A Mother And Teenage Daughter Looking At Laptop Together, Arizona online high school

Remember when you first realized that your student needed a change from traditional high schools?  And you started looking at different options, including Arizona online high school?   A lot goes into the decision to choose a different type of education for high school. Taking advantage of free online high school is a great choice for your student.

Working with Your Student for Success 

With your student enrolled, you may have your moments when you wonder what in the world made you choose this path.  Don’t worry, you are not alone.  Not only do other parents whose students are enrolled in online high school have the same doubts as you, but parents of children enrolled in traditional high school have moments of doubt too.

Why?  Parenting teenagers is challenging.  Allowing your student to attend online high school shifts responsibility of your student’s success to their shoulders, and to yours!  So, the question becomes, “How are we going to succeed at this?”.

Understanding Your Teenager

Success starts with understanding the biology and psychology of a teenager’s mindset.  Biological changes, like brain function maturation, causes teenagers to become more independent and resistant to control.  Physically they have the capability to resist your directions and instructions and they become less compliant to commands.  They also emotionally desire more freedom. This doesn’t mean you have a “bad” kid – it means changes are taking place in them to prepare them for adulthood. This can impact the parent/child relationship and changes the way parents need to interact with their child.

Cooperation is a Key to Success

You get the overall picture – your student is changing and they don’t want to be told what to do when it comes to school responsibilities.  A good strategy for success is to move from command to consent by including your student in the process. This can happen by continuing to teach reasoning skills, time management, work ethic, responsibility, etc.

For example, have the conversation of what is still required of them when attending online high school instead of traditional high school.  There are still required courses, tests, projects, and even required hours your student must spend in online education.  Telling your student to sit at the computer from 8am – 3pm is most likely setting them up for failure.  

Engage Your Student in the Process

Instead of forced compliance, engage your student in the process.  Determine hours, location, and schedule that allows them to achieve.  For example, most teenagers biological clocks function better later than earlier.  A successful school day could easily consist of 10am – 12 noon, 2-6pm, and homework done in the evening from 9-11pm.  This schedule takes into account a teenager’s biological clock, average attention span, and the need for a break and exercise.  Let your student take advantage of this schedule if they believe it will help him/her.  This is the flexibility that online high school offers.

Consistency and Correction

To help your student succeed and you survive Arizona high school online, keep in mind that the end goal is to equip your student to succeed in life.  In a job, if an employee doesn’t show up or complete their work, there are consequences.  Agree in advance what the consequences are and be consistent.  You don’t have to argue or yell, you’ve already agreed, and your student was given the liberty to own their education.

Allow them to get back on track, as opposed to taking away their liberty to own their education.  For example, you both agreed to a flexible schedule and 7 hours a day of school.  At the end of the week, your student should have logged a minimum of 35 hours, and completed their assigned tasks.  If he/she did not, then the agreed upon consequence comes into play.  For example, there are no extracurricular activities on the weekend until the lost hours are caught up.  The student can then make up the hours and resume the flex schedule the next week. This can hopefully be motivation of wanting the weekend to be free.

Benefits of Online High School 

There are numerous benefits of online high school. Teaching personal responsibility, prepping your student for success in college, and owning a work ethic that will equip them for success in the workforce.

Don’t forget that you are not in this alone. The faculty and staff at Hope High School Online are deeply committed to your student’s success.  It’s why 4 out of 5 Hope High School Online students go on to higher education.  We are also committed to supporting you in your role, so don’t hesitate to reach out by phone or e-mail.  We are here to help you and your student survive and thrive!

About Hope High School Online

At Hope High School Online, we are 100% committed to our Arizona online high school students’ success.  It is the reason why we provide a supportive academic environment – because we know our students’ success is more than just passing a test.  If you are still researching your options for an accredited, free Arizona online high school, download the Hope High School Online info kit HERE, use live chat on our website, e-mail us HERE, or give us a call at 602-663-8496. We offer award winning curriculum, a safe environment, we support students and families, and our students succeed! Find out more HERE!

Arizona online high school, eliminating stress at Arizona virtual high school

As a high school student, regardless of whether you attend an Arizona online high school or a ground campus, big projects and tests are an inevitable part of the high school experience.  You are being prepared to succeed in life, not just high school, and both college and jobs require successful project completion and testing.  What is not inevitable is stressing out the last 48 hours before the project is due or the test date has arrived.

How Do You Eliminate the Stress, You Ask?

The first stress eliminator is to begin with the due date and work backwards.  For example, if your teacher assigns a project and gives you three weeks to complete it, your first step is mark the due date in your calendar.  Then, look at what the project requirements are.  Does it require research?  Testing?  And then reporting?  If this were the case, you could break the project into three portions, giving each portion 7 days to complete. Lastly, mark a deadline on your calendar.  By breaking the project up into smaller, more attainable goals, it is not so overwhelming. You also will feel accomplished at the end of each deadline and not experience stress out at the end.

Testing at an Online High School in Arizona

The above example can apply to testing as well.  Because you are an online high school student, your tests will naturally be online.  Most likely, your calendar is also online.  So, look at what content the test covers, break it into natural study sections or chapters, and then give yourself deadlines for each section.  Then, 48 hours before the test, give yourself study time to refresh what you studied at the very beginning.  By the time you arrive at the test, you will be prepared and confident.

Procrastination Only Causes Stress

If you are someone who puts stuff off because it’s too stressful, take note that you really are only putting off being stressed out.  If you don’t study, and fail your test, showing your parents a failing grade is probably going to stress you out.  At an online school like Hope High School Online, you don’t have to log in at a specific time, but you do have to complete your weekly hours on time.  If this is a problem for you, try breaking your school hours into sections just like the above example for tests or projects. Put the small sections of school time on your calendar, and complete them one day at a time.  At the end of the week you can enjoy your weekend without the stress of cramming.

Exercise Can Help

Because you go to high school online, you don’t have to take PE classes.  But your body still needs exercise.  Exercise is also a great way to reduce stress.  And, it’s the same drill – break it up into little sections. You could exercise 15 minutes two or three times a day.  Take a great walk, do some push ups, and then take another great walk.  Help your folks and walk the dog.  You will feel healthier which will also help you study better.

We hope these tips for success help.  And know that the teachers and staff at Hope High School Online are standing by, ready to help you succeed.  Just ask!

About Hope High School Online

At Hope High School Online, we are 100% committed to our Arizona online high school students’ success.  It is the reason why we provide a supportive academic environment – because we know our students’ success is more than just passing a test.  If you are still researching your options for an accredited, free Arizona online high school, download the Hope High School Online info kit HERE, use live chat on our website, e-mail us HERE, or give us a call at 602-663-8496. We offer award winning curriculum, a safe environment, we support students and families, and our students succeed! Find out more HERE!

Arizona online high school, Arizona virtual high school learning style

Are you attending virtual high school in Arizona? If so, it’s important that you know your learning style to help you succeed. There are a few basic learning styles – auditory, tactile, and visual. If you are an auditory learner, it means you understand instructions and new information best when you hear it. If you are tactile, you need to experience what you are learning. For example, you need to take notes when you are listening or reading. If you are visual, you learn best from seeing – reading instructions and new information is the best way for you to learn.

Once you have identified your learning style, there are some other tips to help you succeed with online high school. For example, if you are an auditory learner, you need to be in a place where there is not other sound distractions – loud music, people talking, etc. If you are a tactile learner, you need to make sure you are prepared with what you need to interact with what you are learning, whether it is a pen and notebook, designing posters, or even just typing notes on your computer. If you are a visual learner, make sure you have good light. You can also create visual displays like graphs or charts to help you see and remember key concepts.

The Good News at an Online High School is that You Create Your Own Learning Space

Because you are not in a traditional classroom, you can customize your learning space to match your personal style. Remember to customize it around your learning style. Another idea to consider is whether you learn best alone, or in a group. Just because you attend online high school doesn’t mean you always have to study alone. Whether you meet up with other students, go to the office to study, or create a Google hangout online, there are lots of ways to study in a group.

Are You Creative, Analytical, or a Little of Both?

A right brained person is more creative and artistic, while a left brained person is more factual and relies more on logic. It is possible to be one of the lucky ones to be gifted with a bit of both! If you are a right brained creative, it’s better for you to learn new concepts by starting with a big picture overview, then go step by step through the content. If you are a left brained factual person, you will learn better if you follow a logical progression through the content, so that you can see how each concept builds upon the other. Another benefit of online high school is that you don’t sit in a lecture style format – you can consume the information in the way that helps you understand it the best.

Aren’t You Glad You Have More Freedom to Express Your Own Learning Style?

We hope you really enjoy all of the benefits of Arizona online high school – free curriculum, a lot of teacher support, AND the freedom to personalize your own learning experience. If you put into practice the tips in this blog, you will find that you are really learning the content, not just memorizing it for a test and forgetting it the next day.

And, of course, the teachers and staff at Hope High School Online are all committed to your success, not just in high school, but in life! Don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you need help.

About Hope High School Online

At Hope High School Online, we are 100% committed to our Arizona online high school students’ success.  It is the reason why we provide a supportive academic environment – because we know our students’ success is more than just passing a test.  If you are still researching your options for an accredited, free Arizona online high school, download the Hope High School Online info kit HERE, use live chat on our website, e-mail us HERE, or give us a call at 602-663-8496. We offer award winning curriculum, a safe environment, we support students and families, and our students succeed! Find out more HERE!

Arizona online school supports parents of teenagers, Arizona virtual high school communications tips

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year, but they can also be a time where your teenagers are more stressed out than normal. At Hope High School Online, we find that our Arizona virtual high school students start worrying about how to juggle their time with the added commitments, testing, managing homework assignments during the holiday break, and of course the common stressors like family get togethers and unrealistic holiday expectations. Today’s blog provides stress reduction tips to help our Arizona online school students and families enjoy the holidays!

Holiday Stress Reduction Tips for Arizona Virtual High School Students

Teenagers process emotions differently than adults do, as their brains are not fully matured yet. Because of this, emotions are not naturally regulated by reasoning skills. Parents can help their teenagers recognize when their emotional responses are elevated, and teach them how to problem solve whatever the issue is that is creating the emotional response. Teaching coping skills will benefit students for a lifetime.

Increased anxiety can be expressed with emotional outbursts, emotional retreat, and even physical symptoms like headaches, stomach aches, nail biting, excessive hair twisting or pulling, skin picking, etc. Our staff stays in tune with our Arizona virtual high school students, and our students do express their anxiety to us so that we can help. We do, however, rely on parents to be the “eyes”, as we are not in physical contact with the student.

If you notice that your teenager is demonstrating symptons of anxiety, the first step is to help your student acknowledge and understand anxiety. Educate your teenager about the biological realities of being a teenager. Teenage emotions are typically bigger than the reality of the situation because of how their body is maturing right now. Additionally, the body has a natural “fight or flight” response, and when negative emotions are peaking, fight or flight kicks in, and with it, your student acts in response to the body’s response to perceived danger. It’s important for your student to know that feelings in and of themselves don’t necessarily make something a fact. Identifying the root cause of the emotion, and then applying truth to the situation can reduce anxiety and fear.

For example, if your teenager is stressed out by having to do something they don’t want to do at our Arizona online school like taking end of semester tests that they don’t feel they will be successful at, help your student walk through the facts. It could go something like this: “You seem stressed out, what’s on your mind?”. When the situation is identified, you can then walk through the facts. “OK, I know this test is a big deal and you need to do well on it. Let’s talk about how you have prepared for it.” Then walk through the preparation. If you identify that your student has adequately prepared, then encourage them to practice to increase their confidence and decrease their anxiety levels. If they haven’t prepared adequately, then help your student identify steps necessary to be prepared, and then encourage the practice to increase confidence.

Our Arizona Online School is Committed to Our Students and Families

Our Arizona online school staff is more than happy to help equip parents with training skills to share with their teenagers to help them succeed. The unique educational approach at Hope High School Online teaches our students life skills like time management, personal responsibility, and critical thinking skills, as we are committed to helping our students succeed in life. These life skills empower our Arizona online school students, and 8 out of 10 go on to higher education!

Hope High School Online staff is honored that you have entrusted the education of your teenager to our Arizona virtual high school. We are committed to giving our students and families the quality education and personal support they need to succeed. Read more success tips HERE. If you need additional support to help your teenager succeed, please reach out to your student’s success coach. If you don’t know who that is, please call our office and we can connect you. Together, we create educational and life success for your student!

online high school in Arizona provides teenage parent resources

Did your once cooing, cuddly, smiling baby turn into a much taller version that obviously knows much more than you do? Do you fear your teenager’s eyes will get stuck in the back of their head from the constant eyeball rolling? And, is the homework battle now a 10.0 on the Richter scale? If you answered at least two of the three above questions with “yes”, you just might have a… teenager! Being a teenager is a tough job, but parenting a teenager can be even harder. At our online high school in Arizona, we understand the challenges of being a teenager and of being the parent of a teenager. It’s why we prioritize providing parents with educational resources to support them as they support their Arizona online high school student.

How Does Teenage Brain Maturity Impact Arizona Online School Success?

Some parents believe that their teenagers have truly lost their minds. Brain maturity is a process, as you help train your Arizona online high school student to make good decisions about priorities, emotion management, and self discipline for time structuring. Remember to be patient, as there is a lot going on in that teenager’s brain! An elevated level of hormones, plus ongoing brain development all takes place at the same time. Does it comfort you to know that the human brain does not reach full maturity until the mid-20’s? And that the area of the brain that adults use to manage their emotions, make decisions, reason, and control themselves is getting “remapped” during the teen years?

During this time, teenagers rely on a different part of the brain for the above functions, and this part of the brain is responsible for emotional reactions. Hence, there really is a biological reason for your teenager’s heightened emotional responses of anger, sadness, joy, etc. If teenagers rely on just how they feel to make decisions, it is less likely that they will apply sound judgment to their decision making processes.

Practical Ways You Can Help Your Arizona Online High School Student

First, remember that you don’t have to respond with the same level of emotion that your teenager expresses. Take a deep breath, listen to understand what is behind the emotion, and then give your student feedback to make sure they know you are listening and want to understand. It could go something like this: “It sounds like you are pretty upset about ________. What happened to make you feel this way?” It’s important to start training your student to focus on facts to help control their feelings. This is why the “What” question is important – “What happened?” instead of “Why are you acting this way?” This will help your teenager feel listened to, which in turn can help he/she calm down and start to reason through the situation with your help.

Teaching Reasoning Instead of Responding Immediately Will Improve Arizona Online School Study Skills

Tackling emotions with truth is also a key to helping your student learn sound reasoning skills and emotional management. For example, your student might say, “This whole thing sucks! I hate _______, and I am NOT doing it anymore!” Take a deep breath, DON’T respond with “You will or else!” DO respond with something like this, “Wow, this sounds really tough. WHAT made you come to this decision?” Then, let your student talk, all the way through, nodding, and listening, only responding to let them know that you are listening. That could sound like, “OK, I hear what you are saying” or if they are focusing just on feelings, ask “WHAT happened to make you feel this way?”. After listening, patiently go back and repeat what you

heard to make sure you understand. Try, “OK, so I think I get what you are saying. Is it like this _____?” If your teenager says yes, then try, “I’m glad you took the time to help me understand what’s going on.” Then, go back to the details and bring facts back into the equation. It could sound like this, “So, when you said everything sucks, what you really were saying is that _______. It sounds like a tough situation but that it’s not everything, it is this particular situation. Do you think there are any solutions?” And then listen and provide factual feedback again.

At Our Online High School in Arizona, We Are Available to Listen

Every time you listen with the intention of understanding, you gain your teenager’s trust. You are also expressing unconditional love, which is the universal language of every teenager, no matter how they act or what they say. Be patient as you train them to think and respond from reason instead of emotion. This exercise will translate into better choices, more self-discipline, and maturity that in turn produces better results for their online high school education. At our online high school in Arizona, our staff and faculty are also available to listen, and help coach your teenager, equipping them to succeed academically and in life.

Our Online High School in Arizona Creates Success for Students!

At Hope High School Online, we are so proud of our students, and the progress towards maturity they make during their time at our Arizona online school. Our counselors and staff make it an absolute priority to support the parents of our students, as they help our Arizona online high school students to gain the life skills needed to become successful adults! As a matter of fact, we believe that the support we provide to parents of our students is one of the reasons why 8 out of 10 Hope High School Online students go on to higher education.

Hope High School Online is a Great Choice for Online High School in Arizona

At Hope High School Online, we are 100% committed to our Arizona online high school students’ success.  It is the reason why we provide a supportive academic environment – because we know our students’ success is more than just passing a test.  If you are still researching your options for an accredited, free Arizona online high school, download the Hope High School Online info kit HERE, use live chat on our website, e-mail us, or give us a call at 602-663-8496. We offer award winning curriculum, a safe environment, we support students and families, and our students succeed! Find out more HERE!

Arizona online school voting lesson

Arizona Online School Teaches Practical Applications in Social Studies Class

A few weeks ago, upon completing his US/AZ Government class, a student at Hope High School Online, the Arizona online school where I teach social studies, mentioned to me, “This is great, I learned a lot, but how do I actually cast my ballot?”  This was an interesting comment, as I realized that the process of voting is often glossed over in high-school classes. How can I remedy this? By creating a user-friendly, quick-and-easy guide to voting.

Eligibility to Vote

We want students to become good citizens.  Our Arizona online school promotes social responsibility as a U.S. citizen. To begin with, you must establish your citizenship. You must be able to prove that you are a US citizen and a citizen of the county that you’re voting in. Citizenship can be established either with one form of photo I.D. or two forms of non-photo I.D. (Explained below.) Also, you cannot vote if you’ve been found guilty of a felony and your full rights have not yet been restored.

Registration

You can register in AZ at the Motor Vehicles Department when you get your driver’s license. It requires the completion of a very short form that asks for your name and town/county of legal residence.. You can also registered at www.servicearizona.com as well. (Remember that if you move, you must re-register as soon as possible.)

Where Do You Vote?

Finding out your designated polling place is easy. Go to www.azsos.gov. On this site, there is a place for you to place your street address and it will immediately give you the voting precinct you belong to in addition to your polling place.

What Do I Need to Bring to the Polls

You can bring one form of official photo I.D. such as the following:

  • Valid AZ driver’s license
  • Valid AZ non-operating identification license (state I.D.)
  • Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification
  • Valid U.S. federal, state, or local government issued identification.
  • (Note that something such as a school I.D. is not sufficient)

If you don’t have a photo I.D. with your name and address, you have another option. You can bring two of the following non-photo I.D. documents:

  • Utility bill, such as for electric, gas, water, garbage, sewer, telephone, cell phone or cable
  • Bank statement
  • Valid AZ vehicle registration
  • Indian census card
  • Tribal enrollment card
  • AZ vehicle insurance card
  • Recorder’s certificate
  • Voter registration card
  • Any mailing to the elector marked “Official Election Material.”

Voting at the Polling Location

First, be prepared to stand in line and wait awhile. Many of the election volunteers are elderly, and therefore might not be the quickest in getting voters checked in. Once you’re called up, you will need to show your I.D.(s) to the election workers and your name will be checked off on their list of registered voters. You will then receive your ballot and be directed to an open voting booth. Once there, you will use the provided marker (usually a Sharpie) and “fill in” the arrow head and tail next to the candidate of your choice. By completing the arrow, you will have made your choice.

In addition to candidates, the end of the ballot will have bills and measures that are up for vote. Carefully read these, as quite often the verbiage will be somewhat vague and long-winded in what is ultimately a “yes/no” question. Be sure that if you want to vote “yes,” you are not voting against the measure being proposed.

About Hope High School Online – It’s About Success for the Future!

Did you know that 4 out of 5 of our students go on to higher education? And that many of them came to us really struggling? Some had serious behavior issues, others were failing academically, some students have health issues, and others don’t want the stress of being in a negative or unsafe environment. Whatever your student’s challenges are, at Hope High School Online we find ways to help our students succeed. Find out more about how we help students succeed academically and position them to succeed in the future.  Go HERE to download our free information kit and find out  about why students succeed at Hope High School Online.

Hope High School Online Free Arizona online high school, free online high school AZ student struggling with illness

Your heart starts racing, palms start sweating, and worry floods your mind like a crashing wave. It could be something small that sends a student’s mind into an avalanche of of anxiety. So many students experience these sorts of emotions and struggle through them. The anxiety plagues so many parts of their lives to a point of debilitation. At Hope High School Online we work closely with students to provide coping skills for students who experience anxiety, especially when it comes to school.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiousness can be a normal feeling that many students experience. Dealing with deadlines, preparing for tests, along with any other social pressures can be a lot for students to navigate. When the stress and worry overshadow normal everyday activities, it is important that students have strategies to bring their stress levels down.

  • Stay active. You can take your mind off your problems with activities like helping a neighbor, volunteering in the community, and taking the dog on a long walk. These can be positive ways to cope with stressful feelings.
  • Exercise regularly. Swimming, running, biking, going for a brisk 10-minute walk, doing yoga, or dancing to music are all ways to get great exercise.
  • Learn / try something new. Take a class, go to the library, learn to knit or sew, write a poem, check out a new restaurant, try a new activity, or get a change of scenery and take a short drive to somewhere you have never been.
  • Find support. Seek help from a partner, family member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergy person. Having someone with a sympathetic, listening ear and sharing about your problems and stress really can lighten the burden.
  • Connect socially. After a stressful event, it is easy isolate yourself. Make sure that you are spending time with loved ones.
  • Consider planning fun activities with your partner, children, or friends.
  • Avoid drugs and alcohol. They may seem to be a temporary fix to feel better, but in the long run drugs and alcohol can create more problems and add to your stress—instead of taking it away.
  • Rest. Maintain a normal routine; make sure you go to bed on time and get plenty of sleep. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out – for example, treat yourself to a therapeutic massage.
  • Eat healthy. Make good food choices for a well-balanced diet. There are many apps to help you track what you eat.

As you may see, this spells out SELF CARE. Making sure to take care of oneself is an important part of reducing stress and anxiety. Managing stress and anxiety is definitely possible. As students practice these tips, they become better at managing the anxiety that might come into their lives!

About Hope High School Online

At Hope High School Online, we are 100% committed to our Arizona online high school students’ success.  It is the reason why we provide a supportive academic environment – because we know our students’ success is more than just passing a test.  If you are still researching your options for an accredited, free Arizona online high school, download the Hope High School Online info kit HERE, use live chat on our website, e-mail us HERE, or give us a call at 602-663-8496. We offer award winning curriculum, a safe environment, we support students and families, and our students succeed! Find out more HERE!