To those outside of the online high school environment, it can sometimes seem like online instructors are distant, no-faced beings who don’t communicate with students. But in reality, many online students find that they communicate much more with our instructors than they ever did in their traditional schools. Without the distraction of managing 30+ kids at a time, online instructors have more time to provide individualized instruction to every student.

1. Email

In online school, every teacher has an individual email provided to all students at the beginning of each course. This way, students can easily send messages to their teachers and usually get a response within 24 hours or less.

2. Instant Messaging

Another way to contact teachers for a faster response is through instant messaging for a more immediate response. Students can log into their coursework, see if their teacher is online, and get automatic help from their instructors through chat.

3. Phone call

Online students also stay in contact with instructors through phone calls. Schools will have instructors call students as often as every week to check in and see how they can help them with their academic goals.

4. In many cases, text message

Nowadays, teachers even offer text messaging, either through personal phones or a program such as a Google phone line. This provides students with a way to communicate with their instructors using a form of communication they’re completely used to.

5. Real-time online sessions

In online courses, teachers will hold real-time classroom online sessions to instruct the course, answer questions and hold classroom discussions. In many instances, teachers also are more than willing to schedule a one-on-one online session with students for tutoring and more personalized instruction.

6. In-person appointments

Students who live within driving distance of their online schools can additionally stop by the office and get in-person support when needed. These are often scheduled in advance, but an in-person appointment can provide that face-to-face support from online instructors.