By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5 Helpful Networking Tips For Healthcare Professionals
    September 28, 2020
    Sovaldi: An Example of Price Discrimination
    March 30, 2015
    nursing education
    Your Study Path in Nursing: Hardships in Education and How to Overcome Them
    January 28, 2023
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How Cyber School Helped My Sister With ADHD Thrive
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Parenting > How Cyber School Helped My Sister With ADHD Thrive
Parenting

How Cyber School Helped My Sister With ADHD Thrive

Kara Reynolds
Kara Reynolds
Share
7 Min Read
SHARE

 

Contents
The Benefits of Cyber SchoolA Personalized Approach to LearningThe Future of Online Learning

Cyber school is a relatively new concept. Instead of heading to a classroom and sitting in front of the whiteboard, kids stay home. They access lessons online and talk with teachers and peers through video, email and text.

I’ve heard a lot of concerns about this style of education. Can kids learn when they’re sitting in front of a screen? How will they socialize?

For my family, cyber school was a lifesaver. My younger sister, Abby, has ADHD and struggled with school most of her life. Her teachers complained she never sat still, blurted out answers and always seemed to be daydreaming.

More Read

ADHD substances
Impacts of Caffeine & Other Stimulants on ADHD Treatment
How Parents Can Support Their Mental Health During Divorce
Why Breastfeeding is Good for your Baby
What Are the Benefits of Deferred Transfer Fertility Treatments?
Having A Healthy Relationship As A Parent Makes A Huge Difference

Experts break ADHD down into two categories — inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive. Abby’s considered inattentive. She often loses her homework and forgets about due dates. She gets distracted during tests and makes careless mistakes.

My sister is smart, but she can’t focus in a traditional classroom setting. When cyber school came into the picture, she had a chance to thrive.

The Benefits of Cyber School

What’s cool about cyber school is that it’s all free, just like public school. Plus, the curriculum follows the same state-mandated standards. Once Abby was enrolled, they sent her a laptop, printer, and all the typical textbooks. She’s now one of more than 628,000 cyber students in California, where she lives with her Mom.

Abby likes to go to virtual classes, which are live videos. She can turn on her microphone to respond to the teacher. She can also type questions in the chatbox. If she gets distracted — which happens often — she can refer back to the recording.

The class might be virtual, but Abby can still interact with her peers and make friends. The teachers often team people up for projects. Then, they collaborate online, sharing documents in the cloud, and working together on a finished project.

Last month, Abby and her classmate, Shauna, developed a slideshow about the respiratory system for health class. The biggest benefit was that Abby could work at her own pace. She didn’t have to compare schedules with Shauna to work together.

I’m not saying cyber school made Abby a perfect student. She’s not a fan of math class — though I can’t say I blame her. It was my worst subject in school, too. Luckily, I don’t have to tutor her. The school provides one-on-one sessions for any kids that need help. Mondays after school, she sits down — virtually — with Mr. Stromberg and reviews the assignments for the week.

A Personalized Approach to Learning

One reason I think my sister thrives in cyber school is because of Ms. Webb, her learning coach. Ms. Webb helps Abby create her schedule each semester, a mix of both online and traditional schoolwork. She also tracks her progress and reaches out when she needs help.

Abby can’t get away with spending two hours on schoolwork each day. Not only will the whole family know, but so will Ms. Webb. Yet Abby’s flourished with the newfound sense of responsibility. She doesn’t have to study during a set time, but she knows she has to carve out at least eight hours a day.

When there are no strict boundaries — like a classroom or seven-to-three schedule — kids with ADHD can thrive. Abby’s proof of that. Our family has been nothing but proud of her since the switch. In fact, according to one survey, 90% of families with children in cyber school are satisfied with the experience.

Most people think cyber students sit in front of a screen all day, but that’s not true. The education, much like in a traditional classroom, is a blend of mediums. Kids can attend virtual classes, collaborate in the cloud and take self-guided assessments. Yet they also work from textbooks and write out answers with pencils.

Abby is taking her first French class this year, and she’s got her nose in her workbook all the time. She has to write out different tenses for verbs and match up pictures with the English definitions.

Students can also join school-run conservatory events. During an environmental science workshop, Abby got to wade through a local stream and collect microscopic organisms. Later, the students looked at their findings under microscopes.

She also joined a dance show, where she meets up with students each week to rehearse. This program is how she met a lot of her friends. Their concert performance — “A Tribute to Queen” — is only a few months away. I can’t wait!

The Future of Online Learning

Cyber school is still a hot topic in a lot of places, but it shouldn’t be. Kids like my sister can significantly benefit from a non-traditional learning path. Not everyone is cut out to sit in a chair and stare straight all day.

With online schooling, Abby has the flexibility she needs to excel. Plus, she’s not the only one seeing the perks. Before, her mom and my dad were stressed. They tried to get Abby to study more and boost her grades. Yet nothing worked. Cyber school — a hyper-personalized approach to learning — was the answer the whole time.

TAGGED:ADDADHDcyber schooleducationlearningonline educationonline learning
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Kara Reynolds
Follow:
Kara Reynolds is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Momish Magazine, an inclusive parenting magazine filled with parenting hacks, advice, and more to keep your beautiful family thriving. As a mom and stepmom, Kara hopes to normalize blended families and wants her readers to know that every family is beautiful and messy just how they are. When she's not writing, Kara enjoys pilates and likes a little coffee with her cream. Find more from Kara on Twitter @MomishMagazine.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

ParentingSpecialties

Five Delightful And Useful Must-Haves For Mums To Be

May 7, 2019
ParentingSpecialties

When To Take Your Child To A Pediatrician

July 27, 2020
Health careMental HealthObesityParenting

The Positive Impact Of Outdoor Activities And Events On Kids’ Health

October 11, 2019
ADHD
News

Are You Born With ADHD?

May 23, 2024
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?