Staying Motivated

Everyone can remember what it felt like when it was announced that the people of New York would have to quarantine until further notice. During the statewide quarantine, students had to adapt to a whole new world of learning known as remote learning. It was very difficult for many students to adjust to this novel method because everyone is accustomed to in-person learning. Although we are past the initial strict quarantine stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, many students are still struggling with remote learning as numerous districts employ hybrid or full virtual learning models.

It’s understandable why students would have a hard time staying motivated or even attempting to focus when all of their school instruction occurs on a screen at home. Virtual learning detracts from the general school atmosphere and social aspects of school. It can be really hard to adapt to a whole new system of learning that no one has ever seen before, but it is possible. There are many tips and techniques that students can use to make it easier to learn from home.

One major way to make online learning easier is setting up a specific area to do remote learning every day. Picking a consistent location with minimal distractions makes it much easier to get into the right frame of mind for learning. When picking a location to do remote learning, it is important to make sure that the area is one with minimal distractions. An area that is separate from the most highly-trafficked areas of the home is most suitable.

Another way to make remote learning easier is to create a daily schedule for the school week. Not being in school in person can take away from the helpful sense of daily routine for many students. A daily schedule makes the day feel more organized, and therefore more manageable. When creating a schedule, you should address the main points, such as waking up the same time every morning, having a healthy breakfast each morning, choosing an area to do remote learning every day, picking a time to study and do homework after school, and of course including some free time for yourself!

One of the best ways to maintain focus while learning virtually is to turn off your cell phone. Listen, we all know that shutting off our phones is not something most of us enjoy doing, but doing so removes a major distraction that can interfere with progress in remote learning. For most students it’s too tempting to have their phones nearby; they usually end up getting distracted and going on Tiktok while they should be focusing. Shutting off your phone will make it so much easier to pay attention and get more work down. (We are all guilty of taking a look at our phone when we probably should have been listening in class but that doesn’t mean we should allow that to become an everyday habit).

A really simple thing students can do to be more motivated during remote learning is to get dressed before the start of each school day. Getting dressed in the morning can motivate you to shift your focus to being in “school” mode rather than relaxing at home. But that doesn’t mean you can’t wear your pajamas every once in a while, because we all know that pajama pants are comfy as heck! But getting dressed in clothes you’d normally wear to school will help you mentally focus more on your virtual school day.

Lastly, the best thing you can do is try to keep a positive perspective. A lot of people are unhappy with virtual learning and view it as an annoying chore to do. Discouragement & weariness are two of the biggest obstacles to success in virtual learning. Trying to maintain a good attitude can go a long way in making virtual learning easier.

It goes without saying that we all miss our normal way of life & school. Virtual learning certainly isn’t the same & has its drawbacks. Although we all would prefer to be learning in school, we’re fortunate to even have the opportunity and the resources to still earn our education during the pandemic. Remember that despite being on an iPad, each day is still an opportunity to learn more and to grow!