Online learning – The Independent Learner

How to Stay Engaged During Academic Breaks

Summer vacation, as most of us know it, or extended breaks from education, can cause students to regress academically. Whether you’re a student who follows a traditional academic calendar, or one who prefers to work more consistently throughout the year, there are things you can do on academic breaks to keep your skills sharp and ready for future studies.

Read often

Reading engages your mind in more ways than you may think. Not only does your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills expand – studies have shown that reading actually changes your brain activity and strengthens neurological connections. If it isn’t a current pastime for you already, consider regularly reading something that interests you to make it more enjoyable and habitual. Magazines, novels, comics, or even cookbooks are all fair game!

Continue to practice skills

While it’s probably the last thing you want to do while on a break from school, try practicing your skills during some free time. Whether that means solving some math problems, performing a science experiment, or reviewing old flashcards, practicing helps you retain information and will leave you better prepared for your future academic plans.

Get involved in community programs

Every community is different with many offering a variety of free or paid camps and programs for youth over the summer. Do some research to see what opportunities are available to you – chances are you may even make some friends along the way!

Pick up a new hobby

Starting a new hobby is a great way to explore your interests while stimulating your brain. Hobbies allow you to discover new things and think creatively while simultaneously helping you de-stress and learn time management. On breaks from school is the perfect time to begin a new hobby – so go do that thing you’ve always wanted to try!

Volunteer

Volunteering is another great experience that allows you to stay engaged mentally (and often physically) while also giving back. Nonprofits are constantly looking for volunteers, and helping an important cause is a great way to sharpen social and analytical skills. Not only this, but volunteering can boost your understanding of issues around you and has the potential to improve your college applications.

Travel

Traveling is known for its ability to foster cultural appreciation, self-awareness, and independence. Whether you decide to travel across the globe or take a weekend to explore an unfamiliar area nearby, traveling is a great way to fight academic regression. Try taking a trip with your family to a nearby museum, or take the opportunity to tour college campuses you may be considering. No matter where you go, you’ll be exercising your brain and ready to return to your studies refreshed and prepared.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, all these options are great opportunities to retain academic sharpness during breaks from school. No matter what you choose to do, know you’ll be doing your brain – and your body – a favor. UNHS is proud to offer courses 24/7/365, and this summer is the perfect opportunity to enroll in a course that interests you! Explore our course catalog of over 100 courses and find the one that’s right for you.

Have questions? You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, or by contacting us!

Productive Study Strategies for Homeschool Families

Whether you’re a seasoned homeschooler or got your first experience with homeschool through the COVID-19 pandemic, you can always create a more productive home study environment for your family.

At the University of Nebraska High School, we have been developing distance learning curriculum for over 90 years. The academic success of each student is our top priority, and an important part of that success is productive, healthy home study strategies.

Read on to give your study routine a boost before the new school year.

1. Establish a schedule and stick with it.

One of the nice things about homeschooling high school is the flexibility you can have with your child’s schedule. You can build in time for extracurricular activities, rehearsals, and practices beyond the regular curriculum with a lower risk of burnout. UNHS courses can be completed at your student’s pace and at any time of day, so you have plenty of freedom to build the ideal schedule.

Once you find a schedule that works, develop it into a routine for optimal results. A reliable schedule makes it easier to consistently study, and regular, predictable studying habits help students retain information better than occasional bursts of studying.

2. Rely on your teachers and advisers.

Just because your family has chosen to homeschool, doesn’t mean you have to manage your child’s entire education alone. UNHS teachers, advisers and customer support staff can be contacted during weekdays and are happy to help you and your student solve problems.

By the time a student reaches high school, he or she should be equipped to independently study for periods of time. However, during independent study, it can be useful for your student to have an expert resource like a teacher to briefly discuss a problem with. UNHS staff members are friendly and passionate about elevating students to new levels of success.

3. Create concrete goals.

Measurable goals with reasonable benchmarks are a simple and fun way to motivate students to achieve more. You and your child can set an overarching goal for each course, then break down that goal into smaller objectives that he or she can accomplish in each unit or lesson.

Be sure to write down each goal and the steps your student needs to take to achieve them, then display the list in a visible place. A physical reminder of a goal makes it easier to reach. Work with your student to monitor progress and feel free to adjust goals to better fit your student’s learning needs. Developing productive study strategies is an evolving process, so don’t be afraid to change direction and try something else.

UNHS is an accredited online high school that prepares students for college and beyond with a wide variety of challenging courses. Visit our website, browse our courses, or contact us today to learn more!

Significance of a Distinctive Diploma

What does high school graduation mean to you?

With a myriad of opportunities, expectations, and results, your high school experience and graduation can stir many different emotions and feelings.

At the University of Nebraska High School (UNHS), we look forward to honoring and celebrating our graduates. Here I want share some of my random thoughts on high school graduation and specifically graduating from UNHS.

Graduating from high school is a part of the transition of becoming an adult. It is an important milestone to celebrate and also a good time to . . . .

Reflect on your high school experience and recall the good, and not so good, times. However, whatever you have for past memories it is soon time to get on to the next step, which could be . . .

Attending a two or four year college. Since UNHS is a college preparatory high school, this is the path for most of our students, but not for everyone. Some students . . .

Do something else. Whether it is joining the workforce, the military, taking a gap year, or another route, for their life path. This happens because . . .

Unique individuals make up a graduation class. Isn’t it great that students are distinctive and do not all have the same interests? In fact, at UNHS our graduation class is made up of . . .

Athletes, visual and fine art students, homeschoolers, students from public and private schools, students with health conditions, highly gifted, and don’t forget we serve . . .

Traditional and non-traditional students. Many UNHS students complete their high school program in the typical four years or less, but some graduate later in life. Also, not all are U.S. students . . .

International Students are an essential part of UNHS. At least half of our UNHS graduates are located outside the United States. No matter where our graduates are from, they have this in common . . .

Online courses with the University of Nebraska High School. The state of Nebraska currently has a tourism slogan of “Honestly, it is . . .

Not for everyone.” This statement may also be true for some students who may be considering UNHS, but UNHS is an integral pathway for our honored graduates.

So back to my initial question . . . What does high school graduation mean to you?