Written by PA Distance student Isabella B.
When I went to my local public school, it was fine and I had good grades; then my school went on strike from October until the end of November.
After the strike, it was December, then break, then PSSA prep and PSSA testing, but we were not learning. The teachers would talk about the strike during school hours and not teach, and would even strike during school hours outside the building. But the students were not allowed to talk about the strike.
In the end, we went to school until June 30 that year. They had striked two years in a row and were going to continue striking. We had to look for different schooling options and found PA Distance.
There are five things I didn't expect about cyber school with PA Distance, that I think make it better. Maybe you didn't know about these things either!
1. The helpfulness of the teachers
I did not expect the amount of time the teachers are willing to put in to help you, unlike my previous school. Sometimes the teacher's even answer questions after school hours - all you have to do is email them. You can even get the help you need in a Google Hangout [live video call].
2. The amount of homework
I was also surprised to about the amount of work we are given. When I was at the local public school, the average amount of homework would be at least five different assignments after school. I did not know that when I started we would not be given a ton of excess homework. I expected the average night to be like my old school.
I was surprised when certain days I had none, because I did plenty of work in class or during the day. I was glad and surprised about the homework level, and it was definitely better than when I had homework at my old school.
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3. The amount of free time
I also did not know about the amount of free time I would have. Since I've been at PA Distance I've had free time all day after school. Sometimes I wouldn't even know what to do. I work hard and get my school done in time. The longest I have had to spend working was until 2:30, with some later work that night.
Because of this, there is time to be with your friends and family without any stress. This is different from when I went to my local school.
4. How similar cyber school is to regular school
Another thing I did not expect is how similar it was to traditional public school. There is still social interaction [clubs, field trips, and more], still friendship, still drama, and still work. But the nice thing about it is there is no stress.
5. Lastly, less stress
When I started cyber school I did not realize how stress free I would be. In my previous school I was constantly stressed. In cyber school I no longer stress about school.
I overall enjoy cyber school. The teachers, the workload and the opportunities for social interaction all contribute to my stress-free well being.
PA Distance Learning exists to change lives for the better. We blend proven classroom teaching techniques with educational technologies to promote academic growth for all students by personalizing their learning experience and providing a supportive online community.