Tips for Navigating Online School
Navigating online school can be quite the challenge and I’m speaking from direct experience. I’ll tell you why. One of my children had to do a few years of online school due to severe anxiety and depression affecting his ability to attend brick and mortar schools. We were just getting in a good place and able to attend full days then COVID-19 hit us.
Since I have the experience, I would like to make the following suggestions
- Set a mandatory schedule when possible
- Make sure the computer screen doesn’t affect their eyes-it can cause fatigue and headaches. There are special glasses that block some of the blue light.
- Get them out of their room if possible.
- Set up reminds when offered and have your child do so on their devices
- Make sure you are in contact with the teacher if there are problems.
- Find out what kind of learner your child is. I think mine is tactile, so online is very challenging. The three main styles I know are: Auditory, Visual and Tactile
- Take breaks-Think about it. Staring at a computer screen for hours is tiring. Give the kid’s a break to stretch and rest their eyes.
- Stay organized-Keep a planner with assignment due dates. You can do a paper planner or reminders on your devices. This will help tremendously.
- Get a tutor if needed. I’ve had to do this. Plan early too because, with online school, they get booked up fast.
- Have a tidy space and a well-lit room. Dark rooms cause drowsiness.
- Read school e-mails and stay in touch with teachers.
- Socialize your child as much as you can do safely.
When to get a tutor
If your child is not is a tactile learner, online school can be especially challenging. Visual learners may be challenged if the teacher isn’t using many visuals. This is when you may need to ask the teacher’s help or get a tutor.
Navigating Technology Issues
- Keep a log. That way you will know if your child is penalized for missing information due to internet issues, glitches, etc.
- Test everything ahead of time. Our children had issues with audio on their first day.
- Zoom-I believe most teachers are using zoom. We could not hear, but it is difficult to find out where to turn on the audio. Here info I found on Zoom support: How to turn on Zoom Audio
Importance of a disciplined schedule
Starting off with a structured disciplined routine is crucial. I did not and it was tough. If I can think of anything else, I will add to this, but for now, I hope this helps you have a smoother year. If you enjoyed this post, please share it.
Avoiding Isolation Depression
Friendships and socializing are crucial to children. Make sure they have some type of outlet to socialize with their friends. Dealing with depression is serious with children and I suspect the isolation will contribute to higher depression rates among kids. Know the signs and be aware.
Sincerely,
Tina A Stoffel
Image Credits: <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/vectors/school’>School vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com</a>
https://publicdomainvectors.org/en/free-clipart/Happy-time-card/47102.html
