As we approach another school year with the potential for more e-learning for kids, many parents are feeling the pressure. The truth is, we don’t know what the 2020-2021 school year (or any future school years) will look like. Many districts have yet to release guidance, and even those who have may change that guidance.
Many parents are opting to use a homeschool curriculum for the safety of their child. Other parents will find themselves in districts that decide to remain remote, or integrate a blended option into their schedule. Regardless of where your school district lands, education from home is here to stay in some form.
We already know from this past spring that working from home while your child is learning from home can seem impossible. But we’ve also learned a lot since schools first shut down. With a few tweaks, you can create a routine that works for the whole family.
Set a schedule that works for your child and you
Your child’s school likely has a set schedule with at least one or two class meetings each day, but it’s worth the time to sit down with your child and make a rough schedule for each day. Set a time to wake up that’s reasonable and varies no more than 20-30 minutes from day to day, and make sure to set aside time for exercise breaks, meals, and socialization. This is even more critical if you decide to use a homeschool curriculum.
Once your child’s schedule for education from home has been established, you can mold your work schedule around theirs as much as possible, trying to take lunch and exercise breaks at the same times and scheduling your work meetings during your child’s class meetings or independent work times.
Make sure your technology supports education from home
By now, hopefully some of the more common tech tools (like Zoom or Google Classroom) have become familiar and are designed to support e-learning for kids. If your child is going to continue learning in a remote environment this upcoming school year, now is a great time to check your technology and reestablish some boundaries. Here are a few to keep in mind:
- Always use a compatible browser. Chrome and Firefox tend to play well with technology tools like Zoom. Make sure you keep your browser up-to-date and test it frequently.
- Check your internet speed. If your video chat keeps cutting out, your internet might be to blame. Head to this website to check your speed. You’re looking for about 5mbps (megabytes per second) for downloads, 2mbps for uploads, at minimum. More ideal is around 30 mbps for downloads and 10mbps for uploads.
- Practice using your camera and microphone. If you’re testing new video chat software, make sure your child knows how to turn their camera and mic on and off. Every platform is a little different!
Remember–the technology we use for education from home is changing constantly. Don’t be surprised if something new comes around that will require a little time to get accustomed to.
Monitor your kid’s engagement when e-learning
While it’s important to avoid micromanaging, so your child can learn independence, it’s just as important to keep an eye on their engagement with classroom assignments. Keep a lookout for signs of decreased engagement like late assignments, poor time management, lack of motivation, or disinterest in assignments.
If your child is struggling with getting work done, you may need to step in to help with organization or set up a distraction-free work space. If you’re noticing a lack of motivation or interest, work together to create a reward system that your child is excited about. school assignments and keep your child learning even after their school days are over.
Extend class assignments
To further increase your child’s engagement (or to help them engage at all), find out what standards are being covered and work to extend them at home. You can take virtual field trips, do family projects, or read books about the topics covered in class. This will add some fun to the curriculum.
If you’re using a homeschooling curriculum, you can bake this directly into lessons. Plan for enrichment activities that incorporate real-world examples and play-based puzzles that make learning fun.
Communicate with the teacher
Many parents feel like they have to go it alone during e-learning, but your child’s teacher is an invaluable resource. Keep an open line of communication, read all correspondence from the school and classroom, and make sure your child feels comfortable asking for help before you get involved.
Teachers are new to remote learning too, but they aren’t new to teaching and child development. Ask for guidance about setting a daily schedule, completing assignments, and anything else you may need–they’re the experts!
If you’re homeschooling your child, make sure you tap into community resources. It can be easy for a homeschooling parent to feel like they’re living on an island, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Your local community likely offers resources, and here at The Critical Thinking Child we’ve developed an entire platform for parents who want to be more involved in their child’s education.
Stay safe online
Make sure your child is staying safe and secure online during education from home! Schools usually send home a list of approved apps and websites so you likely won’t be on your own for this one.
Here are a few areas to check:
- If you want to run an extra security check, look to make sure the apps are designed for educational use and have a privacy policy that ensures data won’t be given to third parties.
- Make sure the site isn’t encrypted by checking for an “s” in the http section of the web address.
- Check to ensure sites are password protected if there’s any identifying information about your child.
Be patient–adapting to education from home is a process!
Teachers, parents, and students are all navigating a new frontier. There may be moments of frustration, but by working with your child to create a workable schedule, monitoring their engagement and extending class assignments, communicating with the teacher, and staying safe, you’re setting your family up for a successful school year!
