The First Day at Excel – Preparing Your Student For Online School

You’ve enrolled your child with Excel High School, and now it’s time to get them ready to start their classes. Excel has a lot of resources to help both you and your student as you navigate their online education.  As soon as you enroll, you’ll have access to the following supports: 

We’ve got your back, but what can you do to help prepare your student before they start their first day at Excel?  Here are the five things you can provide them with to help ensure success:

  • Provide access to a reliable laptop and internet connection,
  • Create a defined workspace for them,
  • Agree upon a schedule for schoolwork,
  • Set standards of accountability for your student, and
  • Provide them with access to social activities.

Access to a Reliable Laptop and Internet Connection

Your family has chosen online education, so giving your student reliable access to both a laptop and internet connection is essential.  Our technical specs are minimal, but if your student’s laptop isn’t updated and charged when they’re supposed to be working, that’s going to put a damper on their enthusiasm for completing their classes.  Helping to make sure they’re ready for school in this way is a great first step in acclimating to online classes.

Create a Defined Workspace

The next step is finding the perfect place for your student to work.  One of the best parts of enrolling in online school is that students have so much mobility during their school day.  Plan this with your student.  Where will they be the most focused on their schoolwork?  Where will they go to take exams? Where can they study when they’re feeling unmotivated?  Where can they work if they’re feeling distracted?  Your student doesn’t have to be stuck in the defined four walls of a sterile classroom but figuring out all of your student’s options for workspaces will help them when you’re not around and they need a change of scenery. 

Agree Upon a Schedule

Now that your family is getting started with online classes, your student has a lot of freedom.  Help support them by having a conversation about what their schedule will look like.  Setting achievable goals for their completion dates will be important to keep them on schedule.  You will want to discuss this and set checkpoints for your student to achieve.  Add those checkpoints to your family’s digital calendar and set reminders and then mark them on a physical calendar in a central location.  Finally, hold them to their schedule and checkpoints using whatever motivational techniques you know work for your child. 

Set Standards of Accountability

Your next step is to determine some standards of accountability with your student.  What are their goals for the school year?  While you’re discussing their workspace and schedule, help them set appropriate goals for themselves in regard to their class scores. Whether it’s what their overall GPA will be or what grades they want to earn in each of their classes, guiding them to clearly define their goals and holding them accountable for those goals will help them achieve more.

Provide Access to Social Activities

If you’ve had experience working from home, then you know that it’s going to be really important to connect your student to some out-of-the-house activities for when they’re done with their coursework each day.  Certainly, heading outside is a healthy activity that you can encourage your student to participate in, even as a break during their day, while another option is for them to take on a part-time job.  However, if that isn’t the best choice for your child, you can sign them up for sports, community theater, volunteer opportunities, or youth group with your local church or community center. It’s important that your child stays connected to other young people, and there are many different homeschool organizations available for families looking to connect. A quick internet search for organizations and opportunities in your area will give you a wealth of resources to keep your student connected and social.

We’re excited that you’ve chosen Excel, and we want this to be a positive experience of growth and discovery for both you and your student.  We are here to support you and taking these steps will put your student on the right path for a successful school year.

Ready to Enroll? Apply Now Questions? Call (800) 620-3844. You can get started right away!

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