All-Star Online Schooling Program?!

[Angelica]

Anyone seen this? AZ Power talks about the new online schooling program their offering for their athletes?

http://youtu.be/iyjUMD6nXow?t=2m5s

 

[drewpate]

We've thrown the idea out there at my gym, but never anything that was more than a cool idea. The cost would be more like that of high level gym so we doubt many parents would agree.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I'm not understanding exactly what this is? Is it like free tutoring online? Or is it literally a complete online school?

 

[CoachC2]

It's pretty much like how gymnastic are. You train all day and then are home schooled but yet its just online

 

[lakerfantlc]

One of our athletes did online this year and it didnt go very well....it's hard to get questions answered fast, if you have a problem with your internet during class it is a problem....AND...if you miss or get behind..it is really hard to catch up. We found that some online and home schooling programs actually assign more work because the online school has electronic scores and home schooling the parents grade stuff...my daughter did home schooling for a few months and it was a LOT more work than regular school... Back to school she goes.... The freedom of schedule was great but the negatives overpowered that...:/

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I take Health online to free up an elective. Let me just say it's a serious commitment. If you don't understand something there is NO ONE to help you. Learning health is one thing, but I can't imagine learning Trig, Algebra, Foreign Language, Chem, or, Physics without any one's help.

This also means these girls get no extra curricular activities such as art, band, chorus, theatre, or any of the various school based clubs and service organizations not only for their personal enjoyment, but to put on college applications. They will not go to homecoming or prom unless invited, and they will not attend a formal graduation. I could absolutely understand giving these things up if you were an Olympic bound gymnast, ice skater, swimmer, or something like that. But, the bottom line here is, cheerleading is not an Olympic sport. You can't make a career out of being a cheerleader (unless you go pro, and then why bother training to dance pom) unless you want to coach or own a gym of your own. Eventually your Allstar career will end. And you will move on, most likely to college where most Allstar kids want to cheer. These girls will most definitely have the skills to make any college squad they want with all that training, some might even get scholarships. But back to their college applications. What are they going to put on them? I don't know much about this particular online school, but in Olympic bounds cases usually you come out with a GED or a standard diploma. What are they going to put on their extras? Cheerleading? I assume most colleges understand in the case of an Olympic athlete and are happy to make concessions to have some one of that prestige attend their school. But again, these are not Olympic athletes, and the admissions people will likely have very little idea what Allstar cheerleading is. I'm not saying these girls will not get into college. But it seems to me this is an awful big commitment to a gym, and an awful big educational risk all for a World Championship.

 

[cheeeeer93]

I've heard terrible things about online courses.
But another thing to think about.. these girls will have NO friends outside of cheer. School and cheer are probably really important to these girls but they need lives outside of that. Imagine when they age out of cheer.. they'll be sheltered by the same environment for years and probably have a harder time adjusting.

 

[garretttt]

a girl i know did this and shell be attending the university of georgia in the fall with a 4.0. and thats not easy to get into uga being a freshman. it IS possible you just have to be commited.

 

[ChrissyBabe1991]

I will only take online classes.......I found my teachers to be more flexible...

 

[ChelleShocked]

I took Spanish online this year because my school doesn't offer fifth-year Spanish and it was not at all a good experience. It was very unprofessional, the exams contradicted the material (which was unclear and mediocre at best), on the rare opportunities that I had to ask questions I was often told things like "That's irrelevant to what you need to know so I'm not going to tell you" or "I'm not sure, I haven't been teaching this class for very long", and I think I actually regressed in my Spanish. Maybe it works for some people, but I would not take my entire curriculum online. Best of luck to these athletes.

 

[vipergirlie]

I wonder what their parents think of this? Having to start going to school online just so they can cheer all day and do well would not happen in my household!!

 

[juscheerthatisall]

Taking a class online is very different than online high school. I know a lot of ppl who are homeschooled through elementary and middle and than do high school online. Most of those kids finish their high school in less than four years, and are taking college courses much earlier than their traditional school counterparts. True online high schools like the one she mentioned have books the students must purchase, assignments they must mail in, clubs they can join like yearbook and journalism etc. Teachers are available all hours of the day and night via chats and emails and you can actually sit and listen to lectures. I do agree with the lack of social benefits however in the situation where they will be in the gym everyday with other kids they really won't be missing much. I mean if they want a prom throw one, there are plenty of private schools with 15-20 ppl in their graduating class. There are several dance school where I live that have similar programs for their highest level dancers. Though cheerleading may not be an olympic sport think of all the days of school girls miss for comps? Not to mention being in the gym every night preparing for a big national than going to school everyday it's a lot on the girls. I think this is a great option for parents and believe more gyms should look into implementing it.

 

[HaveHeart1996]

I do high school online and find that i love it and that it is a lot less work and it is way more flexible like you can ask teachers to change up assignements to fit your needs and strong points.

 

[ztaprincess]

I have taken a few online classes because they were only offered on campus at times that wouldn't work for my schedule and let me tell you it makes the classes 10x harder sometimes. I actually am really against the idea of someone doing online school just for cheer though. If I ever asked my parents to go to school online so I could concentrate on cheer they would think I was straight up crazy.

I am not completely against online schooling, but I will say that I can see how it can hurt a person when it comes to going to college. Online classes do not compare to sitting in a college class with a bunch of people listening to a professor talk.

 

[KaroPatterson]

Me and @fiercekatie take some online classes at UofL and they do take commitment, BUT we love the fact you can do them from anywhere and all the teachers i've had have been really helpful. I think you need to be the type of person that takes the initiative to actually do the work and read the material not just try to slid by.