April 16, 2021

1. Structure

Creating structure is perhaps the most effective way to help your child learn remotely, especially in a pandemic that has brought much uncertainty. Structure helps them organize their learning as they would in a face-to-face setting. Easy ways to create structure include setting a schedule or creating a daily plan while still encouraging self-direction.

For those working at home, keeping a schedule helps you and your child to organize school time into the day. Best practices suggest you keep it as close to the school schedule as possible. When you have a weekly schedule that works for both of you, stick to it.

Use a daily plan for smaller to-do tasks for a specific day. That lets you track specific things to do to accomplish bigger tasks. For example, the time scheduled for math class would include learning about numbers.

Encouraging self-direction is key to all of this. Give your child some control over their learning by involving them in the planning and organizing. Let them make schedules of their own. This makes your life easier and they will be more engaged with their own learning process and are more likely to stick to the schedule. 

2. The Perfect Environment

In online learning, the environment is critical in how your child learns. Pay attention to simple details such as their desk and chair, their lighting and ventilation, and make sure they have materials they need, like good WiFi, login credentials and note-taking apps. A comfortable environment will help them focus and do their work.

3. Be the Guide not the Teacher

You aren’t there to teach your child. Leave that to trained teachers. Your role is as a facilitator. As parents, you already have a very important job as a support system for your child. Do what you can to help them understand the content that is taught in their class. Get a casual knowledge of the topics so you can give quality assistance.

Keep your child accountable. Make sure they complete assignments properly, meet deadlines and are ready for their tests. You can look to see if they need a nudge, a hug or a short break. Learning is a complex process so you should be patient with your child.