Helping Your Kids Adjust to Remote Learning 👩🏾‍💻
As many schools shift to online learning in the wake of school closings, teachers and students are adjusting to this new normal and figuring out the best way to move forward. As a parent, regardless of whether or not you are able to be home with your child, there are steps you can take to help ensure their success during this difficult and transitional time.
Multiple news outlets have published resource lists that can help you figure out how to talk to your kids about coronavirus, find activities to keep them busy, and maintain a calm home environment. Others list educational content that can supplement their online lessons.
It is important to remember that everybody involved in your child’s education is impacted by these changes, and there will be hard times and readjustments as everybody learns how to navigate this new situation. Open communication between you, your child, and their teachers is essential and will allow you to find the best way to support your child.
Provide Support
School is a huge part of the structure of you’re child’s life, so with that gone, it is important that you provide that sense of security and reliability. However, the amount of help each child needs to will vary. Some may be excited to set their own study schedule and take control of their learning, while other will flounder and struggle to be productive when their course materials are online, which offers access to numerous distractions.
For older children, the best way to approach this is to have a conversation about how prepared they feel to tackle online learning and how much help they need from you. For younger children, this guide from EdSurge offers advice for establishing a helpful routine. At any age, this is a great time to look at your child’s strengths and encourage them to leverage these when it comes to their education.
Set Expectations
Many kids will transition from spring break directly into online learning. After a week of lounging and video games, it is important to help them understand that they are shifting back to a learning environment, even though they’re still at home. This can be as simple as a to-do list or as involved as a daily schedule.
Either way, make sure there is communication with teachers about your child’s new expectations — for example, maybe getting to class on time in the morning will be replaced by logging on for a daily Zoom meeting. Make sure your child understands these new expectations and feels confident about being able to stay on top of their schoolwork.
Enable a Learning Environment
Every child is different when it comes to where they will be most productive. Some may need a designated space like a desk or kitchen table and playlists to tune out distractions. Some can migrate all over the house with their laptop and do just fine. Make sure your child can create a study space where they feel they can learn effectively.
During the school day, your child gets breaks as they walk from class to class, go to recess, or take lunch breaks. The physical movement and mental relief help keep your child motivated and focused, which is just as important if they are learning from home. Make sure your child is taking breaks so they don’t get tired and frustrated. For older students, the Pomodoro technique might be useful.
Access Class Materials
Many school systems are transitioning to online models, but those require internet access. This guide answers multiple questions about this topic and lists several providers offering free or reduced-price Internet access for eligible households. If accessibility is still a challenge, another option is contacting your child’s teacher to see if they can make paper copies of the material and assignments.
When it comes to the online models, some schools already had Google Classroom or Remind partially incorporated into their system. Some are just moving online now, and many are using video chat apps such as Zoom, Loom, and others for the first time to allow video chat lectures. Make sure your child is familiar with the online tools they will be using and is comfortable with how to reach out to their teachers, access the course material, and submit assignments.
If your middle or high school student needs additional help, we at Student Success Agency have launched a free virtual service called Support For All, which is providing college advising, academic tutoring, and at-home learning guidance for the remainder of the school year. You can learn more and sign your child up for personalized support at https://studentsuccess.co/support/.
