Club Descriptions

At the K12 International Academy, we are often asked how we successfully support all of our clubs and socialization online.

Because we believe that connected learners are successful learners, our online clubs help foster relationships—and build life-long friendships, a key ingredient in student and parent satisfaction.

Though school-sponsored clubs are teacher moderated, they are often initiated and brought to life by energetic students who are eager to share their passion for an activity or topic with other like-minded learners. Last spring, our Chess Club had members representing as many countries as there were members. Without the online environment, which greatly enhanced the success of the club, this would have been impossible to accomplish.

Much like what students experience in a traditional school setting, our clubs offer many of the same features, as well as some added benefits. The only difference is that students connect through a web-based meeting tool, rather than face-to-face.

Photography Club meets several times each month. Students identify a particular technique as it relates to photography, learn how that technique might be applied, then spend the next week demonstrating that technique by taking photos. Students post their photos on a secure, invitation-only, password-protected online gallery, where they can also submit feedback and comments about others’ photos. Later in the month, members meet online to tour the gallery. This gives students the opportunity to present their photos and discuss observations with their classmates.

Our Headmaster recently attended a series of meetings and was very impressed with the students' enthusiasm and club involvement. She was in awe of the photos taken by students world-wide—from the United States to Hong Kong to Australia and Switzerland—and shared the enthusiasm of this unique, global community of learners!

Book Club meets each month via Elluminate Live! , a web-based meeting tool. It's here that students select a novel to read and discuss the novel once they finish. Students remain connected through this password-protected website, which features a message board dedicated to the club and to the book of the month. Students can find a synopsis and "extras" from the period/setting of the book, fun trivia, and much more.

Club members can also use the message board to encourage each other as they read along, to pose questions they might have between online meetings, or to make general comments. This spring, students chose to read Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. Published in 1849, the content deals with social, political, and industrial tensions that were common during that period.