While the suspension of classes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic happened near the end of the current school year, it ushered in a lot of changes for the next. One of these changes is the introduction of online learning setups for students. But that sudden change can be a challenge for students who are experiencing it for the first time. Here is how parents can help their kids adapt to the new normal and learn while staying at home.
The challenges of online learning
As online learning is a relatively new experience for both kids and their parents, it poses a lot of challenges. Understanding what these are and how they can affect the learning experience is vital to planning out how you will make online learning more engaging and conducive.
The first of these challenges is getting kids accustomed to the new setup. For many students, especially those in the higher grades, the traditional classroom setup has been greatly ingrained into their mindset. Note that it isn’t just about how they do lessons, as their interactions with classmates also plays an important role in the experience.
Losing all these familiar activities is often what makes them hesitant about virtual classrooms. Here, you should be ready to discuss with them about the benefits of online learning and how it would be no different from regular school. Creating opportunities for them to meet up with their classmates again is also important.
Technical issues
Another big challenge with online learning is the technical constraints. With the Philippines’ slow Internet speed, you might find it difficult to connect to the school\s website at times. This can make it hard for students to follow the lessons, causing them to lose focus.
While not everyone can afford a high-speed internet plan, you can still find other workarounds. Consult with your kid’s school officials to see how their online learning program could fit into your current setup. Some concessions that can be made include lessening the need for video conference sessions and instead opting for the use of offline modules. But you need to be aware that these will require further adjustments on your part.
Time management
With school being conducted at home, your kids might find it difficult to juggle it with home chores. You too might have a hard time managing your schedule since you will have to oversee their study sessions.
Creating a definite schedule right off the bat will help you and your kid better get used to the setup. Some schools even give you a certain amount of flexibility as to when students will meet face to face with teachers. Make sure that the schedule you create gives your kids enough time for other activities.
Strategies for getting your kids ready to online learning
With online learning set to become the new normal for students in the next school year or so, you need to prepare your home as your kids’ default “classroom”. The first thing to do here is to keep them from being disturbed by all the ruckus around the house. For that, set aside a room where they can do their studies.
Set up a table where the computer they are using will be placed. Make sure that there is also enough space for your kids to lay down their books. Depending on the size of the room, you can set up multiple tables to give each kid a space of their own. This is especially useful if you have students of different grades. You also need to make sure that the table is just the right height for your kids so that they don’t have to slouch or stretch out to reach the top.
The room should be well lit to make it more comfortable. Since they will be looking at a computer screen for at least a few hours, this can lead to eye strain. Your home classroom should have at least one window to allow natural light in. If you think that isn’t enough, you can leave the door open to let in more light.
Decreasing distractions
As noted above, there can be a lot of distractions that make it harder for kids to focus on schoolwork at home. One such distraction to lessen is their gadget time. What you want to do here is to hold onto their phones and tablets for the duration of their online class session. This lessens the temptation for them to take a peek at their devices while at “school.”
You would also want to closely monitor how kids respond to their classes. Check if their eyes remain focused on the screen or if they take down notes. If you see them losing focus, ask them what might be bothering them. You can also contact your kid’s school to get additional help in keeping them engaged.
Break times and chat time with friends
It is also important that your kids have some breaks to give them time to rest. Instead of just bringing them some snacks, encourage your kids to go out of the room, and stretch. They can even have some bit of playtime before returning back to their lessons. All of these will ensure that your kids are not sedentary for the duration of their homeschooling period.
Another essential part of their break time should be meeting up with friends online. Set aside a time for them to have an online video chat with classmates either during their breaks or after their online classes. It would also be a good idea for you to talk with them and ask them how much time they should spend on their facetime. This helps them learn to be more responsible even when schooling at home.
Get your kids ready for the new normal of online learning
Education experts estimate that, with the coronavirus pandemic still raging, online learning will be the main mode of teaching even after all of these. As such, getting your kids adapted to it is an important move to make. It will take a lot of effort but you will be assured that your kids won’t be left behind in their studies even in this time of crisis.