Olympics: Going for the Gold

The Winter Olympics are in full swing in Sochi, Russia and it seems that is where the focus of the media is right now.  Watching the athletes is certainly something spectacular and it makes you wonder whether they just got an extraordinary set of genes, or if it is something more; is it the character and personality of the individual that gets them to where they are, competing for an Olympic Gold Medal?  What does it take to “go for the gold”?  How can you, as a student, parent, teacher, or guardian, go for the gold each and every day?

Determination

Being an Olympic athlete takes determination.  It means picking yourself up off the ground when you fall, again, and again.  It means never quitting, even when you are tired or sore.  This determination allows the Olympic athlete not to focus on the losses, but strive for the victories.  It means understanding the difference between just winning, and achieving greatness.  An Olympic athlete is determined to put their best effort into every practice, every match, and every day of their life.  They train hard, study hard, find their limit, and then push past it.  Greatness and success is in the level of effort, not necessarily in how many trophies are won.

Drive

An Olympic athlete is motivated by their love of a sport, their competitive spirit, and the challenges they have faced.  Each step is forward, never backward.  They are driven by a passion to be the best, yet they concede to their comrades when someone else comes out on top.  Above all, the Olympic athlete has set goals.  These goals give them something to strive for, allow them to feel success and satisfaction when they are achieved, and constantly improve as they set new goals.

Support

One cannot possibly compete for an Olympic medal without support.  Olympic athletes are supported by their parents, brothers, sisters, and teammates.  For most, they feel the support and pride of their whole country that they are representing at the games.  It’s a position filled with responsibility and expectation, but not one that must be carried alone.  Through whatever defeat, or success, an Olympian’s support system carries them to the next challenge.

We may not all become Olympic athletes, probably missing one of those extraordinary genes, but we can all achieve greatness and success in our lives.  The key is not to worry about what we don’t have, but focus on what inside us gives us that fire that moves us to continually strive to be better.

What other Olympic traits do you possess?

Thoughts on a Snow Day

With the school and offices being closed yesterday and today, we have declared, officially that it is a snow day.  Yet the question remains whether or not snow days actually exist for MEWA?  The beauty of an online education is that it is completed online.  Unless the Internet goes out, which has happened on occasion during a storm, classes are able to continue as usual.  There is no need for “make-up” days to be added at the end of the school year because of snow, or wind, or flooding.  Students don’t suffer from not being in class for a few days.  They log in to their course, learn what was planned for the day, and complete their homework assignments as outlined in the syllabus.  Teachers benefit by not having to rearrange their pre-arranged lesson plans for the course of the term.  They don’t have to worry about cutting one chapter lesson short in order to cram in the missed lessons due to a snow day.  An online education means flexibility, in every sense of the word.  Students experience flexibility in the way they are taught, when they choose to learn, and how they choose to learn.  Teachers experience flexibility in the fact that they are not tied to one classroom each day; they are able to plan lessons for the entire academic year without worrying about planning around spontaneous days off.

So today is a snow day.  But is it really, a snow day?  Our MEWA students are able to continue their education without being in a classroom.  They can take a break from their work and go outside whenever they want today.  Being an online student comes with an understanding that you, as an individual, are responsible for your own education.  This is true for junior high students all the way to college students and beyond.  It is up to you to manage time efficiently so that you can take study breaks to throw a snowball or two.  The feeling of satisfaction when you know you are on schedule, on track, and still able to have fun is second to none.

MEWA students, enjoy today.  Continue learning both through coursework and through life experiences.  We encourage you to study and work on homework today, but we also want you to safely enjoy this snow day.

What are your thoughts on “snow days” for online students?

Getting the Most from Your Online Education

As we begin the second half of our 2013-2014 academic year, it’s important to remember why we are here in the first place: to learn.  How do you get the most out of your learning experience at Metro East Web Academy?  Here are a couple tips for you to consider to help finish out the year strong.

1. Visit our “Tips for Successful Online Learning” Web Page.  This page has a number of different tips on how to be successful as an online student.  Read them and see if there is anything you need to add to your approach as we begin the next term. 
2.  Meet with your teachers at least once per week.  Your teachers are here to help you succeed and they want to see you grow.  Make sure to talk with them if you are stuck on an assignment or lesson.  Often two heads are better than one and conversing with a teacher will help both of you understand each other better in the future.
3. Keep notebooks, or computer folders, with notes for each class.  Taking notes is always a good idea and keeping these notes organized will save you time when studying for a test.  You can also use these notebooks for writing questions and answers as you go through your lessons.  Some classes require the use of a spiral notebook, but they are a handy tool for any class.
4. Turn in your homework assignments on time.  The sooner you can get an assignment turned in, the quicker you can get feedback from the teacher on your work.  Doing the assignments early will also allow you more time to ask questions for clarification, if needed.
5. Stop in the Drop-In Labs each week.  Coming in to the drop-in labs regularly will help organize your day, give you time to talk with teachers and counselors, and allow you to socialize with fellow classmates.  Collaboration produces some of the best creative results on projects and stopping by the drop-in labs will help feed your creative process.
6. Visit our online social communities to connect & engage with other students & your teachers.  Our online social sites not only provide students and teachers with helpful tips and inspirations, but they are places for parents to collaborate as well.  We want to keep our MEWA community strong, both in and outside of, the school.  We hope all our students, teachers, and parents will contribute to our Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest pages regularly to engage in meaningful conversations and stay up to date on what’s happening at MEWA.

    How do you get the most out of your MEWA education?

Tips for Future Success

Succeeding academically can be challenging at times and breeze at others.  Studying, attending class regularly, and completing assignments on-time are all important in academic success and gaining the most from your education.  We wanted to give you some tips that may help as our students develop their study habits into skills that will help them as they pursue their life goals.

1. Focus. This is a hard skill for many individuals, but the ability to focus on one task at a time and see it through to completion is a great skill to have.  One way to develop this is to make sure your workspace is free from distractions.  Set mini goals to complete assignments more effectively.  For example, when writing a paper, tell yourself you will write at least one full page before taking a snack break or checking Facebook.
2. Note Taking. Making sure to take good notes and use them is important.  Practice writing only the important information by taking notes during your favorite TV show, or movie.  Find a way of organizing your notes that works best for you.  For instance, some use bullet points, while others draw boxes on the page.  Review your notes before and after a test to validate your responses. Don’t simply memorize your notes, but find ways to actively engage with them.  This way, you are more likely to remember the concepts in the future, rather than only specific details.
3. Clarification. If you are confused on a concept being learned, be sure to ask questions.  Your teachers are there to help you develop and understand the material being learned.  The only silly question is the one that never gets asked.
4. Organization.  Make sure your workspace stays organized so you always have the materials you need at your fingertips.  This will help you accomplish assignments faster and will eliminate wasting time digging through a pile to look for “that one paper” with important notes.
5. Time Management.  Invest in a day planner and write down all important assignment due dates, school holidays, and activities.  Use the planner to schedule your day from class, to homework, to social time so that you never miss or forget anything important.  It’s important to balance work and social in your life, so make sure you have time for both!
6. Collaboration.  Sometimes all you need for motivation is someone to bounce ideas off of, get feedback from, and talk problems through.  Whether you collaborate with a fellow classmate, teacher, parent, or counselor, working with someone else can be very beneficial in helping you to better understand a concept. 

Which of these skills do you feel you need to improve?  Have you mastered any?  Just remember, each skill you develop while in school, will help you become more successful in your future education, career, and life in general.  Wherever you are a heading, take what you learn in school with you. 

Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East, it’s all about you.