Due to COVID-19, parents are now being tasked with the responsibility of helping their children get through a “school day” and are taking on dual roles of both parent and teacher. While most parents are adjusting to working from home, they are also tasked with helping their children transition to learning from home, which can present its own set of unique obstacles.
At Linden Hall, we have encouraged our parents to follow a few easy tips to help ease their child into distance learning and keep them on track with their schoolwork.
Have a Schedule or Routine
Just as it is important for adults to have signals to start and end their workday while they are working from home, it is important for students to still have a start and end to their school day. Starting a routine is important now more than ever to help students stay on track with their learning and education. UNICEF USA suggests that parents help students stick to routines or create new ones. It encourages students to continue their usual morning routines, such as waking up on time, showering, and eating breakfast.
Mind Your Sleep Cycle
Sleep still plays an important role in your child’s learning abilities. According to NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools), 9 hours of sleep is optimal for adolescent functioning, and when students experience a sleep deficit it can affect their moods and subsequently their focus. A well-adjusted sleep cycle also helps keep them on a normal routine, something that offers comfort and familiarity in this pandemic. Just because students aren’t in school or physically in a classroom every day doesn’t mean that they still don’t need plenty of rest and sleep. Sleep is a big contributor to helping students stay motivated and focused on their education and classwork. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep can help improve long-term memory and therefore help students retain the information they have learned.
Define Your Workspace
UNICEF USA also suggests setting up a designated workspace for your child to attend online classes or complete coursework. Encourage them to complete their work away from their bed or the couch and away from distractions like the television or their cell phone. Having a set workspace where they can keep their school materials organized, have room to spread out, and sit up straight will help them remain focused and concentrate on their coursework throughout the day. Transitioning into and out of their workspace may help students transition from relaxation or hang out mode into study or schoolwork mode and back again.
Screen Time: Worry More about Quality More Than Quantity
While it is important to maintain a routine, classes are going to look a little different. Teachers, just like families, are learning how to adapt to online learning to make sure that their students are still getting optimal instruction. At Linden Hall, classes are currently required to meet synchronously two times per week, while asynchronous work is provided for students to complete during other class meeting times. Mike Flynn, the director of Mathematics Leadership Programs at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, where he and his colleagues have created an innovative and highly regarded online-learning system for graduate students in math education, suggests that live meeting times are best used to make sure students understand and prepared for the work expected of them when they are working on their own. When it comes to online learning, the quality of online screen time is much more important than the amount of time spent online.
Teachers are often willing to provide the same support to students while they are distance learning as they offered students at school. Make sure you and your students are communicating with all of their teachers and ask teachers if they have online office hours or provide other online support through email or video chats. Also encourage students to continue to connect and reach out to classmates. UNICEF USA suggests that it is important for students to stay connected with each other through phone or video chats.
Manage Stress
Right now, many people are feeling stressed and anxious about the uncertainties caused by COVID-19. It is important for parents to keep communication open with their students about their students fears and worries about COVID-19. The Greater Good in Action website provides many resources for parents to help their children navigate their emotions. They suggest that parents check in with how their students are feeling and help them explore their emotions and talk through their worries. They also suggest that parents help remind their students of the connectedness that still exists. NAIS suggests that a good way to remind students of connectedness is by having them have a 1:1 meeting with their teachers. As stated above, it is also a good idea to help students remain connected with each other.
Another way to help your child manage stress is allow them to take breaks when needed. UNICEF USA suggests that when the weather is nice, it is helpful to allow students to have outside time. They also encourage students to continue to exercise as a way to deal with anxiety and stress. Encourage students to continue with Physical Education requirements or with training or conditioning for a sport.
Get Your Empathy On
It is very important right now that you empathize with any worries or concerns your student has. The CDC has several recommendations on how best to empathize with your student. They suggest remaining calm and reassuring when talking to your student about COVID-19. Reassure them that they are safe and the adults in their lives, including their teachers, are doing everything to support and protect them. Make yourself available to talk to them and be honest and accurate.
It is also important to recognize that many students are missing out on important moments, such as performances, proms, and, for seniors, graduation. Be sympathetic that they are missing out on milestones that are often taken for granted. Reach out to school administrators and teachers to see what kind of engagement and support is available to make students and seniors still feel like they are being recognized and celebrated.
The most important thing to remember during this time is to not be too hard on yourself or your student. Schools, teachers, and students are entering into a new way of learning and it is going to take some time to adjust. It is important during these times to have a schedule and routine but to also be flexible and adapt when needed.
