Cushman Virtual’s Live, Real-Time Instruction Model

Cushman Virtual is built around live instruction. Students attend teacher-led classes over Zoom three days a week, participating in real-time discussions, asking questions, and receiving immediate feedback, not working through a library of pre-recorded videos on their own. This live learning model is one of the biggest differences between Cushman Virtual and many other online schools, and it’s also one of the questions prospective families ask most often.

Why Does Live Instruction Matter for Online Learning?

Live instruction offers immediate interaction and personalized support, which can enhance comprehension and engagement, whereas self-paced learning allows for more flexible scheduling but may lack the immediacy of feedback and guidance. In live classes, students can ask questions and participate in discussions, fostering a collaborative learning environment. On the other hand, self-paced learning can lead to isolation and decreased motivation if students struggle without real-time assistance.

How Do Live Classes Work at Cushman Virtual?

Students join teacher-led Zoom sessions three days a week and participate in collaborative discussion with feedback as the lesson unfolds, the same way they would in a physical classroom.

Outside of those live sessions, students complete two to three hours of independent coursework each week. This is where the flexibility comes in. A student training for a swim meet, traveling with family, or juggling a demanding extracurricular schedule can complete that independent work on their own time, while still getting consistent, structured face time with their teachers during live class.

The result is a program that blends the accountability and connection of a traditional classroom with the flexibility that brings families to virtual school in the first place.

Who Benefits Most from This Model?

Student-Athletes

Student-athletes need a schedule that flexes around training and competition without losing academic rigor. Cushman Virtual’s coursework is NCAA approved, and live classes are structured to accommodate early practices and travel for competitions.

Traveling and Relocating Families

Traveling and relocating families need consistency more than anything. A student can log into the same live class from a different city, or a different country, and stay on pace with the same teacher and classmates.

Artists and Ambitious Students

Students with demanding creative or academic pursuits, from competitive dancers and musicians to young entrepreneurs, benefit from a program that respects their time without lowering the bar academically.

Academic Rigor Alongside Flexibility

Live instruction is only part of the story. Cushman Virtual students work through the same college-preparatory curriculum as their on-campus peers, with access to 30 Advanced Placement courses and 34 Honors-level offerings. Every course in the catalog is NCAA approved, and the program is accredited, which means the diploma a student earns carries the same weight as one from an accredited campus-based school.

Students also have access to dedicated college and guidance counselors throughout their time in the program, so academic planning and college preparation happen alongside the coursework, not as an afterthought.

For families who want more flexibility without a full-time commitment, Cushman Virtual also offers À La Carte Virtual Studies, individual accredited courses like Honors Physics, Computer Science, and SAT and ACT prep, taught live by Cushman faculty.

Is Cushman Virtual Right for Your Child?

If your family is weighing a fully self-paced program against something with more structure and real teacher contact, live instruction is the difference worth understanding before you decide. The best way to know if it is the right fit is to see it firsthand.

I would love to walk you through it myself. Schedule a Discovery Meeting with me and I will answer any questions about how live instruction actually works day to day. When you’re ready to take the next step, you can review how to apply or check our tuition and fees.

Arlene Sauleda

Associate Director, Cushman Virtual