Foreigners in the Czech Republic are discovering the benefits of educating kids online

As schools around the world moved their classrooms online this spring due to the coronavirus outbreak, virtual education has become not only a necessary but viable learning option.

We spoke with the founders of two online schools based in the Czech Republic who say interest in virtual learning is on the rise:

“A couple of weeks into quarantine, families began to contact us in search of experienced, professional online instruction,” says Brandon B. Moseley, Co-Founder and Director Of Business Development for Hill Castle International School.

Since then, the school has received a high number of applications from students and families that are choosing to stay online for the next academic year.

In fact, Moseley says that their applications for September 2020 are up by just over 250%, the majority being students in grades 5-9. “Some families have enjoyed the freedom of studying online, others are choosing to stay online due to personal safety concerns,” Moseley adds.

Even though it has taken time for online education to reach Europe, Moseley believes it’s finally here to stay. “After over 20 years in North America, the option of studying online and receiving a complete education is now recognized as being a viable alternative to traditional schooling,” he says.

“We added Zoom and Loom videos and so we were up and running our online school the very next day after quarantine,” says Head of the American Academy in Prague, Yvonne Crawford.

“Thankfully, our staff is very familiar with helping students and parents transition into online learning,” says Moseley. “We expect this year to be even easier as parents already have an idea of what the experience will be like.”

One difficulty with online education is the lack of social interaction. “This is why our counselor and teachers are always encouraging students to develop friendships within their live lessons and other interactive situations as well as advising parents on selecting extracurricular activities that allow the development of interpersonal skills,” says Moseley.

Many kids attending online schools, however, already have very active social lives outside the classroom.

For example, Crawford says many of their online students are involved in sports and other activities in their hometowns and favor online learning so they don’t have to give up those extra-curricular activities they enjoy.

“Our online students will also get to participate in our signature theme weeks, which allows them to work on a special guided project three times during the year,” says Crawford. This is another chance for students to interact with other children.

Perhaps one of the most unexpected advantages of the surge in online schooling is that prices are a lot more affordable.

“But our online school is a specially good option because it is very affordable while still helping children to work towards their educational goals,” Crawford says.

Moseley adds that this year, the school has expanded its teaching staff with the expectation of more families choosing to remain online.

“This is due to their newfound familiarity with online education, ongoing safety concerns, and the affordability of online schooling compared to traditional international schools,” Moseley explains. “

Financial considerations have been a major factor for families choosing to remain in international school but switching to the online option.”