Online learning isn’t the most ideal form of education, but there are several ways you can help your child make the most of their “at-home” experience. These steps will improve your child’s learning and allow you to be more involved in their education!
Help your child make a list of weekly, daily, or test prep. goals to study
Teaching your child how to plan out work is an excellent way to teach responsibility and goal-setting. Take some time to sit down with your child and plan out daily, weekly, or even monthly goals. Try using a calendar so they can visually see the tasks at hand. Students will learn about short term and long term goals, all while staying organized and improving academics. Lay out any big exams, projects, curriculum based goals or homework assignments in an easy-to-read calendar format. Create simple daily goals together and check them off throughout the day. This can also help them create a consistent daily study routine. Teaching your child these and other study skills will create healthy planning habits they can use throughout their future and in class.
Find Youtube videos to coach both you and your child through new material while studying
In all honesty, no one is smarter than a 5th grader! The curriculum they learn has been taught to us so long ago that it’s easy to forget the specific academic knowledge they need. The easiest way to help your child succeed and practice new material is to simply “Youtube” it! Is your child learning how plants grow? Try a Youtube search of “the plant life cycle.” If what you find is a bit too challenging to understand, add their grade level or the term “Elementary school” into your search.
After previewing it, watch the video together, take notes and learn with your child. This creates a bond with your child while you model good studying habits. It also demonstrates to your child that it’s okay to not fully understand something. Researching unfamiliar topics is an excellent way to troubleshoot their own misunderstandings. Demonstrate to your child that learning can be fun and engaging with just a click of a button! Researching videos together will offer several resources of age appropriate learning; just be sure to watch it first!
Know where all school content is online
Checking your child’s assignments and tests is now easier than ever. First, check if your school is using Schoology or Google Classroom. Then proceed to ask their teacher, or your child, for more detailed information. It’s that simple! There are no hiding grades or missing report cards with online learning; everything can be viewed with just a click of a button! Take advantage of the online platform and ask your child where their teacher posts homework assignments, class updates and school wide announcements. By doing this, you can be more engaged in your child’s curriculum and help them succeed with any weaker subjects. However, remember to be sensitive to your child’s grades. Online learning is difficult and has its many drawbacks, but with ease of access to their work results, you can be there to help them.