd, 2020
As children are being educated at home, there are many changes in their daily routines – and ours, as parents. We find ourselves being the professionals and spending a lot of time supporting our children with academics and keeping them active, busy, and happy. This is quite a bit to juggle and it can be hard to keep all those balls in the air!
One thing that our children may be missing out on while learning at home is regular physical activity and possibly a formal physical education curriculum. This need not be the case with FLVS!
Continue readingForeign Language Benefits for Young Learners
By Guest Blogger on May 4th, 2020
Hola! Bienvenidos! As I reflect on my personal journey learning Spanish, the language was easy to love, but not easy to learn. During the five years of Spanish courses that I completed in high school and college, I learned just enough to (slowly) communicate with Spanish-speaking acquaintances.
This is something that I have continued to refine over the years, and most recently, I have been facilitating my own child’s learning of a second language.
Continue readingThings to LOVE about Live Video Lessons
By Cara Piper on February 12th, 2020
As you may know, FLVS recently started using Zoom for our live instruction – a cloud-based platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and live interaction. As with any change, this has taken some getting used to, but I am really loving this new tool for interacting with my students and families! Continue reading
Do Online Teachers Really Connect with Students?
By Tiffany Ludwig on September 25th, 2019
Do virtual teachers really stay connected with students? In many ways, FLVS teachers are more connected with virtual students – and here is why! Continue reading
Back-to-School Basics for Elementary Parents
By Florida Virtual School on August 2nd, 2019
It’s a teacher’s most wonderful time of the year – time to start a new school year! We’re ready to serve our Kindergarten through 5th Grade students with style and eager to help them strive for success!
FLVS Elementary has some information for getting this school year started off right. Parents and home educators play an important role in their child’s success at FLVS. Here are some ways to help your child feel fully supported at home. Continue reading
Building Online Elementary School Relationships
By Cara Piper on July 10th, 2019
When I first accepted a job with Florida Virtual School as a Kindergarten teacher, I thought there was no way I’d be able to make the same connections with my students as I did in a brick-and-mortar school. I don’t see my students every day and my role looks different than a traditional classroom teacher.
5 Lessons Learned from Elementary Career Day
By Guest Blogger on May 2nd, 2019
How many kids dream of becoming an astronaut as a child?
At this year’s FLVS Flex Elementary Career Day, NASA Astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher shared a story that was out-of-this-world and inspired kids to never give up on their dreams. Dr. Fisher served as a Mission Specialist on the STS-51A Discovery in 1984. She was just one of our special guests who recently came to visit the virtual classrooms of our elementary students.
Here are just a few of the lessons our students learned at Career Day! Continue reading
Brain Breaks for Online Elementary Students
By Cara Piper on April 11th, 2019
Brain breaks are a BIG part of most elementary classrooms that you will see today. These mental breaks help students refocus, get some wiggles out, and most importantly – have fun!
Setting aside time for brain breaks is important in every classroom, especially in the virtual world where a lot of time is spent on the computer. We are always looking for ways to get our kids UP and MOVING! Continue reading
Helping Our Captains Succeed with FLVS Elementary
By Guest Blogger on March 12th, 2019
Learn more about one home educator’s FLVS Flex Elementary experience with her young student filmmakers and ambassadors dubbed “The Captains.” Whether your child has been enrolled for a few years or you’re new to FLVS, these tips can help your elementary student succeed!
As a mother and grandmother, the responsibility of educating our 8-year-old son, Captain A, and 7-year-old grandson, Captain SySy, weighs heavy on my heart and mind as their home educator. The world is not always a perfect place and people can be unkind, so our family strives every day to help our Captains be the best human beings they can be!
I am beyond grateful for our partnership with FLVS on our Captains’ education. The FLVS Flex Elementary team not only cares about making a difference and helping them to succeed in their educational lives, but also about their personal successes as future leaders. They have been a huge network of support in our Captains’ volunteering world.
The truth is, it isn’t always easy being a homeschool educator! Continue reading