Outschool classes are working brilliantly for your learner, but perhaps you’ve found yourself needing a schedule change. Maybe your learner wants to complete lessons at a time that suits them rather than the live class start time. Or, you might be wanting to interact with teachers in a different time zone than you. Flex Classes are the answer - and you’ll be excited to find out why!
As a home-educating mum of two, we have tried various class formats to find out which might suit our children best. But equally, as a business owner and work-from-home mum with a husband working shifts - sometimes our kid’s favourite class times do not mesh nicely with our availability.
Sound familiar?!
This is where Outschool’s Flex classes, for us, have been an absolute gold mine. They enable us to continue studying with our favourite teachers, especially those in a different time zone to us, whilst also helping our kids to learn at a pace that suits them.
Let’s dive a little deeper and find out what flex classes are, and why so many families are choosing to take them alongside live class formats.
What Are Flex Classes?
Flex classes offer pre-recorded content made by teachers for students to engage with. They are ideal for students that might:
- prefer non-live classes,
- are unable to attend the available live class options,
- want to study with a teacher in a different time zone to themselves,
- like to learn at a pace that suits them.
You can view flex classes available on Outschool here. Adjust the filters at the top of the page to narrow down the search even further for classes that are most appropriate for your learner.
How Are Flex Classes Any Different To Other Types of Outschool Classes?
Unlike other class formats offered by Outschool, flex classes are pre-recorded, which means there are no live classes with the teacher. The material is uploaded each week by the teacher for you to access and review at home.
Flex classes must last a minimum of 4-weeks, but the content within those four weeks varies between each teacher and class subject. It is always best to check the class description when considering a flex class before purchasing so you know:
- What to expect
- Can gain an idea of the teacher’s posting schedule
- Whether there are any additional resources provided
Due to the nature of flex classes, most often include a variety of resources, activities, and assignments at age-appropriate levels for students to interact with.
We have taken a variety of flex classes that included different types of activities such as worksheets, videos, online quizzes, links to additional sites for extra resources on a given topic, craft activities, stories, and more. (For perspective, my kids are under 7 so most classes we choose to offer a more hands-on learning approach than lecture-based sessions.)
There are also plenty of opportunities for students to interact with the teacher and their peers during the flex class, should they wish to. In a live class, learners can engage with the teacher and peers via zoom through face-to-face conversations or the chat feature. Whereas in a flex class, learners have the option to post comments, pictures of their work, or even videos for peers and the teacher to respond to.
Although flex classes do technically have an end date, if you fall behind for any reason, you still have access to the classroom to review any materials and videos posted for an additional 30 days. (It is subject to each teacher whether they continue to offer support or not after the flex class's official end date.)
For a more direct comparison between each class type offered by Outschool, make sure to check out our post here on our UK Outschool Blog.
5 Reasons To Take A Flex Class
Flex classes can work well for learners and have personally benefitted my two children.
But if you’re still not sure about whether flex classes are the right option for your learner, consider these reasons below to give them a go:
1. Flexibility
Flex classes are incredibly flexible! Although the teacher will have a set posting schedule they need to stick to it. In terms of your learner reviewing the materials, as long as it is before the flex class expires, you can review the materials at a time and day that suits your schedule.
2. Indirect Interaction
For learners who find direct interaction challenging or prefer to communicate non-verbally, flex classes could be a way to still access learning materials without the pressure of interacting.
Engaging in flex classes is completely optional, though encouraged for a full class experience. This helps take the pressure off reserved learners so they can focus on the educational experience and still receive support without a requirement to interact with fellow learners.
3. Teacher Options
Sadly not all teachers offering amazing classes will be able to provide class times suited to every time zone. This is where flex classes can come in extremely handy for connecting learners with excellent teachers around the world.
Instead of being limited to only classes with teachers that have classes listed during your available hours, when considering a flex class, it opens up the possibility to connect with teachers from New Zealand, Australia, America, and Canada. Not to mention the potential of meeting learners from around the world.
Did you know that Outschool has students from 183 different countries around the world enrolled in classes on its platform? So there is a high chance of engaging with a learner in a different country to you within one of the many different flex classes available.
4. Choice
Just like Outschool’s live class formats, there are lots of choices when it comes to flex classes. With classes ranging from core curriculum content such as learning how to read or multiplication, to skills-based classes such as photography or playing the recorder.
5. Resources
As flex classes are pre-recorded and do not have a set time limit like a live class does, often, teachers incorporate a range of resources into the flex class. This is brilliant for accommodating different learning styles and making materials more accessible. Plus, instead of a live class needing to retain the information in the class, as a flex class is pre-recorded, learners can watch and review the videos as many times as needed. Flex class content does vary from teacher to teacher and class type, so if in doubt, reach out to the teacher via private message on Outschool’s platform to confirm what materials are provided during the course.
Will you be choosing one of Outschool’s flex classes for your learner’s next topic?
