Connections Academy Blog, Virtual Learning Connections

My kids are great procrastinators because I've taught them well. Right now, I'm staring at a 43 pound suitcase filled with years of good intentions. It's filled with photos, news clippings, programs from dance recitals and awards my kids have received. I would love to have these items organized into easy to view photo albums or scanned into digital albums, but it's easier to come up with reasons why I can't do it, such as, "I don't have time", "I want this to be a family project", or my favorite, "They’re safer in the suitcase because I can grab it quickly in case of a fire."

Procrastination for virtual school students comes in many shapes and sizes. I see procrastination typically rear its ugly head during lessons that my students are working on independently. A little procrastination is something we are all guilty of every now and then. When it happens regularly, though, it presents a real challenge. Throughout this month I will be writing about different reasons I think most students procrastinate and offering my suggestions for what you can do about it.

One reason why our students procrastinate is due to weak study habits.

I can usually spot when this is the problem because it sounds like this: (in a whiny tone)

"I can't do this" , "It's too hard", "This wasn't in the lesson", "It's boring", "I don't understand it".

So what is the first line of defense for this? Watch your student study a complete ...

One of the many comments on the post "Answering the Socialization Question" raised by Steph C. warrants it's own post. Here's the issue that was raised: 

Steph C asks: "Can anyone please address the concern that has been voiced to me by my father... that it is beneficial to remain in a bricks and mortar school because it promotes learning about how to deal with mean people who will be forever present in life, beyond the school environment?  Do the sheltered, home-schooled children learn how to skirt left-handed and under-handed social attacks, remarks, social power plays, and the maneuvering of cliches (cliques) of people against an individual?  These activities do repeat in the workplace and in other environments of adult life.

If the children are not provided with the examples and experiences that are given in the brick and mortar school social microcosm, then how do they develop coping techniques for their adult lives?  This is a concern of mine.  This is an aspect of socialization that has not been addressed on this page.  It has only been referred to as "negative socialization" without addressing the benefit of learning how to deal with it.

Any remarks?  Can someone please help me come to terms with this issue? Thank you for your help!"

Steph C raises an important question, and one that I have had asked of me, as a parent of homeschooled and virtual schooled children. In answering your question, first, I'll assume that you don't mean kids ...

This was the simple question I posed to my daughter. Little did I know the reasons she started rattling off would totally stump me.  Imagine that, me speechless. All of her reasons for not calling her teacher for help sounded...well...reasonable. 

Time to call in the reinforcements!  One of my best supports this year has been my dear daughter's English teacher.  So I sent out a distress email: 

Dear Mr. Plummer,

Help!  You said, "CALL ME, CALL ME, CALL ME!!", if I ever needed your help. Well, I really need it now!  My daughter needs help with her school work, but she refuses to pick up the phone.  Even worse, she's come up with some great excuses as to why she shouldn't and she has me stumped!  What am I supposed to say to these? How can I get her to call? I've attached her list of reasons and can't wait to see what you suggest.

Sincerely,
Baffled Learning Coach

These are the reasons I sent and Mr. Plummer's responses:

Reason #1: "If I knew what the problem was, then I could probably figure out the answer."

• Mr. Plummer says: "Albert Einstein said that If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? I think we could all agree that, besides forgetting to comb his hair, he was a pretty smart dude, and even he didn’t have all the answers. Don’t think of them as problems; think of them as questions you just haven’t answered yet. And when you call us, we ...