This Cool School

‘Meet the K¹² Community’ is a regular blog series introducing students, learning coaches, teachers, curriculum specialists and anyone else who plays a role in making online education a reality for children world-wide.

Meet our summer intern, Tiffany Higgins. A 2009 graduate of the Idaho Virtual Academy—K¹²’s very first graduating high school class—she has just completed her sophomore year at Brigham Young University – Idaho in Rexburg. 

Meeting and hearing from experienced K¹² students and their families can make all the difference when parents are considering online education options for their children.  We are very fortunate that during the school year, Tiffany is a part our local community team, where she meets and shares her experience with families wanting to find out about the K¹² high school program.  We are beyond thrilled that Tiffany has temporarily relocated to Northern Virginia to join our team as a social media & online community intern for the summer.

Read the speech she gave during her graduation ceremony from Idaho Virtual Academy, where she was a student for seven years.  And if she looks familiar, Tiffany is one of the featured students in the video What is an Online School?.

Now that Tiffany has joined the team, I am happy to announce that she will be sharing her unique thoughts and experiences as a regular blogger here on our thinktanK.

Tiffanys High School Tips:  For Finishing Strong

Spring has sprung!  Summer and sunshine are right around the bend, and after the long winter, its exciting to consider going out to enjoy every moment this season has to offer!   I, for one, want a bit of a tan!  I know that there are many fun outdoor activities that each of you must enjoy, so how can we possibly be motivated to finish the school year?!  Here are six tips I learned to help make the end of the year successful:

Tip 1:  STAY IN TOUCH with your teachers.  Your teachers should be your best friends at this point.  If not, get in touch with them NOW.   They are there to help you.  Contact them often during these last weeks.  Make sure that they know how hard you are working and see the progress you are making.  If you struggle with ANYTHING—contact them immediately!  This will ensure that you have the help you need to get assignments not only done, but done well, and with limited stress. 

Tip 2:  AVOID DEADLINE-DASHING DILEMMAS!  Trust me; I know what it is like to put things off.  But this is the time of year when you should avoid procrastination most!  Give yourself time before the deadline to finish what is necessary, and dont use grace periods if you can at all avoid them.  This is the moment when every point counts.  Let your teacher know that you are doing all you can to finish strong, and that this is very important to you.  Then back up your words with your efforts. 

Tip 3:  GET YOUR PARENTS (Off your back!)… I mean INVOLVED!  Organize yourself for this final push.   Remember to create weekly and daily calendars for yourself, and then share these with your parents.  Mark off each assignment you complete and then notify your parents of the things you have completed.  This will let them see that you are progressing and successful on your own, which will give them less to nag about.  Let them assist you in staying motivated, by keeping them aware of what is being done and what is left to do.  Let them enjoy seeing your progress and your independence as you learn to succeed on your own. 

Tip 4: MAKE TIME TO BE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.  Focus your efforts to do all you can to finish your homework within the hours of the traditional school schedule.  This will give you the time you desire to go do all of those fun, warm-weather things during the evenings and weekends! 

Tip 5: NEED FOR SUN.  Print off a lesson, take a notebook and study on the grass, on the porch swing, on the trampoline, or anywhere outside.  Remember to find somewhere that is quiet but full of spring, so that you can be making progress, but be in a cheerful place where motivation might be easier to come by. 

Tip 6: TAKE THE TIME TO PLAN AHEAD.  During short breaks in the day, make lists of things to do during the summer, and then begin making a schedule for those things.  This way, when the time comes that you can enjoy summer, you have a plan laid out, making it more likely that you will actually fit those activities in.  Make sure to include the search for summer jobs on that list; in fact, when you are taking a break, go job hunting!  Get a jump on the jobs around town while the rest of the teens are in school!  Take a nice resume with you and include the self-motivational skills you are developing by schooling successfully at home, as well as three recommendations.  Remember to include one of your K¹² teachers, or your counselor!

I wish you all the best of luck as you push forward to finish strong!  Trust me; summer is more easily enjoyed when you have the relief that follows a year well done.  It’s just a few more weeks, hang in there!  You can do it!

Similar Posts:

• Tiffany’s Tips for a Smart Summer
• A Parent’s Guide to an Educational Summer Vacation
• Special Speaker Session: Beyond the Classroom—Making the Most of Your Summer
• Baylor Line Camp Joins Community Efforts to Support Summer Meals Program
• The Family-Teacher Relationship

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 at 5:54 pm and is filed under School Life. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.