Helping Kids and Parents Adapt to Online Schooling

* It’s hard setting up routines with kids.

* How can I integrate my schedule with theirs?

* How can I be sure that my kids are passing their assignments on time?

* I am not a teacher. How can I teach my children effectively?

* I am a working parent. Who will facilitate online learning for my kids?

Sounds familiar?

Two months from now, parents need to decide whether to enroll their kids to school or not. Face to face classes will most probably be still prohibited. Online schooling will be the “new normal” in learning. This new set-up can cause stress and anxiety to both parents and children.

Teamwork between the teachers and parents is very much needed now more than ever. Communication between the two should be constant for the sake of the children.

Preparation for online learning involves the kids, the parents/caregivers and the environment. We have to find the healthy balance between routines and flexibility in schedule.

Here are some tips to help ease your transition to online learning as a family:

1. ROUTINES

Routine is a sequence of action that you do repeatedly.  It can be a powerful tool in accomplishing a goal, be it big or small. Like adults, children also need routines.

So how do you set-up routines for children?

First, you have to make a schedule. Like in school, children at home should follow a schedule. Schedule should be in sync with your school’s online program. It would also depend on the age of your child.

It could be something like this for a gradeschooler:

MORNING ROUTIINE:

6:00 am - wake up

6:30 am - take a bath

7:00 am - eat breakfast

7:30 am - prepare materials for online learning

8:00 - 12:00 nn  - online learning (This would depend on the school program)

AFTERNOON ROUTINE:

12:00nn - 1: 00pm - eat lunch

1:00 pm -6:00 pm - afternoon activities

NIGHT ROUTINE:

6:00pm - 7:OOpm - help in preparing dinner

7:00pm-8:00pm - eat dinner

8:00-9:00pm - quiet time or downtime

9:00 - sleeping time

The afternoon schedule can be flexible. This is the time in which they can explore their other interests. It can be dancing, painting, cooking etc. You can also integrate topics learned from the morning session into their activity. Like going to the garden and examining the leaves of a plant or watching together a documentary movie for history class.

At night, quiet time or downtime is a very important step in preparation for sleep. One to two hours before sleeping time, children should have some quiet time to help them relax, like reading a book or taking a warm bath. Being consistent with their sleeping time helps them stick to the next day’s routine.

2. PREPARING THE ENVIRONMENT

Having a prepared environment is another important factor in achieving a successful online schooling. Children should have a dedicated area where they can set up their materials for learning. It should be a place where there is little or no distraction. It can be in the dining table after eating breakfast. It can be on a study area or in the patio. As much as possible, do not let them study in their bedroom. Their bedroom should be a place of rest and should not be associated with work. Putting things back in place and clearing out the table should be part of the learning process.

3. PREPARING YOURSELF

One way of preparing yourself for home-schooling is to integrate your schedule with your children’s schedule.

If you’re a working parent, giving clear instructions to the caregiver is very important. Handing them the schedule would make it easier for them to faciltate the routines. Some schools would provide a way to communicate with you and update you regularly regarding your child’s progress. If not, you can always reach out to their teachers and ask for feedbacks.

If you’re a stay-at-home or work-from-home mom, you also need to find ways to work with your schedule. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself in teaching your child. Remember, you are there to facilitate the activity. Learning should be inherent to the child. Don’t be afraid to say “ I don’t know the answer” if you don’t know the answer. You follow it up with “Let us find the answer together” to emphasize the process of learning. Learning should be an enjoyable activity and should not be forced. The magic lies in your creativity in sparking their interest. Self-learning should always be encouraged.

As what Dr. Maria Montessori had said “ The greatest sign of success for a teacher..is to be able to say “The children are now working as if I did not exist”.

* This article was inspired by my conversation with my dear friend Lea. She also graciously sent me pictures of her children doing remote learning.

Please share this article if you find it helpful :-)