Chapter+4+School+Choice+Activity

// This week you read about some of today’s School Choices as presented within Chapter 4. This activity will lead you to a deeper understanding of one of four current school choices. Your challenge is to select one of the below listed means of educating children and explain the premise of the school choice, whether it is currently available within Oklahoma and your personal opinion of this choice. You only need to respond to one, but if someone else has already responded to that choice, you must tell, explain or describe something different about that choice. Your reflective comment must be based upon your own feelings about what you have researched (book, Legal Handbook, websites), you may not just agree or disagree, but must clarify your personal thoughts in a paragraph of 75 or more words. // //** Possible Resources: **// // Textbook: The American Teacher: Foundations of Education (Parkerson and Parkerson), // School Law: http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/LawBook2011.pdf // @http://www.sde.state.ok.us/ // // [|http://www.oklahomahomeschooling.org] // // [|http://www.homeschools.org] // // [] //
 * School Choices in Oklahoma **

** 2. Home Schools ** **// Type your responses to: 1.) the premise of this school choice (explain what it is, the format, who is in charge, how it is financed), 2.) is this school choice currently available within Oklahoma, and 3.) your personal opinion of this choice. Remember, respond differently than someone who has responded before you. Type your name after your response. //**
 * 1. Charter Schools ** **// Type your responses to: 1.) the premise of this school choice (explain what it is, the format, who is in charge, how it is financed), 2.) is this school choice currently available within Oklahoma, and 3.) your personal opinion of this choice. Remember, respond differently than someone who has responded before you. Type your name after your response. //**
 * 3. Virtual Schools ** **// Type your responses to: 1.) the premise of this school choice (explain what it is, the format, who is in charge, how it is financed), 2.) is this school choice currently available within Oklahoma, and 3.) your personal opinion of this choice. Remember, respond differently than someone who has responded before you. Type your name after your response. //**
 * 4. Vouchers (Hint: Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities) ** **// Type your responses to: 1.) the premise of this school choice (explain what it is, the format, who is in charge, how it is financed), 2.) is this school choice currently available within Oklahoma, and 3.) your personal opinion of this choice. Remember, respond differently than someone who has responded before you. Type your name after your response. //**

Virtual Schools
==== 1.) I found information on the Oklahoma Connections Academy, this is a tuition free, online Public school for grades K-12. Created in partnership with Sperry Public Schools, serving students in the 2012-2013 school year. There is also K12 online school in Oklahoma, also completely tuition free. These schools are taught by fabulous teachers and are an excellent way for children who aren’t happy with public schools, or parents who want to do homeschooling but don’t think they wwill be able to teach their kids the way they should. They still have the options to do sports and the students get together with teachers often for fun activities and good social events. ====

2.) I kind of already answered this question since the schools I researched are in Oklahoma but these schools are growing rapidly all over the place.
==== 3.) My personal opinion on these schools is that they are great. I love this option for students, parents and teachers. I have a friend who lives in Edmond and is currently teaching with Oklahoma Virtual, she loves her job and the students. I think its great because it’s a good option besides public schools and I think its better than homeschooling because the parents aren’t the only source of knowledge, they still have to help quite a bit but they aren’t their only adult figure to go to. I think this is also a good option compared to home schooling because they have out of the home events such as sports and dances. However I do think that students need some public interaction with other kids, I would really have to consider a lot before my own kids someday did this, it would depend on the childrens attitudes toward school. I do think for us future teachers this is a great option for us, I want to be a mom someday so with this virtual school I could stay home with my kids and work. Overall I’m happy with these knew options for schools and I hope that people will take full advantage of it. ====

Jessica Slanker Charter Schools 1.) A primary or secondary school that receives public funding but are not always subject to the same rules and regulations as public schools. They can’t charge tuition and they usually follow a curriculum that is laid out by their charter. These schools can be created by teachers, parents, or activists. 2.) Charter schools are available in Oklahoma. Dove Science Academy is an example of a charter school in Tulsa, OK. 3.) I think charter schools can be a great alternative choice for some students. They can choose to go to schools that are stronger in their areas of interest and parents can choose to send their child to a charter school if they feel like it is better for their child. I also think, however, a charter school can be a risk, especially if it’s a new school. Jessica Slanker

Judy Schillo 3. Virtual Schools 1) A Virtual School is a school that teaches its classes entirely or primarily through on-line methods such as Desire2Learn. A Virtual School can have different instructional and enrollment formats. It can be independent study or guided by a teacher. It can also be self-paced or asynchronous or it can be semester based or synchronous.It has homework assignments, quizzes, and tests on an on-line website. There is still a teacher in charge of each on-line classroom and these teachers still answer to a principal. Virtual schools may be free for students if the state pays for the classes offered. Otherwise, there is a course fee that must be paid by either the student or the parents of the student, 2) This type of school is currently available in Oklahoma and an example of this is the Oklahoma Virtual High School. http://www.advancedacademics.com/oklahoma-virtual-high-school/index.html 3) I believe that virtual schools are a good method for teaching students in an alternative method but I do not believe that they would work very well for anyone who is not in college already. I sometimes have difficulty grasping information when I’m taking an online course at OSU and I’m pretty sure that a junior high or high school student would not have the work ethic or the comprehension to do well in a course like this. I understand that some students cannot be educated in a traditional sense but I believe these students should turn to another method, such as homeschooling, which is more hands on. Judy Schillo

Sarah Bond 2. Home Schools 1.) Home Schooling is when either a parent or other adult educates a small group or a single student. The format of home schooling is very flexible because there is a variety of curriculums that you can choose from that best fits your child or student. The materials and curriculum can be costly or it can be inexpensive depending on how much the primary educator would like to spend. The pre-packaged curriculum can be quite expensive, but you can also pick and choose the materials desired by certain suppliers, or you can even talk to other home schooled families and borrow curriculum that they no longer use. The Department of education suggest that students who are home schooled due to illness for several weeks should receive three hours of on on on schooling. However, the Home Educator's Resource Organization (HERO), suggests home schooled children should receive more than three hours of schooling per week because it takes less time to go through a formalized subject. 2.) Home schooling is currently available within Oklahoma. The law of home schooling in Oklahoma states the student should be five to eighteen years old, and receive schooling that is equivalent to the state schools for 175 days out of the year. There are also many home school seminars that parents and educators can attend in order to helm them succeed in home schooling. 3.) I think home schooling a great choice for children. Often times the home schooled children appear to be more educated than Public school children possibly because of the one on one attention. Home schooling allows the student to have more free time, but still receive a quality education. The main downside to home schooling for most people is the socialization factor. Many assume that kids who are home schooled are also socially awkward, but this is not the case. There are many types of social and extracurricular events, such as church or clubs that the students can go to and invest in many relationships. If the parents are up for the challenge, and they believe their child will succeed the best by home schooling, then they should pursue the home school option. Sarah Bond

Jake Niles 1. Charter Schools 1.) Charter school are schools that receive public money but aren’t necessarily subject to all of the same laws and regulations as traditional public schools. These schools usually promote a certain curriculum or learning style that is laid out in their charter. Charter schools can be founded by teachers, parents, or activists who feel like there is a need not being served by a traditional public institution. These schools receive funding through the state but also can receive funding from grants as well as private sources. Charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition. 2.) Charter schools are available in Oklahoma. There are currently twelve school districts that authorize charter schools within the state. If a student lives within one of these districts they may choose to enroll in a charter school. If a charter school can’t accommodate all the students interested in attending, a lottery must be held to determine enrollment. 3.) I believe that charter schools can be a great alternative for many students. Giving a child a choice to attend a school that suits their specific educational goals or strengths seems like a positive thing. I also like that charter schools don’t get to choose who attends these schools. I think it is important to let any individual within the district choose to attend the school. I do think it is unfortunate that because of the lottery system a person exceptionally suited for the school might not have the opportunity to attend. Jake Niles

Tiffanie Gray 1.) Virtual Schools 2.) I chose virtual schools as well as Judy but I chose to focus more on the elementary and middle school level. Virtual schools are schools that are online.These schools have classes for all grade levels, elementary through high school. Depending on the school, some don't even require the student to live in the state. Some virtual schools are funded by the state and some are partially funded by the state and parents have to pay the rest of the tuition. Parents are able to log in and view their child's progress as well as hours logged. Virtual schools are currently available in Oklahoma. They partner with an accredited school called Orion Schools. They have programs for elementary, middle schools, high school, as well as college level placement classes. A student does not even have to live in Oklahoma to attend this virtual school. This particular program allows you to choose your start date, a student cannot progress to the next level until they have reached a 70 percent competency level. There are no required books, and all tests are taken online as well. Parents can log in and see how many hours their child has logged, what grades they are getting, and what level they are on. This virtual is paid for mostly by the state, in some cases parents might have to pay to have their child in virtual school. Also students have to withdraw from their current school in order to enroll in this virtual school. 3.) I actually think that virtual schools are a great option for families who don't want their children to attend public schools, but would still like to have their child taught by a teacher. This would also be a great option for students with health issues or for families that move around a lot like custom cutters and migrant workers. I like that parents can take ownership of their child's education by logging in and checking their progress, as well as the self-paced approach. This ensures that each child understands the material, and gives them more practice until they can reach a 70 percent competency rate. It seems like more individualized education than a classroom teacher can give 100% of the time. There are absolute draw backs to the program as well involving social skills and missed opportunities such as sports teams and music groups. In addition to this a parent would have to be home with their child, it would be difficult and uneconomical to have parents working out of the home.

-Kalleigh Chrz Home Schools 1) Home Schooling is often called home education. This is when education is taught at the home either by a parent, guardian, tutor or some form of adult. Home schooling is not a setting like a public or private school system. A home school is financed on exactly how much the parent or guardian wants to put into their child's education. There are many of website that allow parents to buy materials for the children to fit their learning capabilities. Home schooling allows students to have more one on one time with their teacher which can help keep a student motivated and feel more comfortable asking questions one on one than in a huge classroom where they think they might ask a question that in inappropriate. Home schooling helps the parents and child be more flexible with their schedule and learn more about each other as well as their education. 2) Home schooling is currently available in Oklahoma. There are many of parents that home school there children for many of different reasons. Some of the main reasons parents home school their children are: concerns with the traditional school environment, many parents want to teach their children more religious beliefs, or being unhappy with public and private school academic instructions. I believe that as time passes more and more parents are going to be unhappy with the way public and private schools are dealing with situations and more children are going to be home schooled. 3) I believe that home schooling is not a bad choice for some children. There are many children that need the one on one contact with their teacher. I believe that home schooling can help many of children learn at a fast pace. Many of home school students are known to be very smart because of the amount of curriculum they are able to cover in a day while public and private schools are focusing on "no child left behind". These students still have many of opportunities to get to know each other, I've seen many of home school basketball teams etc. these are a group of students that are home schooled that get together to form a team. They may travel all over playing basketball or their choice of sport. Home school students have the same opportunities as public and private school children but just may have these opportunities at different times in their life. I believe that if a parent and child wants to try home schooling they should because it all depends on how the child learns to succeed the best. -Kalleigh Chrz

-Anna Levine- Charter Schools 1. A charter school is a primary or secondary school that receives public money but are not subject to some of the rules and regulations that apply to other public schools. Charter schools are opened and attended by choice. While this type of schooling provides an alternative to public schools, they are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. Charter schools are designed to be free to set their own operating hours. If the school strives to increase student achievement by giving students more time in the classroom, the school can offer classes into the night, on weekends, and in the summer. A charter school can break up the day to provide students with more time on the core subjects they need the most. Charter schools have a say in the curriculum they teach and frequently change the materials mid-year if they need to to meed the students academic needs. Charter schools also build upon the core academic subjects by creating a unique school culture. These types of schools can be run by teachers, parents, or activists who feel restricted by traditional public schools. 2. Charter schools are available in Oklahoma. An example of a charter school is Independence Charter School in Oklahoma City, OK. 3. I believe that charter schools provide a great education for all students because they change their teaching methods to meet the students needs. I feel that all students deserve the right to education, no matter the circumstances. I love that charter schools have a say in the curriculum and that they can change the material if they need to to meet the students needs. The students should receive the attention they need to achieve academic excellence and I believe that charter schools provide the tools students need to do so. I also agree with the idea that the child is allowed as much time in the classroom they need. Some children learn have different learning strategies and learn faster than others, and I feel that a charter school allows the students to go at their own pace so they can obtain the information. I also like that a charter school can chose the hours in which students attend to meet the students needs. -Anna Levine

Kristin Stanberry 2 – Home Schools 1) Homeschooling, according to the simple Webster definition is “educating (one’s children) at home instead of sending them to a school.” Homeschooling is also termed “home education” and “home based learning.” This educational option allows for kindergarten through 12th grade students to be educated outside of a public or private school system, but rather individually or in a small group by one or a few select adults, usually the children’s parent or guardian. The homeschool instructor is widely in charge, as Oklahoma’s laws on home school requirements are not incredibly tedious or extensive, allowing for great flexibility. This individual is responsible for the implementation of the schooling as well as the financial obligations which go along with it. Many options are available for various ways of obtaining materials. In addition, there are many methods to homeschooling and small groups of homeschoolers who meet in order to gain social and group experiences which may otherwise be more limited in this educational alternative. 2) Homeschooling is a legal option in Oklahoma. Requirements and guidance for homeschooling can be found, as Sarah mentioned, through Home Educator’s Resource Organization (HERO). 3) I think that, as with any alternative option with a great deal of autonomy and flexibility, homeschooling can be an excellent choice or an unfortunate mistake, depending on the individual case. I have personally seen where children have far exceeded a traditional school’s expectations, where the individual attention and curriculum prepared the student for great success; I have also personally seen examples where either a lack of dedication and commitment or simply the lack of ability to effectively teach has hindered children from their potential which may have been better reached in a more traditional school setting. This being said, I think though there may be a broad spectrum of results, homeschooling should still be a protected option for all families, giving the choice to each individual to seek what is best in their specific case. Kristin Stanberry

Tracy Roberts Hoover Home Schools Tracy Roberts Hoover
 * 1) Home schools are an alternative program for parents who wish to offer their children an education outside of the traditional public or private school systems. Home schools allow for a flexible schedule, curriculum, and assessment based on the students’ needs. Home schools differ depending on which program that the parent enrolls the child in or based upon state statutes. In Oklahoma, teachers of home schools are not required to hold a post-secondary degree. Home schooling is either financed by the parent or is offered tuition free, depending on the program that the student is enrolled in. There is no federal or state assistance for home schooling.
 * 2) Home schooling is available in Oklahoma. There are some regulations regarding home schooling, but they get to establish their own curriculum and schedules.
 * 3) I personally do not have anything against the home schooling process, nor am I an advocate. I believe that there are circumstances in which the child would benefit from home schooling, and there are also times that home schooling may put the child at a disadvantage. If the child has a particularly busy schedule and is unable to keep up with traditional schooling, or has health problems, etc., than home schooling may be the right choice for them. Home schools offer more one-on-one attention that the student may need in order to succeed. However, I think that traditional schooling exposes children to new ideas and ways of thinking whereas the home schooled child may only ever hear the viewpoint of their parents, or teacher. I do have some negative feelings towards parents who choose home schooling for their child to shield them from being exposed to ideas that they view as too radical. The strongest arguments come from knowing both sides of an issue.

Kristin Finnicum ** Home Schools ** Kristin Finnicum
 * 1) Home schooling is an option for parents who want to educate their children outside of public or private schools. Home schools are most often taught by parents of the children, but sometimes tutors or groups of parents teach a small group of children. Home schools are not state or federally funded, so they are most often funded by the parents.
 * 2) Home schools are currently available in Oklahoma.
 * 3) I think Home schools are a great alternative to public education. Especially if a child is getting lost in a large classroom, the one-on-one and flexible scheduling and curriculum can be very beneficial. There is always concern that home schooling deprives children of social interaction, but there are churches, sports, and different clubs for home schooled children where they can easily meet kids their age.

1. Charter schools are a type of public school. They are open to anyone who wants to enroll, and cannot charge tuition to attend. They receive all the funding that a regular school does, and it all depends on their enrollment numbers. Most charter schools are founded by parents or techers who want to play a bigger role in students' education. Everyone is still held accountable for the students' learning and they still have to meet federal and state expectations. Charter schools are allowed to set their own schedule so they can have classes into the summer, evening and weekend if they want, they teachers' can change everything they do in the middle of the school year, and they can set up a them for the whole school to follow if they want. They are usually set up for teaching into a specific focus, like drama, art, etc. 2. Charter schools are allowed in Oklahoma and there are approximately 22 running now, most of which are in or around the Oklahoma City area. 3. I like the idea of charter schools. I think that it is cool the way that the school basically revolves around its students. Yes, it still has to meet the state's expectations, but it can do that in a different way. They can start school later in the day and go into the evening if that is what works best for the students. I think if you come from a non-traditional home where the kids have to work or something to help the parents this would work out well. The bad thing in my opinion would be if someone started out going to a charter school and then switched to a public school. I think that that switch would be a very dramatic switch and could throw a student off since a charter school is so different. I would be very interested in teaching at a charter school. I think the freedom would fit my style very well. I am a very out of the box person so I would like the fact that I could do what I wanted as long as my students were learning at the pace they needed to be. //1.) Home schooled children are generally taught by their parents, although, there may be some collaboration among home school families. They are financed by the individual family. Usually one parent will not work and stay home to teach the children. The parents are in charge of the curriculum and how and what it taught. Families decide to home school their children for a variety of reasons. Some do so for religious purposes and other may be dissatisfied with the public school systems. // //2.) Oklahoma families do have a legal right to home school their children. // //3.) I love the idea of home schooling. I wish I could do it with my children. However, as a single parent, it is not financially possible for me. I also wouldn’t feel confident in doing so outside of a community of other home school families. There are some things I could teach well to my children like science and math, but history and English, I would not have the same confidence. I think home schooling can build unique and strong family bonds. From a family perspective, much of a child’s childhood is lost from the parent to public schools. Children often spend more time in school with teachers and friends than they do with family. Public schools often introduce children to values outside of those held by the family. So yes, part of my desire to home school my children would be to ‘shield’ them. This may sound over protective, but when a third grader comes home asking what a blow job is, maybe there is something to protect children from (this happened to a friend of mine). I feel very blessed that my children get to attend a small Christian school, with a class size of 8-10. The teachers and families know each other personally, and year after year. I volunteer, so I get to be a part of my children’s school life. // //Jessica Stromski //
 * Kaci Botts**
 * Kaci Botts**