Online Learning 101: A Parent’s Guide

Online learning presents us all with difficult challenges, especially if you are a parent of 2 or more children. Even if you are a parent who is digitally savvy, you will still be grappling with many different problems that will occur during the phase of sudden transition of the traditional education to online education environments.

This alternative learning method has begun in most countries around the globe and is tough to achieve for parents who must continue their own work to support their families. How to meet your children’s academic needs while you need to keep doing your job if you are an essential worker is not an easy task. While for those who are working remotely from home suffers time management. Although online learning may seem like an impossible task, there are possible remedies to make homeschooling journey sailing as smooth as possible.

Here is a useful parent’s guide to help your child with online learning.

Time Management

First step is to list down your child’s online class schedule. Post it or display where you can easily see it so you can monitor and from there make a plan on how you can manage your time tending to your other tasks like your work from home job, house chores and more.

Make sure your child can be online at the right time by continuing their normal school routine, that is to wake them up at least an hour before their classes begin. Let them make the habit of preparing themselves like taking a bath and eating breakfast before sitting in front of their computer.

Do your grocery errands and other chores like doing the laundry during weekends when your kids are off school.

Learning Space

It is important to set up a suitable learning area in your home. It is recommended to have a desk or table to work at and a comfortable chair to sit on.

Choose a corner where it is well-lit, cool and well ventilated.

Make sure they have the materials they needed for their projects and online activities.

Most importantly, the area should also be free of distractions.

Familiarize yourself with the virtual learning platform

In order for you to motivate your child in remote learning, you must familiarize yourself first with the virtual learning platform.

Make sure you have a good internet connection and make time out to learn and explore educational apps your child will be using for the entire school year.

Encouragement and Support

Bear in mind that your child or children just like you are very new to this new educational platform. Thus, it is important that you monitor and guide them step by step in the beginning until they are well familiar with the process.

They are easily distracted and stressed when they clicked on the wrong button, suddenly disconnected with their online classroom or cannot immediately grasp their lessons, that’s why you are needed to have your patience, teach them not to panic but how to respond when facing a difficulty. So, just sit near them while you also work online or read a book.

Rewards and words of encouragement like well done and good job are some of the conversation openers for your child to talk about the confusing parts of his lessons. Help them understand.

As days goes by, your child will slowly adapt and develop independent study habit and self-discipline to stick to their schedule.

Your child will more likely be interested about learning if you will explain and set clear expectations about what they are about to do and learn on their online classroom. They will be motivated when they feel your support and you value their work.