Method Schools Offer Blended Learning for Southern California Students
A new public charter school system in California, called Method Schools, opened this year and
offers a blended learning model that combines online curriculum, project-based
learning, face-to-face instruction and flexible scheduling.
Students enrolled in Method Schools' blended learning track work through Fuel Education (FuelED) online curriculum
at home at their own pace and receive face-to-face instruction from teachers at
school. Each student has a personalized learning plan and can choose to attend
class one, three or four days per week, with most students choosing four. When
they attend classes on site, the teachers use project-based learning methods to
reinforce the material students have been studying online.
Students in kindergarten through grade 2 complete virtual school at home.
Students in grades 3-5 can choose to continue with virtual school at
home or they can move to the blended learning model. Students in grades 6-12 can choose from any of Method Schools' learning models.
"Our students have the flexibility of an independent study school, along
with a very comprehensive and engaging classroom experience," said Mark Holley,
co-founder of Method Schools, in a prepared statement. "It's like two schools
in one."
Method Schools administers student pre-tests, monthly benchmark assessments
and post-tests to track student outcomes closely. The schools' goal is for each
student to achieve 1.5 years of growth in math and reading each year.
Method Schools currently serves 110 students in preK-12 at locations
in Murrieta and San Diego, and plans to open a third location in Los Angeles in
the fall.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].