Does Remote Learning Work for Your Children?

Before the coronavirus pandemic strike, remote work and distance learning was set to increase over the next decade. No one really thought that the increase would be so significant but here it is, Covid-19 happened. More and more companies were starting to take advantage of cloud services that allow employees to maintain productivity while working from home. Remote learning has also been relatively popular for undergraduates for years – many have been able to work full-time and still graduate online courses. Some have preferred it because of the freedom it gives them, and others have chosen the online learning path because they can start developing a career while studying. Others have just picked it because they needed to support themselves while working while cutting costs on travel and accommodation.

Whatever the reason, up until Covid-19, for most students, online learning was a choice rather than a requirement. This is no longer the case, and while young adults can adapt to new schedules and develop time-management skills, younger children could be considered as a bit more disadvantaged as they are now likely forced into online learning because of the pandemic and they have not yet developed the time-management skills of older children. Here are a few tips on how your children can take the most of remote learning.

• Let them be social

Learning science and other exciting stuff at school is undoubtedly crucial for children, but they go there to learn how to be social too – creating friends and building friendships is what keeps many students go. Limiting their ability to communicate with each other would certainly be a step back for their development. With the right software installed on their mobile devices, you can still allow them to stay in touch with their friends and make sure that they are safely learning.

• Breaks, breaks, breaks

You may feel tempted to go over the material quicker so you can get back to your work, but homeschooling should not be rushed. Let them get breaks to prepare for the next round of lessons – encourage them to go out and about rather than playing video games when they are not in a lesson. Playing ball will certainly clear their heads more than just seeing them strike new video game records at lunch break.

• Setting up a workspace with a printer

Arguably the best way to get your children to be more focused is to let them have designated workspace with the right equipment. Like an adult who works from home, if a child accepts that when they are sitting on the desk, they are learning, then it would be much easier for them to log off and not feel burned out when the lesson is over. Utilizing a designated workspace will help them develop time management skills and will be able to differentiate playing time from learning time.

• Consider other options

If your children are younger than fifth grade, they would probably require about 4-6 hours of your time to help them with schooling. If your children are older, they would most likely need around three hours of your time per day. Budget the time that you would spend with your children and consider a chartered school or hiring a part-time private tutor. You want the best of your little ones, and if you are unable to give them the time they need, you may have to allocate resources for private tutoring.

Distance learning is supposed to replace traditional on-site schooling, but achieving the same effect might be a challenge as both options have pros and cons.  However, with the right approach and mindset, you may be able to get your child enjoy the perks of learning from home and still not miss out on anything from the curriculum.