The mind of an online instructor works completely differently from a traditional teacher's. For one thing, the online instructor has to be much more flexible. Whereas in a traditional classroom all students are basically in the same place at the same time, in the online environment students are all over the board. One student might be working in an early unit, while another is just about done with her coursework. This situation does take some getting used to, but it is better for students because it does not force them all to conform to the same schedule.

Online teaching is much more individualized. Students and teachers get to know each other very well through phone calls. While most online schools have schedules that students have to follow in order to keep moving through the courses, there is much more room for flexibility. If students start the year late, they are not considered behind. They do not have to “make up” work and “catch up” with the other students. They start on an individualized schedule and follow it the same way as other students in a formal school would. In other words, the schedule is fitted to the student, not the student to the schedule.