#As a measure to keep everyone safe from the novel coronavirus, the government has issued lockdowns that made us all retreat to the safety of our own homes. This mandate affected everyone in many ways that require life-altering changes to our daily routines.
One of the major changes is the way students attend school. Physical classes can put them at risk of contracting the disease. With this, many academic institutions had to resort to holding online classes to continue their students’ education. While this may not be optimal for developing children’s learning, it is a necessary step that puts young people’s safety over everything else.
Stuck at home while attending virtual classes, children may need their parents’ help and supervision because their teachers won’t be around all the time to monitor their progress. As their parents, you have to stand as the second teacher that keeps them learning even after the online class ends. To help you in this daunting task, here are some tips for maintaining your child’s studies at home in this pandemic.
Communicate with their teachers
Whether they are enrolled in a pre-kindergarten program, kindergarten, or middle school, your child still needs the guidance of their school teachers. Don’t feel like you are left with all the responsibility of teaching everything to your child because their teachers can help if you only reach out to them.
Having open communication with their educators can give you a better view of how your child is progressing. Their teachers can observe your child during their online meetings and relay to you the current state of your child’s academic performance. They can also provide some tips to address their needs in studying.
Set a daily study routine
Setting a routine for studying can help your child to do better in their academics. A routine can program our brains to switch between modes for studying, working, relaxing, sleeping, etcetera. So establishing one specifically for learning can encourage students to focus on their school-related tasks.
But while a routine may be beneficial for learning, it can be repetitive, leading to a discouraged student. It is also essential to change things up once in a while. Organizing different activities for different days and subjects can prevent them from feeling restless while studying their lessons.
Create a designated learning space
Just like you may feel better having a designated work area in your house for your day job, your child may also benefit from having a space specifically for studying. This area should be tailored for their needs, which may include a desk for a computer setup, a separate table for writing assignments, and storage drawers for other things like school supplies, learning toys, and the like. Make sure that this area is kept away from distracting things like the television. It should also be away from busy home areas where unnecessary sensory stimuli can sidetrack your child’s learning.
Make studying fun
It is essential that children associate studying with fun. This will encourage them to learn as opposed to thinking that schoolwork is a tedious and burdensome task.
There are many ways to make learning fun, involving interactive activities like playing games, singing songs, and conducting experiments. Preparing other lessons and activities that encourage them to be creative is also advisable when everything starts to feel uninteresting.
Other parents also offer some reward system to their kids for a job well done. This can come in the form of stickers, stamps, snacks, a deserved break, time in front of the computer, and many others. But probably the most effective way to make studying fun is to find out your child’s preferences. You can then incorporate them in how you teach them their lessons from school.
Give them a break
Lastly, scheduling breaks between their study times is crucial to prevent them from developing a hate for studying. Having well-timed breaks will help to avoid boredom from setting in. But break time doesn’t have to be spent on being idle. This time can be used for wholesome activities like watching a movie as a family, video chatting with their friends, and spending some time outside to stretch and be active.
Children attending online classes will indeed find better academic progress under the supervision of their parents. With the mentioned tips, your child will be more encouraged to learn even when the usual classroom setup they experienced before the pandemic has been on hold indefinitely. Your dedication to this setup will be seen once your child develops into their older, well-informed selves.
