Contrary to popular belief, summer school is not just for those who have fallen behind or failed certain subjects in the previous semester. The truth is quite the opposite, in fact, with many successful students utilizing it to help even further their studies and gain an extra edge before either going off to post-secondary education or returning for the following semester.

We’re officially halfway through the summer season, and while there’s still a fair bit of time before it arrives, the school season is slowly approaching.

Students will return to school in a little over a month, making this a pivotal time where getting ready for the new school year can make all the difference. For students, returning to school can be both thrilling and terrifying. Some kids might be entering high school for the first time this year, while others might be in their final year and getting ready to move on to post-secondary education. Some children might not be returning to school full-time, and thus will need to be flexible with their learning styles.

The opportunities available for students are vast and exciting—opportunities that tend not to be available for anyone else. Throughout their educational pursuits, a student may, for instance, participate in activities and experiences they never thought themselves capable of—from acting to writing poetry, or playing water polo—even travelling the globe with a sports, debate, Model UN, or chess team.

Plenty of parents hope their children will grow up to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers.
It’s fair for parents to want this type of success for their kids: These prestigious professions often offer satisfying, long-term careers with plenty of room for advancement. Many find the work challenging and important and, of course, many earn a decent living.

Summer break can be a welcome reprieve for many hard-working students hoping to enjoy some relaxing time off in the sun, on the beach, in the woods, on the soccer field, or at the cottage—anywhere peaceful and relaxing. No more homework, exams, and mandatory attendance. No more gym class, lukewarm cafeteria food, and late nights spent highlighting so many words the highlighter runs out of fluorescent ink.

At traditional brick-and-mortar high schools in Ontario and across North America, students are expected to move through course material at a uniform pace with the rest of the students in their classes.
These students have little to no control over how they pace their studies. Rather, their pace is determined for them by their teachers, curriculum, and school board. They are expected to meet deadlines and are penalized when they fail to do so. Learning at a uniform pace is called synchronous learning and it does not benefit all students.

Traditional learning where students are in a classroom with their instructor and fellow students engaging with their education in real-time, is synchronous learning. Quite literally, this is because in a classroom setting, students learn in sync with their peers.

You could trace the dawn of synchronous learning to, well, the dawn of education, and still to this day it’s what many older adults think of when they think of school.

At OES, we value flexibility. With our online courses, we empower our students to have more control over their schooling and make it easier for students to manage their schedules and stay productive because they can work at their own pace.

This flexibility is especially important for busy students who don’t have the luxury of treating school as a full-time job, but is only effective when paired with good academic habits.

Traditional brick-and-mortar high schools in Ontario tend to not offer much flexibility. The majority of students commute to school at 9 am, take classes until 3 pm, go home, and repeat. Then, if they are involved in sports or extracurricular activities, they will spend even more time at school.

This rigid routine may work for students with enough time to treat school as a full-time job, but not for busy students, including mature students, who have obligations outside of school, like families and jobs.

Social workers swoop in during times of emergency and crisis, fight for individual and social justice, and relieve people of their suffering. Chances are someone you know has been helped by a social worker at some point in their life, and chances are they’re thankful.