4 minute read
Survival Tips for Distance Learning
School looks really different this year, and for many families, includes some (or all) distance learning.
In the spring, COVID-19 put a spotlight on our children’s social emotional and mental health, schoolwork habits, learning styles, time management and perseverance. We can make the most of distance learning this fall by improving upon what we learned. Here are tips offered by local teachers, parents and school staff about how to make distance learning more successful moving forward.
Open, Optimistic Communication
A harmonious home is key to an optimal schoolwork environment. To strengthen family communication, Donna Atherton, nurse at Lewis Middle School in Allied Gardens, highly recommends the evidence based Strengthening Families Program. It is free to download and includes excellent tips and tools that teach important interpersonal skills such as assertive communication, optimism and achieving goals. Learn more at www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org.
Atherton reminds parents to model positivity:
• Stress kindness and exercise patience.
•Communicate openly and honestly about emotions.
•Reassure kids this [temporary phase] will pass.
•Establish routines that provide structure.
Set boundaries for the whole family when it comes to electronics. “Parents need to ensure they are having face-to-face conversations with their teenagers,” says Atherton. “Sit down together for dinner and don’t allow electronics to replace quality family time.”
Be Proactive with Mental Health
It’s important to acknowledge that the pandemic is having negative effects on everyone’s mental health and self-care is a priority.
• Get outside daily; enjoy nature as often as possible.
• Make exercise a priority to release endorphins.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Engage in mindful activities such as a gratitude journal, prayer or meditation.
• Boost mood with music.
• Schedule family fun.
• Find time to recharge, decompress and do something you love.
According to Atherton, teens may have an especially hard time coping during quarantine. Be proactive to ward off mental health struggles and seek extra support from a pediatrician if there’s concern. San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) recommends visiting www.healthychildren.org/ English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/Signs-your-Teen-May-Need-More-Support.aspx for tips and resources.
SDCOE also recommends teens use apps such as:
• Done – Create healthy habits and quit bad ones.
• My Life Meditation – Mindfulness techniques that help with sleep and anxiety.
• Virtual Hope Box – Helps cope with overwhelming emotions; can be used in partnership with behavioral health provider.
Set Up for Success
• Agree on workspace(s).
• Create a daily schedule with blocks of time. Allow input from older kids.
• Use email and the teacher’s messaging app to ask for what you need.
• Install apps to receive updated information from the school district and class notifications from teachers.
• Thank teachers. They’re working hard; gratitude goes a long way during these challenging times.
Be Flexible
According to many parents and teachers, the key to academic engagement is to be flexible.Seeking every workbook or worksheet on the market turns kids off. Use hands-on projects, podcasts, YouTube channels and books to engage children and keep them motivated.
“Families that do the best with distance learning are the most flexible,” says Tami Bromley, a kindergarten teacher in Coronado. She suggests short bursts of schoolwork mixed with movement, play and breaks. “As much hands-on exploration as possible always helps.”
Amanda, whose daughter just finished kindergarten agrees, “When she got tired of the online lesson, we went outside, had a snack and then got back to work.”
“Our best survival technique for distance learning is making a daily list of what has to be done and letting our daughter do it in any order, including things she loves (art, dance, walking the dog),” says third grade mom Anessa. “She likes crossing things off, and the list isn’t overwhelming when it has the ‘musts’ and the ‘loves’ on it.”
“I help my daughter get through boring online sites with the promise that she can play a game on Prodigy afterwards,” says third grade mom Jessica. “We don’t pay for A’s, but we do set weekly goals with rewards like a book or [choosing] a family activity.”
“My kids stay motivated knowing that we check their work periodically, and that we care they are doing it,” says Coreen, mom of a seventh and ninth grader. “We were home [in the spring] to help when they had problems, so we were very lucky. We also try to keep a regular sleep schedule.”
Connect Regularly
Social (or physical) distancing should not mean social isolation. Even kids who attend school in person will find fewer opportunities to connect at lunch and on the playground.
If using online tools like Zoom or Google Hangouts, try regularly scheduled online meet-ups with friends or classmates. Having an activity to do together while online helps spark conversation and interaction. My kids do Mad Libs, read from joke books, and play card and video games.
Manage Screen Time
• Set expectations and consequences ahead of time. Think about whether your child’s technology use helps or hinders participation in other activities. Get the whole family involved in media together to facilitate social interactions and learning.
• Preserve unplugged family time. Make meals and bedtime routines screen-free.
• Use parental controls if your children have phones.
“I highly recommend that all electronics be charged in the parents’ bedroom, so kids and teens are not up all night when their phone is beeping,” says Atherton. “I can’t tell you how many students are exhausted during the school day due to being on their phones at night.”
Cherie Gough is a local freelance writer and mom of two. The Strengthening Families Program mentioned here is one of the best parental tools she’s ever seen.
