At Method Schools, we see students learn and grow in an online learning community every day. However, most parents don’t have a chance to see how impactful the move to online learning can be before your child jumps into distance learning. That’s why we’ve put together a few recent stories of students who have benefited from the move to our online K-12 school.
Here are four student success stories to show you how online learning can help students reach their goals.
As an ambitious eighth grader, Jordan Mays was trying to juggle softball, golf, and school work. Unfortunately, her parents were concerned that the crowded traditional public school classroom she was attending was holding her back.
So Jordan decided to join Method Schools. Now she says small student-to-teacher ratios and the versatility to set her own online learning schedule have boosted her performance on and off the field. She also says the ability to complete work from anywhere, and learn at her own pace, has reduced the pressure of an active life.
“Say you’re going on a family vacation. You can work ahead so that you don’t have to do work while you’re there.” she explains. “And you don’t have to stress while you’re there.”
As a high school senior, Dylan Darnley was passionate about mountain biking. However, the confines of traditional public school were making it hard for her to reach her full potential on the track and surpass her goals in the classroom. She says it was this struggle to find balance that inspired her to move to Method Schools.
“I was looking for an online school because I wanted more flexibility with my academics and athletics,” she says. “It was just getting hard to balance everything in a normal public school. So I thought Method would be the best. “
She says the move to online learning hasn’t just helped her balance school and athletics, it’s also uncovered a personal learning experience that has improved her academic experience. “I love that Method has really great teachers who always have my best interest in mind,” she says. “They’re always accessible if I need any type of help, and I’ll email a teacher and they’ll actually give me more help than I thought I needed. “
She also has found success through the guidance Method Schools leaders provide, as well as the flexible layout of the learning day. “Everything I need to have done by a certain semester is all laid out, so I know exactly what I have to do, “ she explains. “It’s also super flexible, so I don’t have to do the 9-3 school. I can do it whenever it fits best for my schedule.”
Makayla Moss was a busy sixth grader when she started considering moving to Method Schools. She was struggling to balance competitive surfing, work, online school, and traditional public school. Then COVID-19 morphed K-12 schools across the nation. As the pandemic shifted the way her public school delivered education, it made it even more difficult to manage school, work, and the sport she loves.
By moving to Method Schools’ fully online charter school, Makayla was able to balance her responsibilities and create a learning schedule that fits into her daily responsibilities—no matter where she decides to work. “What’s nice is for some of my assignments for Algebra I would submit on my phone and just log into Method and upload it from there,” she explains. “So it’s really nice with Method—how you can work anywhere.”
She’s also seen her grades rise, and she says Method’s self-pacing guides have had a heavy impact on her academic climb. With self-paced programs, Makayla is able to spend more time on difficult subjects or race ahead in areas she understands.
“It’s just nice being able to work at my own pace,” she explains.
Jeremiah Profit sat down with his family to discuss his goals at the end of fifth grade. Basketball was a priority, and he wanted to find a school that made it easier to reach his full potential on and off the court.
When he moved to online learning, Jeremiah’s days were already packed with weight training, skill training, games, and formal practice. At Method Schools, he says he’s able to carve out the schedule that helps him be more productive, including when he’s on the road for games. Because he can learn anywhere from his mobile device, he can travel for tournaments with his family and complete schoolwork on the go—without having to worry about rushing back for a morning bell.
At the same time, he says Method’s small classrooms give him the in-class attention to reach his academic goals. He says it’s a big difference from fighting for attention in a crowded traditional public school.
“The one-on-one has helped me a lot. In public school they can’t really just focus on one kid; they need to focus on a class of like 40 kids,” he says. “At Method it’s more one-on-one stuff where a teacher can really connect with you.”
With more time to focus on the sport he loves, and more attention sparking in-class learning, Jeremiah has his sights set on long-term dreams. He hopes to achieve the grades to play basketball at a high-level NCAA D1 school someday and develop the skills to play in the NBA.
At Method Schools, we see students’ lives change in a positive way daily. But before your child starts learning online, you’ll want to understand how online learning will affect your daily life. Read our free guide, What to Expect From Online School for an inside look at what it’s like to learn in a digital environment.