Back to school has been a very different experience this year. We personally chose to do the virtual academy offered by our school district for our children. Knowing that they would be home instead of the regular classroom meant we had to prep a space because the dining room table was no longer going to be an option. We have been in school for 2 weeks and even though we still have a few things to resolve to make our system work more efficiently, we have come up with something that has started running pretty smoothly. Here's a few tips that I've found to be super helpful:
- School Space: Having a specific space for "school" to be completed is essential. It doesn't matter which room in the house is utilized, but this spot should be designated. Does it have to be amazing? Not really....but you probably want it to mimic some of the things your child would see in their normal classroom. Having the needed essentials (notebooks, pencils, markers, etc.) should be easily available and accessible in order to avoid disrupting the learning session in order to get these things.
- Schedule: You will NOT be successful if you don't find a way to keep a schedule. It will cause chaos and you unnecessary stress. Treating virtual school just as you would face-to-face school helps your children establish this same practice. One of the biggest reasons I do this is because one day they will be going back to face-to-face learning and I want to have a good routine and habits in place early. While I know every school isn't as great about providing students with a daily schedule, we have been blessed to be in an amazing school district and the teachers provided schedules fairly early. On my children's workstation, they each have a schedule and their login information taped down so they don't have to guess what's going on when. While this may not be your best option, having all needed information for classroom participation within eyesight can save you a ton of headaches and unnecessary communication with the teacher.
- Positive Attitude: I get it....Some days technology sucks eggs. The point is whatever attitude your bring to this experience, you'll pass along to your kids. If you're frustrated and stressed, your child will not find this to be enjoyable at all. I'm aware that kids want to be back in school with their friends, but if you're like us and not sending the kids back then you have to make this great for them. I have expressed to my girls that they have the chance to nearly learn at their own pace and finish the school days early if they work hard and stay focused. This has been such a motivator for them so they can play and lounge around after they are done with school.
- Keep It Simple: One of the biggest things we are working on with our kids is autonomy and independence. Create a space for them (if age appropriate) where they are able to do this. We created shortcuts for them on the laptops for their Zoom classes so all they need to do is log into the computer and click on the correct Zoom icon depending on the class at that time. Have the necessary tabs already open or bookmarked and provide them with an explanation so that you're able to free up some of your time. Checking in is essential so I make sure to do that with them during their scheduled class times as well as with assignments that they are to be completing, but I no longer spend all day doing school. Once again, our school district has done an excellent job of having everything laid out in a way that's easy to understand as well as user friendly and I get that's not always an option for others. However, do what you can with what you have to the best of your ability so you're not having to hover over your child the entire time.
-Stay Informed: You should know what your children have going on. Read the emails and messages sent from the teachers and let that information empower you when engaging your child on assignments requiring completion. It has helped us avoid not having things turned in because I constantly ask about assignments. This again is another one of those things that I hope teachers are doing regularly and consistently.
