Teachers never expected to face their students through a monitor, and students couldn’t imagine school without the classroom experience. Change alters morale, especially in young children who thrive in an environment of rules, a dependable schedule and peer interaction. While parents may feel overwhelmed by remote learning, there are several ways to help your child grow and learn.
Maintaining Routine
Remember the hustle and bustle before school? The sound of alarm clocks and the pounding of running feet down staircases? High-volumed chatter and the whirlwind of actions, hoping to slow time? You can improve the morning experience by asking the kids to set their alarm clocks and come down to breakfast promptly at a set time. Make decisions on what to serve that will boost excitement to the morning routine. How about preparing a crockpot oatmeal breakfast or making something simple, such as frozen waffles? Try concluding each week by offering a new family activity, such as making pizza, watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn or playing a board game! Anything is possible to promote a good day!
Eliminate Distraction
Working and learning from home presents logistic challenges for families. Business calls and team meetings do not create the ideal environment for a young learner, ready to abandon the desk for a more pleasurable activity – playing. Children, too, need an appropriate location to engage in live lessons, perhaps with a microphone headset. Lessons may range from 10 to 45 minutes; therefore, make a pact with your child to remain seated during lessons. Implementing classroom rules at home may ease potential wonderings.
Emailing Questions
Remote learning offers the necessity for students to pose questions to teachers after school hours. Encourage children to take responsibility for creating an email and using appropriate words, avoiding slang, to express problems or needs. In the process, they learn how to construct a letter format while forming complete sentences, including a conclusion, signature and punctuation. By helping elementary-aged children take responsibility for their education, it opens the door for improved communication in future years!
Grades and Missing Assignments
In a technological format, students now have plenty of resources at their fingertips. The “Power School” website enables students to view grades as well as identify missing assignments. Forgot Mrs. Marshall’s math lesson? Then, access the videoed lesson to gain understanding. Parents can establish times to view grades either daily or weekly, and praise for improvements or openly discuss a plan to tackle time management. If playing occupies the time for completing classwork assignments, perhaps, the solution is to wait until evening. Kids may feel happier with the new arrangement.
Experiment with Assignments
Without group learning experiences, children must rely on themselves to complete assignments. The high expectation can lead to emotional frustration from screams to tears. Parents can assist by offering an alternative approach!
- Reluctant readers may enjoy listening to a narrator, whether read-aloud or through an audiobook. Check out various apps for the cell phone, Kindle or iPad, which may allow a bookmark and the ability to rewind by 10 seconds to one minute.
- Schedule a Zoom session with your child’s best friend to talk about an assigned book or assignment. The interaction will instantly cheer up both children and encourage motivation!
- Most children achieve success with the help of visual aids; therefore, consider purchasing a magnetic whiteboard. With a variety of colored erasable markers, children can brainstorm writing ideas, learn to recall key vocabulary terms or practice mathematics problems.
- Incorporate learning strategies as your child prepares for a test. For spelling words, ask him or her to circle little words within the main word or separate through syllables. Other methods include creating meaning groups, songs, jingles, retrieval cues (such as mnemonics) or talking out loud.
Transition to Paper and Pencil
Keyboarding for an extended period requires healthy breaks to flex the fingers. Try implementing alternative activities during cold days, such as teaching the life skill of threading a needle and learning the art of embroidery, learning cursive or practicing yoga positions! Engaging the mind in a new focus may lead to enjoyment and contentment!
Monitoring Progress
Many parents feel left out of the educational process. Viewing assignments online is not an easy task, compared to a folder of completed work and tests. Rather than feel discouraged, take a moment to reach out to your child’s teacher to convey your concerns regarding motivation or the reason behind incomplete assignments. Distance learning cannot provide the whole picture, but parents can explain difficulties and receive well-needed guidance!
