School is still out for millions of children nationwide as K-12 education shifts from the classroom to the internet. While many school districts are giving their teachers crash courses in online learning, parents also play a major role in ensuring that kids get a first-rate education. Here’s how to help your child with virtual learning.
Are you struggling to balance your day with supervising your child’s coursework?
Try these suggestions for providing the parental guidance and input your child needs.
Planning and Preparing
Your school may have sent your child home with devices and materials for completing their assignments virtually. You’ll still need to provide structure and motivation.
Follow these strategies to develop an effective structure:
- Schedule your days. Stick to your usual routines as much as possible, including bedtimes and mealtimes. Let your child know you expect them to log in on time for classes each morning.
- Arrange your space. Designate an area just for school. It may be a room or a section of the dining room table as long as it’s quiet and comfortable. Stock up on supplies like notebooks, pens, and calculators.
- Limit distractions. Ban games and movies during class time. Keep in mind that some children may learn better with a little background music.
- Enjoy recess. Breaks and lunch hours are essential. Serve healthy food and provide lots of fun options for physical exercise.
- Be social. How can your child maintain their friendships? Use technology for group study sessions, video chats, and virtual play dates.
- Contact your school. Ask school officials and teachers about the most effective way to communicate with them and stay in touch regularly. Find out what resources are available for collaborating with other parents.
Basic Study Skills
Teach your child to learn effectively. Strong study skills will be a valuable asset online, offline, and in their future careers.
Strengthen study skills with these techniques:
- Give practice tests. Many studies show that testing yourself is one of the most productive ways to learn. Design questions together. Treat quizzes like a game to reduce anxiety.
- Conduct reviews. Prepare for tests by going over past material on a regular basis. Your child is more likely to forget their lessons if they cram at the last minute.
- Create outlines. Identify key facts and major themes. Building a framework increases reading comprehension and strengthens writing skills. It also encourages critical thinking.
- Proofread and edit. Review your child’s completed assignments before they’re submitted. Make revisions together until they’re comfortable doing it on their own. If they are typing an assignment, you can try Grammarly. It is a free online writing assistant.
- Evaluate your progress. Give your child constructive feedback. Discuss teacher comments and test results. Ask your child to describe their strengths and weaknesses. Set specific goals like reading a certain number of pages each day or looking up unfamiliar vocabulary words.
Passion Projects
Take advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with your child. Create happy memories and nurture their personal interests.
Consider these ideas:
- Browse for resources. Even if field trips are on hold, there are vast collections online for any subject your child loves. Delve deeper into dinosaurs or sports nutrition.
- Be selective. At the same time, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by your choices. Start out with a few reliable sources or ask your child’s teacher for recommendations. For example, you might want to explore the PBS Parents Play
- Show enthusiasm. Make learning a fun activity that draws you closer together. Reward your child’s efforts with prizes like stickers or baking their favorite dessert. Hang their artwork on your refrigerator door and applaud when they read you their book reports.
While circumstances may change, the importance of education remains the same. Help your child to gain knowledge and skills that will enable them to have a positive impact on the world.
Be patient with yourself and stay connected as you make the transition to virtual learning.
Check out this post:
