How Our Online Classroom Works

Choosing an online school is about more than finding a curriculum. It’s about finding a learning environment where your student feels known, challenged, and supported every step of the way.

For families considering online school—or wondering what happens when their student logs into class—the live classroom experience matters. Students need more than a screen and a lecture. They need opportunities to connect, participate, ask meaningful questions, and learn alongside mentors and classmates.

Great online learning doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when thoughtful instructional design, dedicated mentors, and the right technology work together to support students.

That’s the kind of environment we work to create every day at Williamsburg Family of Schools.

We regularly evaluate the tools and practices we use, from curriculum and instructional methods to the technology supporting our classrooms. Every decision is guided by one question:

Will this help us provide students with an even better educational experience?

For families, that means you can trust that we’re continually looking for ways to strengthen every part of your student’s education, not because change is the goal, but because better learning is.

Live Classes Designed for Active Learning

Your student is more likely to stay engaged when they are actively participating, not simply listening.

That’s why Williamsburg’s live online classes are intentionally built around connection, discussion, collaboration, and critical thinking. Rather than sitting through long lectures, students participate in conversations, work with classmates, and engage with ideas in meaningful ways.

Each class follows a consistent structure that helps students know what to expect while creating opportunities for deeper learning.

A typical class includes:

• A connection question or activity that helps build classroom community
• A brief moment of silence to settle in and prepare to learn
• An engaging lesson hook that sparks curiosity
• An interactive lesson informed by real-time student understanding
• A clear wrap-up that reinforces key concepts and learning goals

This rhythm provides helpful consistency without making class feel repetitive. Students understand how class will flow, while mentors have the flexibility to respond to questions, adjust instruction, and create meaningful opportunities for participation.

The result is a classroom where students are not passive observers. They are active members of the learning community.

Teaching Students How to Think, Not What to Think

Students need more than memorized facts to succeed after graduation. They need to know how to think critically, solve problems, communicate clearly, and engage respectfully with different perspectives.

That’s why one of the defining characteristics of our curriculum is the Socratic Method.

Instead of simply providing answers, mentors ask thoughtful questions that encourage students to analyze ideas, explain their reasoning, and develop their own understanding.

Students learn to ask better questions, evaluate information, support their conclusions, and listen carefully to others. These skills help them become confident thinkers and lifelong learners, both inside and outside the classroom.

The Mentors Behind Every Great Class

Technology plays an important role in online learning, but the mentor leading the class has the greatest influence on your student’s experience.

Williamsburg mentors receive specialized training for online instruction because effective virtual teaching requires more than presenting slides or sharing a screen.

Mentors facilitate conversations, encourage participation, and create opportunities for every student to contribute. Throughout each class, they monitor understanding and engagement, adjusting instruction in real time when students need additional support or greater challenge.

Across every live class, mentors are guided by six core instructional practices:

• Modeling: Demonstrating curiosity, perseverance, respect, and a growth mindset.
• Connection: Building strong relationships and fostering a positive classroom community.
• Engaging Presentations: Using stories, visuals, discussion, and interactive activities to make learning memorable.
• Data-Driven Instruction: Using student learning data to personalize instruction and respond to individual needs.
• Quality Feedback: Providing timely, meaningful feedback that helps students continue growing.
• The Socratic Method: Encouraging thoughtful questions and helping students develop their own understanding.

Together, these practices create classrooms where students are challenged academically while also feeling seen, supported, and connected.

Why the Right Technology Matters

For many years, Williamsburg’s live classes were held on Zoom, a widely used video conferencing platform. It served our students and mentors well, but as we continued looking for ways to improve the live classroom experience, we saw an opportunity to use a platform built specifically for teaching and learning.

That led us to transition to Engageli.

This decision reflects the same thoughtful approach we have taken in other areas of our program. Last year, for example, we carefully piloted and adopted Derivita after determining that it would provide a stronger math learning experience for students.

We don’t make changes simply because something is new. We evaluate, test, and improve because we believe even good systems can become better—and because every improvement has the potential to make a meaningful difference in your student’s education.

Engageli supports the kind of live online learning Williamsburg has always valued. Its education-focused features include:

• Seamless transitions between whole-class instruction and small-group collaboration using interactive "tables."
• Built-in classroom tools that encourage discussion and participation.
• Real-time attendance and engagement insights that help mentors identify students who may need additional support.
• Enhanced security through Canvas integration, helping ensure students access only their own classes.
• Interactive recordings and built-in note-taking tools that make reviewing lessons easier.

Simply put, Engageli helps us do what we've always wanted to do: create online classrooms that feel more connected, collaborative, and engaging.

Everything Your Student Needs in One Place

Students access everything they need through Canvas, our central learning hub.

Canvas is where students find assignments, coursework, recordings, announcements, and links to live classes. When it’s time for class, they launch Engageli directly from Canvas.

At the beginning of the school year, students complete an Engageli orientation so they can become familiar with the platform and its features. Because any new technology can take time to learn, students can revisit the orientation video whenever they need a refresher.

The goal is to make the technology feel simple and intuitive so students can focus on what matters most: learning, participating, and connecting with their class.

Always Improving for Your Student

While some things evolve, the heart of the Williamsburg experience remains the same.

Students will continue learning from the same caring mentors, interacting with the same classmates, and following the same class schedules. They will continue participating in thoughtful discussions, collaborating with peers, and being challenged to think deeply.

What changes are the tools we use to support that experience.

When families choose Williamsburg, they place their trust in us to provide an exceptional education. We take that responsibility seriously.

That’s why we continually evaluate our curriculum, instructional practices, and technology, looking for every opportunity to strengthen your student’s learning experience.

Our mission has always been to prepare promising students for meaningful lives as principled leaders. Every improvement we make—from the way mentors teach to the technology supporting our classrooms—is another step toward helping students think deeply, lead with integrity, and thrive in whatever comes next.