CGA is More Than Just a Zoom Class

For many students and parents around the world, COVID-19 brought with it the very first “online school” experience. The quality of this experience varied. A lot.

In the scramble to turn physical classrooms online, some schools transitioned better than others. Links were emailed, worksheets assigned and there was some semblance of a normal school. Other schools understandably just could not rise to meet the challenge. The result being occasional check-ins, disengagement and a year or more of lost learning.

What we often see at CGA is that the online learning experiences families had during lockdowns is basically what they think online learning is like at every online school. But this couldn’t be more wrong.

The difference between a school struggling to rapidly transition online in very trying circumstances versus a purpose-built, private online school is essentially a night and day comparison.

So what should a best-case scenario online school actually look like?

Study Hubs: Access to Physical Facilities

Unlike many other online schools, CGA offers students access to physical facilities through Crimson Education-owned study hubs and partnerships with institutes. These facilities include study spaces, meeting rooms, science laboratories, and social activities such as theater, dance, and sports facilities.

CGA has set up study hubs at its offices in many cities, providing students with opportunities to study, collaborate with other students, and engage in extracurricular activities.

Advanced Technology: Immersive Digital Classrooms

CGA utilizes leading education software like Kami and ManageBac, as well as proprietary software, to provide immersive digital classrooms with interactive, multifunctional online whiteboards and efficient assignment tracking and management tools. This allows students to be more efficient with their note-taking and focus on enriching interactions with their instructors and peers. All CGA lessons are recorded and fully transcribed for future reference by students.

The technology resources at CGA are unmatched by traditional brick-and-mortar schools, as CGA originated as a technology company and is constantly improving the online experience for students and teachers.

Interactive Learning: The Importance of Collaboration

At CGA, students and teachers have the ability to interact through live polls and quizzes, break out into smaller groups for collaboration, message and chat to provide input and feedback in real-time, and use the interactive white-boarding tool to animate, annotate, and collaborate with peers.

All classes are recorded and transcribed, allowing for easy study notes and catch-ups if required. This flexible collaboration feature enhances the learning experience and promotes active engagement among students.

Crimson Education App: Convenient Communication and Management

At CGA, we understand the importance of efficient communication and effective management for our students. That's why we provide them with the Crimson Education App, a powerful tool that streamlines these processes.

Session Management: Students can easily manage their sessions in one place. They can view their schedules, track upcoming classes, and stay organized. This helps students stay on top of their academic commitments and ensures they never miss an important class.

Push Notifications: Whether it's a reminder about an upcoming assignment or an announcement about a school event, students can stay informed and up-to-date with real-time notifications.

Seamless Communication: Students can easily send messages, ask questions, and seek clarifications from their teachers or classmates from anywhere. This fosters a sense of community and collaboration among students, facilitating smooth communication and interaction within the CGA community.

Subject Overview: The app offers students a clear view of all their subjects in one place. They can access their course materials, assignments, and grades, allowing them to track their academic progress and stay organized.

Engagement and Community: Students can participate in discussions, collaborate on projects, and engage with their peers, creating a vibrant community within CGA.

Extracurricular and Leadership Opportunities

At CGA, we believe that homeschooling is not just about academics, but also about providing a well-rounded education that includes extracurricular activities and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. We have a combination of both faculty-led and student-led clubs as we understand the importance of balancing academics with other experiences to foster holistic growth in our students.

Student-led clubs

At CGA, we are committed to nurturing young leaders who possess the skills necessary for success in the future. Our student-led clubs are formed by students and provide a way for them to collaborate with others globally on a subject of interest. Students can even propose and form new clubs.

Some of our student favorites include:

Roblox: Club members learn how to build and code robots. Top members of the team will be invited to represent CGA at global competitions.

TEDx: Students join together to organize CGA TEDx and contribute to all parts of the process - from topic selection to understanding the TEDx group.

Ideas: Students test their entrepreneurial skills and make suggestions about how we can improve at CGA - teaching styles, activities and social ideas.

Art: For our creatively minded students who are keen to improve and share their work with the school community and beyond.

Faculty-led clubs

Within CGA, our faculty-leads are run by our teachers and offer a wide variety of clubs, offering students a chance to explore their interests, hone new skills, and connect with peers from around the world.

Economics Club: For students interested in current affairs, understanding the news, and pursuing degrees in social sciences.

Maths Club: Students engage in challenging problems, maths quizzes, and have the chance to represent CGA in competitions like the International Youth Math Challenge

3D Game and Web Development Club: The 3D Game Development Club allows students with a passion for gaming to further develop their skills in creating their own video games/apps. This club works with the Web Development Club where students interested learn website design and coding.

Investment Club: The Investment Club is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in banks or as management consultants at firms like McKinsey or BCG.

Model UN Club: The CGA Model UN Club helps students take their global classroom experience to the next level by engaging in discussions on important world issues in a global forum.

Startup Founders Club: This club is perfect for budding entrepreneurs. Students receive coaching on startup essentials and can participate in a CGA pitch competition.

Gender & Sexuality Alliance: It's a community that celebrates diversity and fosters acceptance for all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Psychology Club: Students delve into psychological studies, conduct research projects and deepen their understanding of how psychologists do research.

Technovation Girls: Girls find a problem in their community and build a mobile app or AI project to help solve it.

Future Health Professionals: Students learn about various medical professions and participate in CGA's own health professionals competition.

Through our school-led clubs, CGA aims to instill leadership qualities in our students, while also providing them with practical skills and experiences that will benefit them in their future careers. We believe in preparing our students for success in all aspects of their lives, and our school-led clubs are an integral part of that mission.

Online Internships

CGA is proud to be an online high school offering educational, online, global internships to accelerate the future careers of ambitious students. Through our online internships, students have the opportunity to gain real-world experience and interact with mentors at renowned companies such as Uber, KPMG, HSBC, Dentons Law, Weiss Asset Management, and Y Combinator.

Flexible Study Options: Customized Learning

CGA offers flexible study options to cater to different needs and preferences of students.

Full-time Enrolment:

Full-time students at CGA can enroll in 4+ International GCSE or 3+ International AS/A-Level subjects, have access to all clubs and community events, and are eligible for student leadership positions and academic, career, and social counseling.

Part-time Enrolment:

Part-time students can join CGA in addition to their traditional school, study in the evenings or weekends, receive an official Crimson Global Academy school report and academic transcript, and graduate with International University Entrance Standards.

1:1 Da Vinci Program:

The 1:1 Da Vinci Program allows students to study one-on-one with personalized attention and support from expert teachers.

Single Subject Study:

CGA also offers the option for students to study a single subject of their choice, allowing them to focus on a specific area of interest or need.

Personalized Attention: Small Class Sizes

One of the main advantages of CGA is the smaller class sizes compared to physical schools. With fewer students in each class, teachers have more time to give each student personalized attention and build a closer relationship with them. This can lead to better learning outcomes as students are more likely to feel comfortable asking questions and seeking help when needed. Teachers can also adapt their teaching style to meet the needs of each individual student, which can be difficult in larger classes.

Behavioral Management

One of the biggest challenges that teachers face in physical schools is managing student behavior. In CGA, however, students are self-selected and have a desire to learn, which means that behavioral issues are significantly reduced. This allows teachers to focus more on delivering their lessons and less on managing disruptive behavior, which can be a major source of stress for teachers.

World-Class Staff

CGA employs highly qualified and experienced teachers who are passionate about teaching and have a deep understanding of their subject areas. Since CGA teachers are not required to perform additional duties such as lunchtime supervision or coaching sports teams, they are able to focus all their energy on teaching and ensuring that their students receive a high-quality education. This results in better learning outcomes for students and a more fulfilling teaching experience for teachers.

Conclusion

CGA provides an alternative educational model that is more flexible, personalized, and focused on academic excellence. With smaller class sizes, and a dedicated focus on teaching, CGA offers a compelling solution to many of the challenges facing traditional schools.

Find out how your child can benefit from joining CGA, by speaking to one of our Academic Advisors today.