Personalized Education

Summer is officially here, and that means students may be taking a break from their courses. This is a great opportunity to try a new book! We recently hosted our summer assembly with guest speaker Elisabeth Dahl, author of the book Genie Wishes. It was a great way to end the school year!

As a virtual school, CMASAS takes online safety very seriously. One concern some parents have are internet challenges. These “challenges” have become popular and are often times dangerous. One challenge that has been in the headlines is the alleged “Momo challenge.” 

Talking about math and engaging with your student about numbers is important, true math is learned by doing. However, there are countless studies which show that talking about math and numbers can spark an early interest in math and can decrease anxiety around math. 

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. — Saint Augustine Have you heard? A group of CMASAS students are in Havana, Cuba this week! We launched a new program this year where students embark on national (USA) and international trips with their teachers and peers. Get a glimpse into what our students areexperiencing on their 9-day exploration of Cuba, witnessing the nation’s culture, conservation efforts, and vibrant art.

What a beautiful thing it is when students are celebrated for their individuality and are given opportunities to advance in their education in truly personal ways. Online school is one of the few unique environments in life where students, regardless of personality type, can step into their strengths. In online school, extroverts are not considered too assertive and introverts aren’t deemed as too shy. With personalized education platforms, extroverts can find stimulation through immediate interaction while introverts can simultaneously find solace in careful reflection.

Ask yourself these questions and ponder what they mean to you: What is school for? What does it mean to know oneself? How can we each end comparison and instead offer equality to each other? These are questions that educators have been pondering for years. Their answers are what drive the institutions, philosophies, commitments, biases, and methods for educating.

This week's Food For Thought comes from Tamra Excell. Tamra is the co-founder of CMASAS and Personalized Education Group. Sign up for her upcoming webinar on Homeschooling 101 by clicking here. “I’m not using the words ‘Personalized Learning’ after this session,” said Adam Garry, speaker of the iNacol presentation titled The Possibilities of Personalized Learning. With that title, you can see why he was kind of stuck using the words for at least another hour.

Thanksgiving is upon us, a time for intentionally celebrating everything we have to be grateful for. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to collectively pause and express our thankfulness. Practicing gratefulness is not always easy, and often in our daily lives we lose sight of what we have to be thankful for. Yet what if every day were like Thanksgiving — what if we intentionally put effort into living a thankful lifestyle? The world would be a beautiful place.

Survivor. Advocate. Student. Friend. Maude Gorman is doing big things with her life. The twenty-one year old Stonehill College junior identifies herself in many ways and this year she holds the title of Miss Massachusetts World America. Maude’s days are now filled with pageant participation, volunteer work and professional advocacy, not to mention college courses. She dreams of joining the Peace Corps after college, putting to use her degrees in Communications and Anthropology. Her future is promising and bright, but she hasn’t always felt that way.

Our primary goal at CMASAS is to provide students with excellent online school courses that empower, inspire and prepare them to live remarkable lives. One of the ways we help set online high school students up for success is through Career and Technical Education Courses. These courses give online school students insight and in-depth training into numerous careers and skilled trades. In a series of blog posts we’ll be taking a look at several of these Career and Technical Education Courses, seeking to inspire students to take some these remarkable courses.

At CMASAS, we strive to touch the future by serving students in ways that encourage them to live remarkable lives. We believe that today, especially in the modern Western world, that children are the most overlooked and under-appreciated members of our society. Which is sad because children contain within them so much hope, imagination, kindness, tolerance, and optimism. With all of these natural qualities, children only need a bit of good direction and encouragement to make large positive impacts on the world around them.

As teenagers go through a stage in life of exploration, self discovery and dreaming of the future, they'll look to many different sources to find ideas, validation, and support. Especially when it comes to deciding on and pursuing a career, teens frequently look to their parents. In fact, according to a study by Ferris State University, 78% of high school students say parents are their biggest career influence.

Our primary goal at CMASAS is to provide students with excellent online school courses that empower, inspire and prepare them to live remarkable lives. One of the ways we help set online high school students up for success is through career and technical education courses. These 27 different courses are cutting-edge, rigorous and extremely relevant to the landscape of today’s professional careers.

This week's Food For Thought comes from online school co-founder and designer behind the Personalized Education Group, Tamra Excell. As co-founder of CMASAS, it’s important to me that all students feel empowered when they begin at our school. One question we often ask students to think about then is "How do we define ourselves?"

This week's Food For Thought comes from online school co-founder and designer behind the Personalized Education Group, Tamra Excell. She is currently at the annual Supporting Emotional Needs for the Gifted Conference. Last week I wrote that “When talking with parents about their hopes and dreams for their children, it usually boils down to two things: happiness, and self-sufficiency. ” In reflecting on happiness I noted the importance of teaching young people to define, pursue and share happiness throughout their life time. Now how about self-sufficiency? As before, I’m sharing some ideas here and look forward to hearing yours.

There is one fundamental fact that the majority of schools continually overlook, a fact that hinders these schools’ ability to succeed as wonderful educators. That fact is this: no one student is alike. Each young person has their own set of dreams, goals, interests and also challenges, inhibitions and restraints. Because of the limitations of traditional schools, most will be unable to properly serve each and every student. However, with personalized education systems that online school’s provide, no student is overlooked.

Summer is in full swing, and at CMASAS, we know that our online high school students deserve a break from studying. We also know that our students are exceptional individuals on the path towards achieving excellence and that dreams and goals don't take a summer holiday. That's why we'll be sharing fun resources throughout the summer to help students keep their minds sharp and their hearts inspired. TED Talks are a fun, entertaining and easy way to learn new things and glean a different perspective from bright minds. Supplement Netflix marathons and binge-watching reruns with these hilarious, wise and witty talks. Neuroscientists, authors, comedians and models — these talented individuals can be your teachers this summer.

While searching for the best educational option for their child, many parents and guardians may become confused about the differences between homeschooling and online school. Though there are many similarities between the two options like the student learning from the home and formulating their own schedule, there are also many key differences and benefits to online school. CMASAS strives to blend the homeschool philosophy of education with a private online school program, thus creating a truly unique learning experience not found in homeschooling or other online school options. Here are four ways that CMASAS is different from homeschooling.

Last week we posted a blog about how parents can help empower their children and prevent cyberbullying. As important as it is to know how to prevent bullying, it is equally important to also know how to heal from a bullying experience. Students who have been bullied should know that they are not alone and that they can find freedom from their current situation. Here are 10 tips for healing after a cyberbullying attack:

As the popularity of online school programs rise and increasing numbers of students choose virtual learning options, it is important for educators, parents and students to be aware of the changing landscape of educational programs and the benefits as well as dangers of online learning.

Stress can affect the best of people and even the most successful of students. Between test scores, grades, college admissions and career goals, students are often overwhelmed with the pressure of succeeding. However, with the freedom of a personalized education system, a few tools and the knowledge that stress is manageable, students can easily get on track and alleviate their worries.

How much control do you feel over your own life? Are you in the driver’s seat, or do you feel like you are being taken for a ride? A recent conversation with a student who graduated from CMASAS touched my heart. He said that his only regret is that he didn’t find the school sooner because he feels that he would have been even farther in life. He wasn’t talking about academics – he’s solid there – but in feeling in control over his life. He’s ahead of the game compared to most, and gratefully contributes much of this to his time at CMASAS because he has at least the foundation to build upon.

Education has changed over the last couple of decades to include more and more online parameters for learning. While the traditional static model of a set number of school days with in person class room instruction has remained, more opportunities for online learning have moved to the forefront of education. This is perfect for those parents who have very active students, especially young performers, athletes and professional musicians. Online line primary and secondary education are a golden opportunity for those situations and more, it is also vital that the education meet quality standards and accreditation standards for post high school universities or colleges. Of course, the very fact that online schools exist, make discovering if their standards adhere to accepted accreditation also easy.

As parents, we all want the best for our children, regardless of their circumstances. If all children were the same, determining what "the best" is wouldn't be difficult to ascertain. However, for children who have disabilities or for those who are gifted, finding an educational path for them can be extremely challenging. Fortunately, with the ever expanding nature of the internet and with the educational opportunities available today, having children attend an online high school to complete their secondary educations.

In curriculum and instructional design, think of a “Big Idea” as the “big picture” of what students need to know about. What’s the main point, or what is the most important thing that students should understand years later?

Watching a video in which a teacher at an onsite schools explains the importance of Napoleon’s foreign policies in the context of European history can make one wonder, “how do I know what is important? It all sounds boring, I’d rather not be here at all”. No matter how creative or entertaining the teacher is, it is difficult to get excited about centuries-old events that have no immediate effect on the present. As a result, the facts become meshed with the “fluff” of the stories, making it almost impossible for the intimidated student to understand and process.

Mindfulness is both necessary and hard to achieve in an era ruled by short attention spans. Pulled in so many directions by so many distractions, people find it difficult to stay fully in the moment. But, with students benefiting from techniques of mindful learning, there is value in learning how online school helps build a student's mindfulness.

Aug 1, 2014 3:27:32 PM

This CMA-SAS #touchthefuture blog post takes a look at a question we received from a parent interested in our personalized online school: To ask your own question, click here to take this survey.

Jul 24, 2014 6:30:00 AM

This CMA-SAS #touchthefuture blog post takes a look at a question we received from a parent interested in our personalized online school: To ask your own question, click here to take this survey.

Martha is a small town librarian, the single mother of 15-year old Sarah. Her daughter, Sarah, is an accomplished classical pianist, but she and her mother are frustrated and disappointed with her progress in public high school.

With the summer time heat now in full steam, this blog post takes a look at a list of summer books that will entice the multicultural online school student.

Student voice is an incredibly important value in my life. Not only is it beneficial to myself, but it is also beneficial to the world around me. Oftentimes people tend to be unheard or their thoughts trivialized- whether they’re a student, a worker, or a child. Students not having a voice seems to be incredibly prevalent in today’s society. People assume that I am too young or too inexperienced to know what’s good for me or for others. If you speak to others my age, you realize that this is a common hardship we all share.

Around this time of the year, our students from all over the world begin to plan summer vacation. "What to do" is the question many ask. This blog post helps students take a look at travel as a learning experience instead of vacations. Don't get us wrong, sometimes we all need a vacation and a break away from studying can serve us well. Sometimes, however, we can dig deep into our travel to enhance our lives beyond what vacationing can offer.

We care deeply about personalized education. Why? Because 1:1 education is possible today like never before and your child deserves personal attention. Let’s keep in mind that we all learn at an individualized pace. To dig deep into what exactly “personalized education” means, we recently asked CMA-SAS staff a few questions about personalized education. Here are their responses:

Are you at all like me? Do you ever feel that you have no words to express what you are feeling or what you say will come out wrong? That’s an everyday occurrence when you have dyslexia.

Your voice as a student, a member of society, and and individual doesn’t just mean the ability to make choices or to speak, it also means self expression in general. A voice doesn’t have to be one that is audible, it can be a story or message in the form of paint on canvas, written and shown on posters or billboards, shown through dance or music, and written in books and poetry. Of course it can also be spoken, as well, for those that prefer speaking. Once you find your preferred way, or ways, of voice you can try to configure that in your dream career, use it to open possible activities or dreams for the future, and can open your mind to how you can better express yourself in your life.

At CMA-SAS, we believe in personalized learning which means giving students a multitude of tools to achieve their dreams in the global economy. Here's a blog post that focuses on working in the cloud with a sharp focus on what Google can offer.

I was once in a college literature class where the professor confidently said, “I assume we are all of Judeo-Christian background here, so…” She then went on to apply this filter to the analysis of the stories and poems we had recently read, and she was coming up with interpretations that differed from my own. Do you think I raised my hand to let her know that her assumption meant I was left in the dark about all the analogies she was now using to teach me? Today I would have, but not then. Raised in a militant-atheist household, I had only started learning about various religions, and I felt instantly stupid. In retrospect, I probably had something unique to contribute, especially in interpreting the works by authors who were also not of Judeo-Christian backgrounds. Instead, I struggled silently, and this was just another case where a teacher was telling students what to think.

John dreaded writing his research paper on local history. He read a few encyclopedia entries at the library, checked out a few books and wrote his paper writing as many of the facts he could logically fit in, in an organized and very readable format. The truth? John's paper was boring to write and boring to read.

While entrepreneurship is indeed booming in certain areas of the United States, especially in tech hubs like San Francisco, Miami, Austin, and Boston, there is still a distinct lack of entrepreneurship and leadership classes and teaching methods in most schools. When newspapers relate test scores to the success of the school, there's little school leaders and teachers can do to boost students' entrepreneurial skills.

It takes hard work to become a professional surfer; you already know that. Your dedication to excelling at the sport can cost you a lot in terms of your personal life. It doesn’t have to, though. If you’re working on getting sponsored, you can still do all the stuff that other kids your age are doing, including attending and graduating from high school. In fact, you can get a better education.

n today's digital world, part of this system involves learning the little tools and tricks native to online web applications, as well as the traditional methods of time management and effective communication with peers. These management tips for online students are well suited to help any student participating in a personalized learning program develop the skills necessary to succeed.

A lot of students, whether in the classroom or utilizing online personalized school lessons, can have trouble staying on task while studying or doing homework. Whether your child is learning at home or at school, you want him/her to make the most of their work time. That's where the Pomodoro technique comes into play.

When it's time to sign on to online school, do you find yourself wanting to go get a snack in the kitchen, check your Facebook account, or go pet the cat? These are sure signs of getting distracted from the more important task at hand - completing your online personalized education. Here are 5 tips to stay focused and productive.

Kari is a student that travels the world but utilizes the personalized education options CMASAS online personalized school. It’s a great experience. With easy access to teachers who mentor and mold, students interact in diverse roles to increase their knowledge base and learn to adapt to free-willed thinking scenarios. Being able to virtually connect to a classroom has left her with a sense of belonging, not only because she has participated in an engaging learning environment without ever stepping into a classroom, but is also included into a venue where her ideas are challenged and embraced as she learns. That’s the magic of online high school.

High school is a tumultuous time. Everything seems to be in flux all of the time. It's a time of rapid growth, both physically and emotionally, and for some, it is a time of great stress as they try to decide just what they want to do with their life.

Karen is entering her junior year in online high school at CMA-SAS. Besides being a budding violinist with aspirations of joining the symphony one day, she also wants to be a professional song writer. Her parents support her career decision and encouraged her to double her workload by taking several AP advanced courses during her first two years of high school in order to develop her analytical and writing skills. She's also joined a local poet's society and sought the help of an after-school writing tutor to help her polish her essay-writing and grammatical style. Although her schedule is extremely demanding, Karen never doubts that she'll have to work hard and sacrifice in order to get the life she wants after graduation.

Shane was in his first year of high school and his mother watched her normally easy-going son become more and more depressed. While he was capable of getting high grades, his first quarter grades saw him failing almost every class and those he did pass, he just squeaked by. When he came home each day, he went straight to his room. She had figured he was simply getting used to the added workload of being in high school, but his grades didn't indicate he'd been working at all.

Meet Jared and Jill. The two leisurely wake up on a Monday morning around 8:30. No, it's not a holiday. They attend high school online.

Carol is a gifted gymnast who's starting her junior year in online high school soon. Although a little nervous about the rising academic pressures, her hopes of graduating as soon as possible to pursue her career in gymnastics full time outweigh her graduating early jitters. She and her mother decided to consult with several staff members from CMA-SAS online school to discuss the possibilities of an early graduation so Carol can prepare for one of the biggest competitions in her budding career. Fortunately, her exceptional academic performance and good report with her former instructors has increased Carol's chances of getting her diploma sooner than she may think.

Many creative people who have a knack for thinking outside the box can relate to the benefits of a liberal arts education. However, some of them don't end up following through out of fear that this educational route is unrealistic and leads to an uncertain future. This type of thinking couldn't be farther from the truth. Check out how studying liberal arts can prove to be a rewarding journey.

Who could have imagined, even 20 years ago, that education would change so drastically by the 21st century? Today's options for education, from kindergarten through graduate school, are significantly different than they were two to three decades ago.

We're living in unprecedented times. For the first time ever in history, everyone owns their own media channel and the ability to spread a message (click to tweet). Students growing up today will no longer need a lot of money to have the clout of mass media names like BBC, FOX, or CNN. They just need to know how to tweet, market a Facebook page, and write a meaningful blog post.

Parents of professional teens understand how nerve wracking it can be as they attempt to juggle their teen’s education with their growing professional responsibilities to their sports endeavor. So whether their gifted child is an up-and-coming musician, an athlete or a skilled surfer - obtaining a quality education is a challenge. Enter personalized education and online school. With the advantage of online high school your professional teen can benefit in the best of both worlds.

The traditional classroom has been much like The Pit on Wall Street. The atmosphere created by the traditional school system creates a culture much like this. Instead of jumping up and down and/or yelling, students still need to raise their hand to share their idea and no matter how hard a teacher works to create a safe culture, introverts have learned that if they raise their hand and say something strange, silly, or wrong, the class gawks at them. Feeling awkward never becomes fun. By the time high school or college rolls around, introverts have learned to stay quiet in their shell.

“What about socialization?” is possibly the most often-asked question when parents are considering enrolling their child into an online high school. What many do not realize is that the institutionalized approach of most site-based public schools can undermine a student both socially and academically.

Take a look in my office, my kitchen, and my living room and you'll notice bookshelves lining the walls, aged paper-texts stacked tightly filling the shelves. So, when it came time to take a look at online reading, I stood last in line and let others cut ahead. Then I saw my students read from the smartphone, Kindle, Nook, and laptop, and began to notice the incredible benefit online reading has to struggling learners.

Rachel's parents had bigger smiles of pride than they ever wore before, but their smiles paled to the smile that graced their only daughter's face. In her hand she held the paper that announced her biggest achievement to date, her graduation from high school. For many young adults, this is a normal part of growing up, but Rachel's parents weren't sure they would ever see this day. Rachel was born with autism. Rachel had always tried hard to do her best, but traditional schools became exceedingly difficult as she grew older. Those schools thwarted the one aspect of her personality that shown above the rest. She was an incredibly creative soul who needed to do things her way. One day, after yet another bad day that saw Rachel in tears and her parents frustrated, someone in their support group suggested they look into a top quality online school that focuses a personalized education.

Nobody can settle for ordinary anymore. You have to stand out. You have to go the extra mile. The only way to do this is to find your passion. An online high school personalized for your creativity helps you go that extra mile.