Back to School with Hybrid, Virtual Learning, or Home Schooling and 5G Connectivity!

Schools all over the country closed last school year in an effort to slow the spread of the virus popularly referred to as Covid-19. As we approach the 2020 back to school season, many schools are making the tough decision to open full time in-person, full-time virtual, or with a hybrid learning model that involves virtual and in-person classes. With the school’s reopening approach up in the air, parents have started to debate the idea of homeschooling.

Today I’m going to talk a bit about the differences between homeschooling, virtual, and hybrid learning so that you can make an educated decision during the 2020 school year. The decision to send your kids back to school is a personal one, and there’s no one size fits all solution for every child. That’s why I feel it’s essential to know the differences between each of your options so that you can rest a little easier knowing that you’re making the best schooling decision for your children this back to school season. Of course, adding to the complication of this decision is your home internet connection and bandwidth. Thanks to T-Mobile, which has the nation’s largest 5G footprint, that’s something my family doesn’t have to worry about.

What is Hybrid Learning
Hybrid learning is something that many school districts have opted to do with their 2020-2021 school year. The school will have in-person classes for a portion of the week for students while hosting a virtual classroom for the other days in the week. Hybrid learning looks differently from school district to school district.

I’ve seen some school districts with a hybrid learning plan that involves portions of the students attending in-person class Monday and Thursday, with the remainder of the students attending in-person classes Tuesday and Friday, with Wednesday being a virtual class day for all students. This option helps offset the number of students in class at a time and allows for a midweek cleaning session for the school.

Either way, Hybrid Learning will require a connection equipped to handle particular school work, projects, and campaigns digitally. To that end, T-Mobile has bigger (and better!) plans to supercharge 5G. Anyone looking to enjoy the benefits of 5G needs to have a 5G signal, and with their commitment to bringing 5G for all, it’s easy to see why parents would be interested in benefiting from the largest 5G network in the country during this time.

Here are the 5G phones available at T-Mobile: https://www.t-mobile.com/devices/5g-phones

What is Virtual Learning
The other back to school option that many parents have is to attend virtual classrooms. This approach is offered in different ways throughout each school district. Many states have an online charter school or virtual school that students can enroll in if they opt to do virtual learning instead of in-person learning. You’ll want to ask your local school district about the various virtual learning options available to you.

In a virtual learning setting, your child will attend a virtual class where teachers interact virtually through Zoom meetings, emails, and a dashboard area within a virtual school’s website. This virtual learning option may mean that you need to register your child as a home school student. Again each district is different, so you’ll want to discuss this with your local school board before making a decision. No matter, this option is entirely digital and will need to be aware of your network coverage to avoid missing out on classes and learning. For those who have WFH (work from home) parents or guardians, it is crucial to prepare for strong connectivity given that everyone will be online at the same time.

The Un-carrier’s unique combination of low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum makes T-Mobile the only wireless provider with resources to bring a truly transformative 5G experience to people in cities and rural areas.

I’ve been testing T-Mobile’s 5G service in my area for the past few months and the faster speeds have helped me stay on top of my business and my new job as home teacher while the rest of my family can enjoy streaming videos and join Zoom calls all at the same time!

What is Home Schooling?
Lastly, another option for any parent out there in the states is to home school their child. Homeschooling is not like it was in the old days, where the parents had to figure out a curriculum to ensure their child gets a solid education. There are many homeschooling online platforms and curriculums you can enroll your child in or purchase for use with homeschooling.

You will need to abide by local state laws and regulations on homeschooling, so be sure to check your state’s laws and requirements. For non-homeschoolers, it is now required to submit a letter of intent to homeschool via certified mail to your SAU (School Administrative Unit). Doing so notifies them of your intention to homeschool, and they can update your child’s status in their records.

With each of these options for schooling this back to school season, I can imagine the majority of the parents and guardians are rather overwhelmed. Keep in mind that some students do well in a virtual setting while others may benefit from the hybrid model, and then other students simply do best in a home school environment so they can complete work at their own pace and parents can choose what their student is learning.

People need consistent 5G access to enjoy 5G’s benefits, and T-Mobile customers can get a 5G signal in more places than anyone else. Even more, T-Mobile is dedicated to helping those forced to WFH (work from home) during the pandemic to be best equipped to deal with the demands of the new mobile-first world. An independent report finds T‑Mobile has nearly 20x more 5G cities than Verizon and AT&T combined.

Just like most significant decisions in life, the choice for which method of schooling for back to school season will have pros and cons. It’s best to sit down with your family and make a list of pros and cons, discuss what your child wants, and come to a decision that will best suit your child’s future and safety for back to school 2020.

XOXO