Online Learning Tips: How to Help your Child Transition to Remote Schooling

With schools of all levels around the globe closed, students are urged to continue their studies through distance learning.

The trend toward online education has greatly accelerated in the last few months. Temporary alternate solutions being used as online learning tips include everything from online classroom tools (e.g. Google classrooms) to video conferencing software like Zoom to podcasts conducted by teachers.

This is a challenging, unpredictable, and stressful time for everyone—students, teachers, and parents.

While some parents may be adjusting to this new concept, it is crucial to ensure that kids stay focused and committed to learning, and avoid too much social media, games, and videos.

There are strategies you can employ to ensure the transition goes smoothly and your child still gets the best education possible.

Remote online learning can be beneficial for children as they can work at their own pace. They can also take breaks as needed. However your child may risk falling behind or even failing if they struggle keeping up with daily lectures and homework.

Transitioning to remote learning can be more effective with a feasible, workable, and comfortable timeline for your child. Having set times for homework and lessons is important to create discipline and structure in their day.

Here are some online learning tips to help you and your child transition to remote learning:

• Create a Conducive Space for Maximum Learning

The majority of students, kids especially, learn more and achieve their best work in an area that is free from distractions. Set up a comfortable, quiet area solely devoted to learning. It should be a different space from where they usually watch TV or play games.

Remember, that your child may be spending most of her/his day in this space. You must make sure that the space is not only ideal for learning when it comes to noise, but also consider any orthopedic issues that may arise related to posture and comfort.

• Seek Support

Not all parents have the necessary supplies or other resources needed to support distance education. Software and hardware issues may also pose some hurdles to online learning for many kids. If this is a problem, speak with your child’s teacher or someone else at the school. Ask them if there is any assistance they can offer. Some schools may be willing to loan WiFi hotspot devices or laptops to support their students and ensure that nobody misses out on their education.

If you have only one computer at home and your child needs it for remote learning, speak to your employer for possible flexible work arrangements that might be made. Perhaps your work schedule can be adjusted to accommodate working around your child’s school schedule. Or your employer may be willing to provide an additional computer for work use.

• Practice Online Safety and Decorum

Technology plays an important role in the lives of our children. It is a staple for many to connect.

Kids are confident users of the internet and all forms of digital media. However, they usually use the internet for fun or to play games, which is very different from using it for online education.

Remind your kids to behave well and appropriately online with their peers and teachers, as they would normally be when they are in school. Make sure that all communication is conducted in secure and private chat platforms.

Ideally, keep the doors open when your child is video conferencing with teachers or other students to ensure safety, especially for one-on-one private meetings.

• Set Measurable Goals

Having a set of measurable and specific educational goals for your child while on remote learning, will keep you and your child on track throughout the academic year. Create a list of goals and divide them into short-term and long-term goals. Revisit the goals regularly, perhaps during a weekly organizational session, to assess and adjust the goals as needed.

• Value and Consider your Child’s Inputs

Online learning may be a new thing for your child. He/she might compare the new online lectures to their previous experiences in the classroom.

When selecting classes, listen to their ideas and consider their inputs. They may tell you which classes they enjoy the most. Also, give them the freedom to choose extracurricular activities that will give them the opportunity to experiment with new skills and discover new hobbies and passions.

Transitioning to remote learning may be a challenge at first but with these online learning tips, you can ease it smoothly. Though just like any new venture, it takes time and patience to adjust to the new set-up.

ABC Academy offers support and resources to our students to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. Contact us today.