Helpful Tips

To best survive this new virtual and home classroom reality, we offer these tips.

1. Establish a routine and stick to it.

2. Set up a designated workspace.

3. Make sure children get a break. Schools schedule free time, physical education and lunch break. Take a walk, ride a bike. The same should be expected in home and virtual schooling.

4. Communicate with your child about school and what they are working on. Do not allow the computer screen to become a wall between you and your child’s experience. Keep talking to your student and to their teachers, just as you would with a traditional school

5. Schedule a creative activity, like an experiment or game.

6. Plan your child’s learning schedule around your work schedule. Make sure the activities that require the most support and input from you are done during the times you’re available to help your student. Designate your working hours for independent reading and subjects your child has an easier time digesting.

7. Utilize to-do lists. Without clearly defined to-do lists, your child has a higher likelihood of becoming distracted or straying from his or her studies. Leave clear instructions for the times you are out of the house, and make sure assignments are completed as required.

8. Make use of planning tools. Get your child used to managing the planner early.

9. Be flexible. There may be times when your child isn’t able to complete something without your support. Set aside another time to work on that assignment and encourage your child to continue working on the things that come more easily when you are not readily available.

Most of all, take this time to connect to your children. It’s valuable family time that’s often lost in our too often hectic lives.