Hi! It’s Joanna with her teacher’s hat on again today.

I have been talking to a plethora, well more than a handful, of people about what happens when a student transitions from grade 9 into grade 10 in British Columbia, specially in the Online Learning world. As an Online Learning teacher, I work with “enrolled” families with students between kindergarten and grade 9. (“Registered” homeschoolers in Canada, don’t work with a teacher, but can still move into the Grad program in Grade 10). Once you move into Grade 10, you are enter into the fantastic world of the Grad Program. This is when education gets seriously exhilarating. Not only do you have the freedom from the Kindergarten through grade 9 program, but you have expert teachers in their subject area with courses designed to help students be inspired to learn about that topic. But wait, it gets even better.

In British Columbia, “enrolled” students in Kindergarten through Grade 9 are funded per student (@$7,000+ per year), but once a student hits grade 10, they are funded per course. This is so exciting for me to ponder with my families as we can now truly create the flexibility that your student is looking for.

Currently, our grade 10 son takes 2 courses at the local high school (AP Science and Animation/Robotics) and 2 courses online at home with me (English and P.E.). You can search out the best courses and the best teachers and take them online or in person (if you want to move cities) from any public or independent school in the huge province of British Columbia.

A few years ago, early on in our own home learning journey, I met the most inspiring mom of four beautiful young human beings. She had spent time talking, researching and then applying to get into multiple courses in multiple schools around the province. It created the richest and most diverse learning opportunity for her kiddos that I have personally ever seen.

In the online world, a teacher or course that is “less than stellar” doesn’t last because guess what, no one will sign up for it. It’s amazing to watch the best courses and teachers rise to the top for our online learning students to be able to choose from. YAHOOO!

Today, let me encourage you that once your student hits grade 10, there truly is flexibility for them to design their life and their learning. Do you want to work? Go for it! Want to play the piano 5 hours a day? Clank, clink, kaboom! Do you want to do a deep dive into the media arts and work with the best teachers/mentors located in Vanderhoof, BC? Anything is possible!

And that’s all from me today folks. Thanks for hanging out for my little teachers talk about things that absolutely fire me up: Students’ finding and following their passions with the BEST teachers and courses we can offer in British Columbia. Seek and you will find!

Have an epic Wednesday folks and love what you do.

xoxo Joanna