We have made it to a new year and there are still many school systems that are operating through some sort of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Distance learning can be a strenuous task for many students and their parents. However, in many areas of the globe, it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
These distance learning tips and tricks can help you and your child go into the new year with a fresh outlook on their school year.
Learning Space and Routines:
- Start by establishing a clear space that will be designated for learning that is comfortable and distraction free. This is a vital way to help set your child up for success with distance learning.
- Create a schedule that can be followed each day that includes built in time for breaks to help you and your child with time management.
- Children of all ages feed off structure so do your best to follow the daily schedule and stick to an expected routine.
Setting Expectations and Goals:
- Set clear expectations for your child so that they can take responsibility for their own actions and have ownership of themselves and their work.
- Create goals with your child to help them have a direct objective to aim towards meeting.
- Try to be within close proximity to your child during the distance learning day to help them stay focused and on top of their schedule.
Provide Feedback and Praise:
- Students are used to getting detailed and direct feedback when they are in the classrooms so it is important to provide feedback as often as you can.
- Provide specific praise and feedback. For example, rather than say “Good writing” say “I love how you worded your history essay.”
- Recognize your child’s efforts and make them aware that you are acknowledging how hard they are working.
Communication:
- It is important to have open communication with teachers and administrators at your child’s school about any changes in the expectations of distance learning.
- Check in weekly with your child or child’s teachers to ensure they are completing assignments timely and will not get behind.
Online Resources:
- Be sure you are utilizing all the amazing online resources that we have at our fingertips to make explaining or teaching a foreign topic to your child easier.
- Searching in Google or YouTube for a specific standard will bring up explanations, demonstrations, and modeling videos which will help you easily clarify unknown concepts.
These tips and tricks are great first steps to help make distance learning less of a daunting task and more of a smooth experience. For more on how to encourage academic success with your child, check out our parent and student resources.
