Exploring the Benefits of In-Person Field Trips in Virtual Learning Environments

In this episode of Sage Studio, Tiffiny Webster sits down with Lana Beshara, Principal of Virtual Learning Academy (VLA), to discuss the incredible growth and success of the program. With over 600 students, VLA offers a unique virtual learning experience that goes beyond just online classes. Lana shares how they prioritize creating a sense of community and connection among students by organizing field trips and offline activities.

From the very beginning, VLA had the vision of providing students with a different kind of virtual learning experience. They wanted to ensure that students not only had access to virtual curriculum and textbooks but also had the opportunity for hands-on learning with labs and projects. This approach has allowed students to have a more well-rounded educational experience, fostering connections with their peers and the real world.

VLA organizes field trips for the entire school once a month, giving students the chance to not only meet each other in person but also experience real-life learning opportunities. As the program grew, they started adding grade-level field trips to further foster connections within specific classes. Now, students have the opportunity to participate in two grade-level field trips and one all-school field trip, totaling 12 different experiences throughout the year.

These field trips have become the highlight of each month for VLA students. It's a time for them to see their friends, connect offline, and truly feel like they are part of a community. The grade-level field trips allow for more personalized connections, as students are able to interact with their own class in a more intimate setting. The all-school field trips expose students to different college and career opportunities, such as visiting the Pantages theater for a performance or attending a Clippers game.

What sets VLA field trips apart is their focus on relevance to what students are learning in class. The trips are tied to grade-level standards, providing students with a hands-on, real-world experience that complements their curriculum. For example, during a trip to Knott's Berry Farm, students can explore concepts of force and motion, bringing their classroom studies to life. This connection between classroom learning and real-world experiences allows students to engage and retain knowledge in a more meaningful way.

VLA's commitment to community extends beyond just the students. They encourage families to join in the field trips and other events. Even with a large student population, they aim to provide opportunities for family involvement, ensuring that the community feel extends to parents as well.

Visit www.sageoak.education for more information on the program and how to provide your child with a well-rounded educational experience that extends beyond the virtual classroom.

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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Transcript

0:14

Welcome to another episode of Sage Studio. I'm Tiffiny Webster and today I'm joined with Lana Beshara, Principal of our Virtual Learning Academy. Welcome back to the podcast, Lana. Thank you. So glad to be here. Always good to talk to you and hear what's going on with the Virtual Learning Academy. I cannot believe how much the Virtual Learning Academy continues to grow. How many students are you up to now? Almost 600. Unbelievable. So exciting. It's such a great program. I know that so many of our families are enjoying it. They love the structure. They love the teachers. They love everything that you are doing. So congratulations on really growing that program. Oh, thanks. It's our team. They're incredible. So good. I know that one of the reasons you know that that program continues to grow is because you do such a phenomenal job with the culture of your program that not only do the kids have a great experience in the online learning environment, but that they really have. So many opportunities to connect with each other offline in real life, and that that has become a really big component of your program. So talk to me a little bit about how did that come about? How did you even go about including that as a portion of a virtual learning program and why is that important to you? Yeah, I think from the very beginning, we always had the idea that we really wanted students to have a different experience here, that it wasn't going to be your run of the mill virtual program that students would be able to meet in person students wouldn't even have virtual curriculum right that they would have the textbooks and really like hands on learning with labs and projects. And so I think all of that lends itself to this unique experience and blend. Of not just being on the screen, but being able to experience things in real life and connect with each other. We really want people to feel like they're part of a community. And to that end, we had field trips when we were much smaller with our whole school once a month. And, and then we branched out and started to add a grade level trip as well, because we really wanted the students to be able to connect with their classes. And that has evolved into two grade level field trips and one all school field trip. So students do have the opportunity if they wanted to, to really have 12 different experiences throughout the year. And we love them. It's just, it's the highlight, highlight of each month. Oh, I can imagine. I mean, I bet that the students love that time to get together and to see their friends in real life and to connect offline as much as they do online. And, you know, I bet it really starts with the grade levels because that is their core group, right? That's where the students are really getting to know their friends and their peers. how are those becoming an instrumental part of the program? Because I mean, you expanded them from one field trip a year to two grade level field trips the years they must be good. it's so funny because they had started to do them in the spring, and then they were like, No, we want to meet everyone. Just our class like in the fall, so we do one in the fall where students can really have the opportunity to connect if they haven't already been to like one of our all school socials and met their teacher. And then they have an opportunity in the spring as well. And what I've just noticed is that the kids really get to connect on a smaller level because there isn't as much, not as many people, right? You just have your teachers, just your class, and you can really connect with them there. And then at the all school, it's still really fun, but at least you have a baseline, right? You've met your friends and your teachers in person, and you can feel more comfortable. And we get to meet the parents and the families too, which is fun. I know that the grade level field trips are a little bit different than the whole school field trip. is that connected to things that they are studying or things that just more age appropriate? Or what is the thought behind those field trips? Yeah, they are connected to what they're studying so they're really getting that like hands on real life experience. For example, even at Knott's Berry Farm, there's something like six different grade levels going and they all have an experience for their grade level, particularly related to the standards that they're learning. And so every trip is connected and tied to grade level standards or something that they're learning. And so it does bring that to life in just such a special way, for sure. it is fun when it feels relevant to what they are learning in class, and they can go and have that experience out in the real world, see things, you know, in that case, probably their force and motion and all the exciting things that they talk about on those Knott's Berry Farm excursions, then when you start having those conversations in class, students are able to draw from that and really have that connection, which is, So cool. For sure. For sure. And in our all school field trips, we really try to expose them to different like college and career opportunities, like we went to Aladdin, the Pantages, so they could learn about performing arts. We're going to have an Ontario Clippers game coming up in March, different things like that to really help them explore different opportunities in that way. We also have SeaWorld STEM day coming up in November. So that's science, technology, engineering, and math that can relate to all of the different grade levels, which is really neat and fun. Now, is that a regular field trip that anyone can participate in or is STEM day something special that's just offered for school? How is that different than a regular SeaWorld field trip? Yeah, SeaWorld is putting on a special STEM day And so knowing that we booked this over a year ago and really our events team is phenomenal and have scouted out these opportunities and came to meet me, but it was in spring and was like, they're going to have a STEM day. So we're like, okay, we're going to do it. And so just started to look at some of those things and how. How we could bring our entire community to these experiences are our school having 600 students are all school field trips can be quite large. so finding those opportunities where these places are offering something for schools and learning in particular, but also that they're okay with how large our crowd is, has been a fun thing to navigate. And it's great to, to be able to provide those experiences because they really get to come with their family too. You know, that's something that's so neat. And I know at a, at a usual school, it's like, Only a few parents are picked out of a hat to be able to attend, but here it's yes, bring your parents, like your family and come enjoy with us. And so that's what I think has really contributed to that community feel as well in our program. I think you're right. And yes, it may pose a bit of a planning challenge to find places that offer these amazing experiences as well as are large enough to accommodate the crowds. But I do think you're right. That is what sets Sage Oak apart, is that there is such a importance placed on the community of parents and family along with the students. Because they see them all as players in their education. So involving them in these experiences is a priority as well. And I think that's something that our families really appreciate I think too, it's really special that they are getting these experiences that they wouldn't have otherwise. As far as what they get to experience in the field trips, not only do they get a chance to. go somewhere with other students and meet up with other families, but they're also getting a chance to participate in events that they wouldn't otherwise get a chance to do. What other special things do you have? you mentioned briefly something about the Ontario Clippers. So tell us about some of the other things that you're, that you've got planned, Lana. You've got a lot going on. A lot going on, I know. So the Ontario Clippers is a special, VIP experience for us, which will be really cool. We're actually going to be able to talk to the owner which is very, very fun. And there will be a special opportunity for the students to watch them practice like pregame practice and even afterwards get signed autographs and learn what it's like, what are all the jobs associated with A sports organization, not just the players, but there's so much behind the scenes, right? That'll be really fun. We also have our service project coming up after that in the spring, where we get to really team up with the Rangers at Huntington Beach and, and help the environment. And we really love. love having those experience where the students get to serve while they're together and be on a trip. And we're starting a whole service initiative and unit in the spring too. So it's really fun to be able to kick that off with that that in person trip there. So that'll be really fun. So I love that the field trips that you have planned are so well rounded and that there's something for everyone, which is so great. I think that everyone will be able to find their place in the field trips or something that appeals to them. And there'll be lots of different educational value as well as community value out of those in addition to the field trips that you have planned, talk to me about some of the socials that your students are participating in, in addition to these big field trips. Yeah, so we had a beginning of the year. Social was so fun. Everyone got to meet each other and. We had lots of different activities, including art, and then we have another social coming up in December, very excited, it's a winter wonderland, so we're going to explore different science, and we are going to have someone who does special assemblies for bubbles and slime and different things related to water, art projects, all that fun stuff, and that'll be really amazing, because the socials are unique in that all the teachers are there, and It's a really fun way for the students to connect and not just see their own grade levels, but also see everyone else. And then in the spring will actually have a promotion ceremony, which is very fun. First time we'll have done that for kindergarten, fifth and eighth grade, and then right afterwards, we'll have a social. Again, we bring in vendors and we do just some really fun things. The kids always get some fun, say joke swag. And we just have a really good time. So looking forward to that at the end of the year. That is going to be great. I think just speaks to the growth of the VLA program and how you're continuing to progress over the years and to finally have the first in person promotion ceremony. That's going to be really moving. It's going to be really exciting and very touching. I know that there's so many people who play a role in helping these students progress throughout the program. So what a great way to end the year for sure. So fun. I'm very excited about that. And we always have the mayor, the mayor of Rancho will come and we'll probably be able to give awards to our students as well. So it'll be really special time. Always that bringing that community aspect is so awesome. So good to see all of that. When we have families that are new to Say Joke and they want to get to know other VLA families, what is the best way for them to start? Does does it all start with the beginning of the year social? Is that the best way for them to, to get to know other people? That's a one start, but sometimes we have people who come in already into the year too, you know, so for sure the beginning of the year social, but also we have a directory within our own classes where parents can sign up to get each other's information and they can try to connect that way as well. And then when students are starting to chat it's a very cute like in class. They'll, they'll connect. And so those parents will connect and they'll buddy up and figure out a way to meet on different field trips also. So I definitely would say the socials are one aspect. And enrolling in our directories that our teachers send out for their classes is another way and then coming to the field trips like seeing people in person and just getting connected is a fantastic way to feel like you're part of a larger community. Thank you. So good. I'm really glad that you addressed that point of families dropping in at different times of the year, starting at different times of the year, because I think you're right. Sometimes we forget that not everybody's here right at the beginning of the year. Knowing that you have created opportunities for them to meet other families, no matter when they join the Virtual Learning Academy. So good to know. So really important there that parents have a way to plug into other families locally. And then, as you said, those grade level field trips or school wide field trips or socials are another great way for them to plug in something that I think is also incredible and something I definitely want to make sure that our families realize is that when you are part of the virtual learning academy, these field trips are included. Talk to us a little bit about that, that there's no out of pocket expenses for students on these field trips. That's right. So when you join the Virtual Academy, you are able to join the field trips. Everything is provided. So when you're enrolling, the only thing that you're paying out of pocket for is your, is your own ticket as a parent or guardian if you want to attend with your student, it's again, another key component of the Virtual Learning Academy that there is this community built in. These experiences are built in. We have family experiences, whole school experiences, multi grade level experiences, single grade level experiences. Really awesome to see all the things that are going on there. If families want to keep up with all of this and be in the loop about what's going on and what's coming up next, where is the best place for them to do yeah, on our website, our website has all the trips, but also my weekly newsletter. So in my newsletter, I always have the upcoming field trips. And I have a virtual academy events at a glance, so they can see everything on one document. And even instead of scrolling through the website that shows them when all the trips are, when they're happening, what's happening. And so they can look for that. And that's all in the newsletter every week. Awesome. Okay. Very good. We'll make sure that we remind parents of that in our show notes that for more information on all of these VLA field trips to check your newsletter as well as the Sage Oak website. talking about hitting the ground running, you are going straight to a field trip tomorrow, hitting the Tanaka Farms pumpkin patch with a bunch of kids. So that should be a good time. What are you guys in for tomorrow? Ever been pumpkin picking anything else going on in the pumpkin patch tomorrow? Yeah, we get to explore different animals. We get to actually pick vegetables and we get to take a train ride. It's gonna be fun. So fun. I love it. So good. Lana, I'm glad that I made this just in the nick of time and we were able to get you in between all of these events. Always good to hear everything that's happening at BLA. And I'm so excited to just see the way that this events and community side of things has grown for the program. And I bet our families are really thrilled about it, too. So thanks so much for bringing this to the program. Thank you so much, Tiffiny. Pleasure to be here. Always. All right. Again, we will put information into the show notes. So if you wanted to get more information on the VLA events happening this year, you can check Lana's weekly newsletter or visit SageOak. Education. All right, Lana, have a great time with the patch. Thanks. Bye.