Back to School Tips
Back to school tips and virtual learners in the same sentence are very different for me. I thought that when we were forced out of school for an early Spring Break we would be getting back to school at a “normal” time. Did you feel that way too?
Well, after getting over the shock of not returning to school and knowing for certain I would not risk my children to do it, virtual learning became our best option.
Check out the tips below to ease into virtual learning.
Tip#1: Schedule
My children are eighteen months apart at the most. They are in 4 different grades. Because they attend private school I may have been blessed to get the option to go virtual or traditional.
Te most important tip I was able to implement is their schedule. Once meeting with each of their teachers I know exactly what times they will need to be available for virtual learning.
Therefore, I plan their daytime schedule accordingly.
For ex:
8:00 pm Bedtime
6:30 am Wakeup
8:00am Breakfast
10:00am Google Classroom ready
Tip #2: Equipment
I give huge props to teachers from the beginning. My children went to school because mommy has to work.
Also, we do not have a television by choice so normally gadget time will be on a laptop or tablet.
Since we had to switch things up all the children need devices. The school is providing 2 Chromebooks
So, we had to provide the devices for the other 2 children. Just make sure that the devices are operational, fully charged and ready to go.
Please check with your school to see what they can or will offer to assist you with the learning experience.
Tip #3: Snack Ready
Having to do a lot of meal planning when the children are learning from home can be nerve wrecking.
When they were in school we packed a lunch and snacks even though the children had availability for it in school.
Since we are at home preparing the same thing will help with keeping things less chaotic and keeping the children more able to focus on the learning at hand.
Pack snack bags, prepare lunches and especially pay attention to the “type” of lunches. Lots of water, fruits and vegetables I find keeps my children less distracted.
Tip #4 Rest and Breaks
I am not going to make it seem like I have all the answers. However, I know this much is true, when my children and I have considerable amounts of breaks and lag times things go a lot smoother.
Therefore, add specific break and rest times throughout the day in order to ENJOY learning and have fun!
Yes, there will be structure and rigidity to some of the things that you do but because we are virtual and my sanity is important, we ain’t going crazy.
Tip #5: Exercise and Self Care
Physical Education is a part of most curriculum. How it has worked for me is that I use it to not only educate the children, but also to transform my body.
Need I say that is something I had been working on for years prior.
I must say here that I personally believe that stretching and physical activity enhances any and every learning experience.
I challenge us parents to make the best use of “what we have”. Our children are learning virtually, but most importantly they learn a lot by watching and mimicking us.
Let me know in the comments how these tips assist your virtual learning adventures. Also, what are your tips?
Until next time, live life awfully simple. 🙂
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