Q&A with Claire Park, from South Korea

Claire Park is a Grade 11 student from Seoul, South Korea. Claire has many dreams, including both athletics and academics. However, the global pandemic forced her to alter her plans, keeping her from the international travel required to attend her usual school in Collingwood, Ontario, and threatening her ability to follow her post-secondary goals. Luckily, Claire found Ontario Virtual School. Though located far from her home in Seoul, OVS allowed her to continue with the Ontario curriculum, so she could return seamlessly to her usual Ontario school once circumstances allowed. We asked Claire a few questions about her experience with OVS so far, and she was kind enough to provide us with the following responses, which we would like to share with you here.

What are you currently doing academically?

I’m currently studying Grade 11 Financial Accounting with OVS. It’s a course I’ve been wanting to take for a while, therefore, I’m very excited to get deeper into the course!

I’m from Seoul, South Korea, but I’m currently attending the National Ski Academy in Collingwood, Ontario. The National Ski Academy offers boarding for international students like me. However, due to the pandemic, I was forced to come back home to South Korea where I’m completing school virtually until returning to Collingwood in August.

What factors influenced your decision to enroll with OVS?

OVS has allowed me to take a course that has a link to the material I’m wanting to learn during my post-secondary years. Almost giving me the feeling of getting a step ahead and a step closer to post-secondary.

What have been your favourite parts of your experience with OVS so far?

The best thing that comes with learning with OVS is the flexibility you are given, perfect for students like me who are busy balancing school and sports. Considering the fact that OVS has students from all across Canada and some from around world, communicating with teachers is very easy. My teachers always respond when I need them.

I appreciate that the course structure provided at OVS enables me to learn at my own pace, and when I’m having a difficult time grasping the material, I can go over the units as many times as I need, in comparison to my day school where I’m following along to the pace of my teacher or peers. OVS also allows me to structure classes around my busy schedule, unlike traditional schools where students are forced to sacrifice things to complete school. 

Do you have any advice for people who may be considering online learning?

With flexibility and freedom comes the importance of self-control and preventing procrastination. I advise students looking to take courses online to prepare themselves to build a schedule they can follow, for example, ‘completing a lesson per day’ or a weekly goal of ‘completing three lessons a week’.