Courses and Instruction FAQ’s

Yes. For many students, online independent learning is an excellent way to develop personal strengths. After all, not every student feels comfortable raising their hand in a traditional classroom setting, or asking a question without fearing embarrassment. Every student deserves the chance to share their thoughts and get helpful feedback from teachers and advisors. Insight offers an environment where this can happen at each student’s pace, when they can focus best.

Teachers at Insight School of Minnesota, all of whom are Minnesota-licensed, play a central role. We combine state–of–the–art online teaching techniques with experienced state–certified teachers to create an environment where students feel engaged, empowered, and challenged. Our teachers know how to connect and inspire, and they’re dedicated to helping each student succeed. They’re able to spend their time focusing on teaching, mentoring, and engaging with students—rather than on time–consuming classroom management—so they can build one–to–one relationships with each student to understand and respond to their individual strengths and needs.

Insight School of Minnesota teachers also answer day–to–day questions and assess student performance through assignments, exams, and quizzes.

Some courses do require textbooks, but most textbooks are electronic. Insight School of Minnesota provides required books to all students.

The content component and structure of our biology and chemistry courses are the same as for our other courses. We make use of the latest technologies to enable students to participate in virtual labs and dissections.

Being successful at Insight involves staying active both inside and outside the classroom. We have a set of courses that teach and emphasize individual physical fitness and nutrition. These courses require the student to perform fitness activities and measure and report on their individual fitness as they complete individual physical fitness exercises.

Like a traditional full-time public school, Insight School of Minnesota encourages students to develop responsibility for academic progress. That means there are assignments, due dates, and deadlines. While some of what we do is more flexible in terms of the times and the places students do their work, we also make sure that parents and teachers are involved to help students progress through coursework in a timely manner.

Insight School of Minnesota takes academic integrity very seriously, and we have a number of methods to prevent plagiarism and inappropriate collaboration. We use several online tools designed specifically to identify plagiarism. Our online quizzes and exams require special passwords. Our online quiz technology can detect when a student is copying from another student.

A more subjective, but no less effective, tool for identifying cheating is the teacher’s knowledge of the student’s ability, past work, and verbal “print.” Keeping in mind that much of the relationship with the student is built via written word, a student’s “word print” is as unique and identifiable in an online classroom as a student’s face is in a face–to–face classroom.

Although no school—online or otherwise—can guarantee 100 percent academic honesty, we’ve taken robust and reasonable measures to monitor student activities and to identify cheating when it happens. Instances of academic dishonesty are dealt with immediately and in accordance with school policy. Prior to enrolling, students and their parents are required to read, agree with, and sign an academic honesty policy.

We know that parental interest and involvement can play a key role in student success; although for some students parent involvement may not be possible. We strongly encourage parents to support their student in their studies, keep informed of their progress, and encourage them to stay on top of their work. Parents are provided access to up-to-date information about their student’s progress throughout the year via regular communication from the teacher and school.

We also recognize that as students enter their high school years, they often seek to become more independent. Our high school program is designed to support exploration of that independence, while still providing necessary guidance, support and expertise for both parents and students through our Family Support Team.

Parents are provided access to our learning management system and can enter the online system at any point with a username and password. Grades are updated weekly. Also, Insight School of Minnesota teachers are always available to consult with parents by email or telephone. And, of course, parents always have access to their student’s progress and report cards each month and can view lessons, student log-in activity, class calendars, etc.

Beyond the ongoing support offered by our teachers every day in class, Insight School of Minnesota supports today’s students with a host of innovative programs, including a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program, remediation programs, and much more.

No. Although your student will benefit from your encouragement and knowing that you care about his or her progress, Insight School of Minnesota teachers and staff are available for problem–solving and support even when you are away. One benefit of our program is that your student can study at his or her own time, place, and pace—you can observe your student “going to school” whenever your schedule permits the opportunity, even when you’re at home together.

Insight School of Minnesota is a public school, so our courses and the credits earned are transferable.

We are considering offering a summer program to Insight School of Minnesota students in the future.