The coronavirus pandemic has officially followed us well into the final weeks of summer, and relief is nowhere in sight. Last Spring, schools were forced to abruptly shut down, causing parents everywhere to suddenly take over the teaching role.
The new-found responsibility proved to be very overwhelming for even those parents who had, prior to the shutdown, always been heavily invested in their children’s educational goals. I, for one, was accustomed to sitting down with my three kids for a couple hours every weeknight, making sure they stayed on top of schoolwork. However, the virus officially paralyzed America on March 11 and unleashed a nightmare of mammoth proportions. In addition to facing the stress of protecting our families and livelihoods, we were now forced to take on the responsibility of teaching our kids fulltime – a position we were grossly unprepared for.
The initial hope was that the summer heat would eliminate the virus or, at the very least, diminish it. That theory, as we’ve come to know, failed to materialize. In fact, with the onset of the flu season anticipated in the Fall, Covid-19 might force opened schools to shutter once again for an unknown period of time. Therefore, it would be prudent to prepare ourselves as best as possible so we can adequately guide our children as they navigate educational expectations to the best of their abilities.
Over the last few weeks, I spent several hours collecting ideas that could help me prepare myself for the reluctant teacher role more effectively. Unlike the Zoom-based pandemonium we had to endure during the Spring, a thoughtfully crafted plan can help lessen the stress of taking our children’s education into our inexperienced hands.
There might still be hiccups along the way. For instance, today was our official first day of virtual school. I had one child in tears because she was unable to access her Zoom meeting due to technical difficulties while the other two followed her around trying to wipe away her tears! (Zoom, apparently, failed throughout the Chicago area, forcing our school to cancel the rest of the day’s activities.)
So, what are some of the things we are doing to make virtual school more bearable?
Keep an Open Mind
We need to stay positive. Aside from preparation, it is important to embrace this new challenge with an open mind. In other words, the number one thing for all of us to do is to adopt a positive mindset. Virtual school is heavily dependent upon technology as well as our dedication to roll with the punches. The truth is that this virus is not going away any time soon, which means we cannot expect to return to our (pre-coronavirus) normal way of life until a vaccine is made available to the general public. So, we might as well adopt the ‘new normal’ and stay optimistic.
And on that note, we need to…
Lower Your Expectations
Pre-coronavirus, which feels like eons ago, our family had decided that we would make every tool available for our kids to do well in school. Like I’ve mentioned above, I spent the first hour and a half after school helping my children complete their homework and understand their study material better.
Although I had once looked into it, I decided against enrolling my kids in Kumon, Sylvan, or other extra-learning activities. Their school allowed them access to IXL, which is a fantastic subscription-based learning site geared towards students enrolled in grades K-12. My kids enjoyed practicing their math and English skills on the highly intuitive and user-friendly platform. Other resources that my kids have found beneficial include Khan Academy, Duolingo (for Spanish), and viewing videos from YouTube channels such as Crash Course Kids and SciShow Kids.
We’ve always encouraged our kids to dedicate themselves to their studies. Like any parent, we want them to strive towards acquiring good grade. That said, we don’t believe in stressing them out. It is far better to work smart than to give in to rote learning because the most important aspect of acquiring an education is the desire to learn and comprehend. Those are the skills that will serve them well when they start college, one day.
In the days leading up to the first day of school, we sat the kids down and made sure they understood that their best effort was all that was needed. This is, after all, an unusual point in time. It is necessary to accept the fact that this school year will not be perfect.
In the past, I’ve had to take countless classes online during my university days. I discovered very quickly, back then, that online learning required discipline, dedication, and a mature attitude towards learning. Aside from checking in with the teacher and fellow students via the content management system, I was pretty much on my own. To succeed, I knew I needed to have solid time management skills and the ability to work independently. I was able to adapt rather quickly but knew many adult students who preferred taking face-to-face classes. The truth is that online learning is not for everyone.
Expecting children, especially the very young ones, to accept online learning and excel at it is nothing short of ludicrous. The normal expectation should be to accept the fact that they will struggle. When my middle child dissolved into tears, this morning, I drew her close to my heart and patiently wiped away her tears. I reminded her that it is normal to feel frustrated because, truth be told, she didn’t sign up for this. Nobody did!
On the bright side, going through the experience of learning online – despite all the technical challenges as well as the residual loneliness – is something that will benefit her in the long run. That is all I’m focused on, at the moment. Children are resilient, after all. If they are able to keep up with their assignments during this difficult time, they will learn the all-important life-long lesson of rising to the challenge.
A Comfortable Environment
When schools shut down, last Spring, I had the kids set up their workstations in the family room. The idea felt practical at the time. I believed I could work around the kitchen and do household chores while they sat through their Zoom meetings. If they needed help, I’d be within reach.
Despite my best intentions, we all ended up increasingly overwhelmed by the cluttered mess that took over our family room. My children were unable to locate important educational materials. There was more than one fight over stationary, now that I look back… I knew I needed a better plan.
This time around, I set up a functioning ‘school’ in the basement. I’ve situated their workstations far apart from one another. They each get two drawers where all their school supplies are neatly situated. My eldest is in middle school so it is more very important for her to have her own space where she isn’t interrupted by siblings.
I was initially tempted to borrow ideas from Pinterest and buy a variety of things that would supposedly make their learning areas more comfortable. But I decided against it. The truth is that nothing trumps a clean and quiet well-lit and ventilated workspace that is organized properly. At the end of the day, you don’t really need expensive desks and a variety of colorful cutouts to keep the kids happy. You need a simple system that works. That said, if you want to set up a cool workspace complete with customized print-outs, etc., go right ahead.
Create a Schedule and Stick To It
As alluded to earlier, time management is an important ingredient that can guarantee success when it comes to online learning. Knowing what to expect and when to turn it in relieves anxiety tremendously.
During our orientation, two days ago, we were told that school for virtual learners will start an hour late and conclude an hour early. This will not affect the quality of education my kids will receive when compared to kids who have elected to sit in class, this semester.
The reality is that online learning, like homeschooling, is more flexible than traditional classroom learning. My kids’ teachers all emphasized that face-to-face learners are (in truth) not sitting at their desks 100% of the time either. During the course of a day, there is a lot of movement from classroom to classroom, for instance.
My kids are expected to learn for a total of five hours each day. The day is divided into chunks of synchronous (teacher-led) and asynchronous (independent) learning. Unlike homeschooling which offers more independence in creating a complete schedule for the day, my kids will need a rather lose structure that will center around synchronous learning activities.
Details continue to emerge in terms of teacher meetings since this is only the first week of school. However, we’ve incorporated a system at home so the kids can stay on top of their assignments.
Every household is different, though, so you might need to come up with your own game plan for tackling the school day. The main idea is to keep procrastination at bay from the get-go.
My kids rise at 7 a.m. By the time the 9 a.m. comes around, they’re already properly dressed and done with breakfast. I use that time to set reminders for any meetings they might have scheduled for the day.
I’ve created a separate folder on my desktop for each kid where all of their school communication will be filed for easy access. Searching for individual emails that have assignment information can become overwhelming rather fast.
The teachers are also posting weekly assignments and due dates in Microsoft Teams which, I find, is extremely helpful.
Communication is Key
Remain in communication with your child as well as their teacher(s) and other parents. I find it very helpful to approach communication in that sequence. Let me elaborate.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that discipline begins at home. Parents have the responsibility to lay down a solid foundation for discipline long before a child steps into an educational institution. Teachers, on the other hand, are responsible for nurturing a child’s intellect. This is the traditional take on raising conscientious children who are ready to absorb knowledge throughout life.
That said, a strong parent-child bond is a precursor to discipline, not the other way around. Now, more than ever, the parent-child relationship takes precedence over everything else because we are actively facilitating their educational endeavors. If children are secure in the knowledge that their parents are available for them emotionally and are invested in their educational pursuits, they will confidently turn to them for help. They will also be able to respond to their parent’s newfound ‘facilitator’ role instead of challenging it. As a result, children and parents will find themselves on the same page.
I’ve been fortunate enough to raise my children myself. In doing so, my children have spent a major part of every single day with me. They’ve naturally envisioned me as their parent as well as facilitator, so we haven’t yet butted heads particularly when it comes to academics. To them, my suddenly becoming their ‘teacher’ is simply an extension of my role as a mother. But even if I was a working mother, it wouldn’t take a whole lot for the kids to adapt if the bond was strong to begin with. Every parent is their child’s first educator.
With respect to teachers, my goal is to remain in touch with them throughout the year. I need to be aware of what their expectations are so I can help my children meet them accordingly. My kids’ teachers are very accommodating despite all the challenges they are facing themselves. This is unchartered territory for everyone involved so it is important to give the teachers as much grace as possible. Flexibility will prove helpful every step of the way.
Lastly, I’m in touch with other parents who have elected the virtual route for their children. We reach out to each other with questions and respond to each other in a timely manner in order to facilitate communication.
We’re all in this together.
Kristen says
These are great tips. It’s going to be tough, but we’ll get through it!
Diana Vilic says
I feel so bad for kids right now. Digital school can be so difficult.
I didn’t appreciate it until much later on when I mastered sitting still (This was last year).
Great post! Lots of fun tips.
x di | http://www.dianavilic.com
Seema Iqbal says
Thank you for your comment, Diana. We are taking this challenge one day at a time. There really isn’t any other choice. We have to stay patient. Right now, I feel I’m back in elementary and middle schools simultaneously :). But I have decided to put all other activities on the back burner in order to focus on the current situation. Something’s got to give, right?