Tips for supporting your child with online learning

1. Establish some structure

Define a structured schedule for your child: just enough to keep things on track, but not too much that every minute of the day is pre-planned. Start by mirroring their typical school schedule, including when they wake up, when they start classes, when they get breaks or recess, and when they wrap up for the day. Create a paper or online weekly calendar with your child and make a fun activity out of it. Children tend to be the most focused in the morning, but you can observe and adjust if this schedule is not conducive with their most productive learning hours.

2. Review the course curriculum and plan set by the teacher

Understand the daily and weekly course plan set by the teacher. The curriculum has already been mapped out for the year, but it may help if you have a heads-up about what's to come. You can play to your child’s strengths and prepare them for areas of improvement. It's also helpful to know about the resources the school is providing at this time. Take advantage of the aid they are giving.

Also know that it's OK to slow the pace of studying if your child is having a difficult time with a specific subject. The learning experience they receive virtually is quite different from what they would receive in the classroom, so they might need more time to absorb difficult or new concepts. Setting small goals can help keep them motivated and on track.

Lastly, in regards to the curriculum, you may often receive the question “Why do I have to do this?” If your child doesn't understand how the material is used in a practical setting, make their work meaningful by relating it to real-world examples. 

3. Set up a productive study space

A quiet, brightly lit study space free of distractions is very empowering. If possible, establish a space in your home that's for learning only, so when your child is in this space they're in the habit of switching to study mode and remain more focused on the task at hand. It’s also important that they help design this space themselves. They need to feel a sense of personalization so they feel comfortable in that space. If you can’t make a separate space, create a “school toolbox” that is brought out and set up when work is happening, so a common space is made to feel different.  

In addition, ensure the study space is equipped with all the necessary tools they'll need, so they have less excuses to leave the study space during dedicated learning time. Items like a water bottle, stationery and laptop charger are good examples. 

4. Encourage independence, but only after setting some ground rules

This time can be a great opportunity for your child to learn about independence. If they're responsible for tuning into classes, finishing their homework and completing their assignments on time, they may rise to the occasion. Of course you'll still be there if they're having technical issues or need to talk through a problem, but giving them the opportunity to grow and become self-sufficient is so impactful. 

Set some ground rules to get them started. For example, you can help them avoid the temptation of electronic devices by encouraging them to use apps that help them remain focused by locking the screen for a certain amount of time. Rules might also include that they cannot leave their study space until the lesson is finished, unless they need a bathroom break or they're having technology issues. Let them have a hand in establishing these rules and they'll be more likely to follow them. Don’t forget to comply with the rules yourself, though. Set a good example they can look up to.

5. Separate school time and home time as much as possible

Although they look intertwined right now, it's really important to establish clear divides between school time and home time. If you are acting as more of a teacher during the day, you should try to avoid that in the evenings and demonstrate only the caregiver role so they can see the difference. This further reinforces for them that school time is strictly for studying and home time is when they can do as they please.

During home time, you can also help them stay connected with their friends by setting up phone calls or video chats. It’s important for them to maintain their social skills, even while in this environment.

1. Encourage motivation

When it comes to more advanced learners, they can be positively influenced by the people at school, as everyone is in the same rhythm: going to class, studying, taking tests and doing homework. When removed from the school environment, they feel less of that social pressure and may need help feeling motivated to do the work.

Use their interests and strengths to their advantage. Help them find meaning in their work by relating it to practical, real-world scenarios. Give detailed, constructive praise on things they have done well to encourage them to keep going. Some may also appreciate if you visually recognize their efforts by posting their work on the fridge for the family to see.

Goal-planning can also encourage motivation. Try setting short-, medium-, and long-term goals to keep them on track and progressing well. Then, as they achieve those milestones, make sure to recognize and celebrate their efforts.

2. Encourage a growth mindset

Remain optimistic and encourage them to keep on going. If they're struggling to understand new or difficult concepts, help them understand small pieces and, bit by bit, they'll begin to tackle it. Show them even small steps of progress will lead to continuous growth.

A growth mindset can also come from independence. You can help them set up a virtual study group with other students where they can work through problems together and learn from each other. This will also have the added benefit of helping them maintain their social connections.

3. Maintain communication with the teacher and school

Similar to early learners, it's beneficial to maintain good communication with the teacher and school to know what's planned for the upcoming year, to help your child stay on track.

1. Meet with the IEP team to review and adjust the plan

Students with specialized education plans may be having a difficult time if their plan wasn't designed to accommodate for virtual learning. The most important thing you can do here is to meet with the IEP team to discuss how they can support you and your child through this time. This way, you can proactively identify and remove any barriers to your child’s learning.

2. Provide additional support with focusing

Home may bring more distractions than their typical learning environment, so you may need to spend extra time helping them focus on the daily tasks. In the beginning, it may help to provide them with more breaks after smaller amounts of focus time, and gradually increase the amount of focus time from there. Be sure to acknowledge each of the small wins and celebrate the accomplishments together.

3. Use the tech resources at your disposal

Technological applications can provide some much-needed support when working in a virtual environment. Based on the needs of your child, you might want to consider ways to aid their learning experience like text-to-speech applications, or the reverse, speech-to-text applications. This will make the learning journey smoother for both your child and you.

At the end of the day, you're doing a great job balancing it all and you should be proud of that. Children look to their parents to learn how to react to new or intimidating situations, so remain optimistic and demonstrate a growth mindset that's ready to conquer new challenges. All in all, the additional quality time you get to spend with them is priceless.