At this difficult time, some parents have a decision to make for their children whether be for elementary or high school students, the conscious choice is to just send them to school or let them learn at the comforts of home. Most elementary and high schools are open in Vancouver, BC Canada but are limited in their class size. Whatever choice you make at this pandemic time is not easy, but for parents who did not choose to send their child to schools, the learning at home through virtual school can be challenging. As a prudent parent, you want to make sure that you provide your child with all of the educational resources possible, but online learning is a new challenge. We want to help you add some invaluable tools to help your child focus on school and learning.
Minimize Distractions
Though students have distraction-free workplaces in the school building, this is not always possible at home. However, you do want to make sure that the distractions are kept to a minimum. Remove entertainment only distractions, if possible. Televisions, phones, and video games should be off-limits during learning times. This is more than about the synchronous meeting times. Even when students are working on homework or other assigned tasks, they need to keep distractions to a minimum. These distractions also include contact with friends through phones and devices. Friends are essential, but they can take time and focus from schoolwork.
Personal Space
One of the best ways to minimize distractions is to offer your high school student their own workspace. A desk or table and chair is the best place to start. While adding furniture to your home may be nearly impossible, you can undoubtedly help your high schooler find a semi-permanent workspace. Adding a folding table and chair is better than having your child sit on the couch or their bed. A table and chair can help your child comfortably set up their space without having to balance, and a good chair can help them sit straighter. Physical pain can be one of the biggest distractions for students.
Breaktime
So far, our suggestions have been about minimizing distractions and pain, but sometimes a distraction can help. When students have been diligently studying, they often get tense, and a break can help. On the other hand, parents don’t always realize these breaks can also help educational retention and connections. For students who are struggling to remember or learn something, a break can help. Exercise is good for the body, especially the heart and lungs. The increased oxygen is also good for the brain and educational development. A quick exercise break can help improve learning and focus.
Planning
One of the hardest parts of online learning is keeping up with due dates and assignment instructions. Students will benefit from planners and notebooks as much from home as it will from school. A planner or online calendar can be the answer for students who are having trouble with time management skills. These students can often benefit from writing or recording their dates.
Support
One of the things that makes focusing difficult is when people feel alone and discouraged. While you may not know the content, you can offer your student support and love. When possible, you can also offer educational support, but if not, you can help them find the support they need. Maintain regular contact with educators and school officials to keep abreast of available help and support through them. Local libraries, online tutoring platforms, and study groups have been busier than ever with homework help. Get your student connected if you cannot help them with their work. If they are in an early or middle college program, check with their college website to find student support services.
Friend Breaks
Just as exercise and study breaks are essential, time with friends is also invaluable to students. Emotional and psychological health is vital to success. This time of isolation and separation can be devastating. We are not suggesting that you choose risky behaviors for your child’s physical health, but we want you to find ways to connect with their friends. School is incredibly important, but depressed students will not help them learn and grow. Your child will be less able to focus and concentrate if they are trying to cope with the pain of missing their friends. Socially distanced time with friends might be what they need.
Break Down Work
If you are helping your students with their work, break it down into smaller chunks. Some students, especially those with learning differences, find the information overwhelming. They can often absorb more information if less is presented at once. Break it down into chunks and start with what they know. In terms of educational theories, this is known and chunking and scaffolding. Teach them beginning with where they are and adding small bits until they get the most out of their lessons.
Schedule
Plan your child’s time carefully. Have them begin and end their learning at the same time each day. Schedules are more than just the times they log into their online platforms. Make sure they are eating at the same time and working on outside work during the same hours. Sure, they may finish earlier or later some days, but they should have a tentative schedule each day.
Organization
You may have a desk, chair, and learning place, but if it is covered with planners, notebooks, pens, and papers, they will often feel distracted or unable to concentrate. Help your child learn organizational skills. Early high school is a challenging transition, and knowing how to organize their materials can be difficult.
Final Thoughts
Students should have the tools they need to succeed, but parents are often a loss for how to help in this online learning environment. It helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve for helping your student learn and focus during this school challenge. You will make mistakes, but you can do this. The fact that you are reading this lets you know that your student will succeed. You are trying to do whatever you can. These are unprecedented times, and you will want to be flexible with these suggestions. Everything will not work at all times, but everything can help at different times
