The sudden closing of schools due to coronavirus leaves so many questions for parents everywhere around the world. How does online learning work? What about assignments or tests? What if I have 3 kids and just one gadget? More importantly, how do I ensure effective learning despite all limitations?
As the role of teachers befalls on you as a parent, we think it’s crucial to keep things realistic. Still, it doesn’t mean you can’t maximize the benefits of online learning!
Check out our 7 simple tips for the most effective School-From-Home below:
We’re all on the same boat here, so the first thing to keep in mind is to work together and not against the teachers. Instead of finger pointing, accept the teaching role and make the best of it by discussing what works best for your situation. If you’re a parent with multiple kids and limited resources, be open with the teachers to get a win-win solution together.
During the first few weeks of closure, many schools were struggling with finding a new system for online learning. Now that we’re a few months into the quarantine, we trust that many parents are steadily adjusting to the new routine. Still, if you haven’t fully adapted to the changes, keep finding the rhythm and make it a regular process. And if you’re already balancing it well, see if you can fine-tune the routine for an even better learning experience.
There is a reason why experts recommend having a fixed studying area at your home. Virus or not, we can all benefit from having a quiet and clutter-free space for total focus. Your home classroom can be anywhere inside the house, as long as it can be used for the same function and same time everyday. Avoid switching from spot to spot to keep that learning mood in place.
We’re so accustomed to long hours at school for our kids that we may think that learning is not happening unless it takes hours to complete. Research actually shows that online courses are best kept to 15 minutes as long as it engages students and delivers the essence. So do not get trapped into clockwork and instead, evaluate it by how well your kids understand the lesson.
As how our Ministry of Education Nadiem Makarim suggested, this is a golden opportunity to really hone the fundamentals of what your child is good at. Schools have always been about fitting all types of lessons instead of personalised learning. Use various tools, including old-school and other creative methods, to polish your child’s speciality.
Learning is not all academics but should include life skills and practices too. To balance math and science, include practical lessons such as cooking, cleaning, gardening, arts & crafts etc. In addition to literature and time tables, make sure you’re also teaching them empathy, kindness, logical thinking, decision making and more. And don’t forget, take real breaks too!
Doing sports helps us think better! Exercising has been shown to improve our problem-solving skills, memory and attention. It also is a natural way to reduce stress and prevent anxiety. Remember, kids do need to sweat it at least 60 minutes per day to stay healthy as per WHO recommendation.
So strive on, parents!
With a lot of patience, a lot of love mixed into it. Cheers!
“I am safe. My baby is safe.”
We’d like to take a moment and share the 5 things we’ve learned during social distancing thus far.
At the end of the day, restoring routines is not as important as installing human connections, empathy and kindness.