How to educate your kids at home during the coronavirus school closures
The onset of the coronavirus created a new world for students and parents across Idaho.
Schools shuttered as the state, and the entire country, conduct a real-time experiment in online education. Gone are the days of a teacher standing in front of students, a tried-and-true method with thousands of years of experience. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing require a different approach, one that leaves parents to navigate a new role in their children’s education.
Specifics vary from school district to school district. But the Idaho Statesman contacted education leaders around the Treasure Valley for tips for parents trying to make sure their students are still learning in this new world.
SET A SCHEDULE
You’d be hard pressed to find a more schedule-oriented world than a school. But they exist for a reason, breaking the day into digestible chunks where students know what to expect.
Stay-at-home orders blew up those structures as one sweatpants-laden day blends into the next. That requires parents to create a new schedule for their students.
No one expects parents to replicate a full school schedule. At-home schedules will vary from family to family, depending on what works best in each household. But creating some structure will fend off procrastination.
“If I could give two recommendations, they are have a schedule and read,” said Lisa Roberts, the deputy superintendent of the Boise School District. “If our kids have some type of schedule, interact somewhat with the resources online and pick up on their reading, we’ll be doing OK going into the fall.”
TAKE BREAKS
The same technology that makes online learning possible also creates an avalanche of distractions. Limit their appeal with scheduled breaks.
Don’t expect your child to sit in front of a computer and remain on task for hours on end. Few adults can do that. Even NFL coaches admit they need to give their players breaks every 20 to 30 minutes.
Schedule those breaks to reset between activities, relieve stress or get up and move. Schools long ago realized those breaks are key to success.
“Our kids are used to being in a classroom where they’re sitting at a desk, but then they get to move and go to this other activity, and then they have some social time,” said Bret Heller, the director of curriculum and instruction for the West Ada School District.
“So don’t just stick your kid in front of the packet for six hours and expect them to be able to focus. There needs to be some time for self care and brain breaks and to get a little bit of exercise.”
DIVIDE AND CONQUER THE WORK
Schools traditionally managed a student’s time. Bell schedules divided the day, and a teacher told students what to do when.
Asking students to manage their own time is an entirely new skill. Jeff Simmons, the director of supervision and instruction for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance, said he learned that first hand with his own children.
“Students can feel overwhelmed,” Simmons said. “They see it as one big thing they have to do throughout the day. But once they see it broken up, it’s doable.”
Break a day’s work into chunks. Tackle each one individually, string together victories and you’ll be surprised by how much gets done by the end of the day.
SET EXPECTATIONS
Many districts unveiled plans where all work done during the coronavirus shutdown can only boost a grade. Nothing will negatively affect a student’s grade. Think of it like extra credit.
That could easily erase a student’s motivation. But Roberts said schools couldn’t fairly grade students when they all have different home environments.
Parents need to work in partnership with their schools to set expectations. Those expectations will vary from family to family. But clearly setting standards and holding students to them will go a long way without a teacher standing at the head of a classroom.
“I would be telling my kids you want to keep up with all of this so that when you go back in the fall, you aren’t so far behind,” Roberts said. “Once you get out of a routine of reading on a daily basis or working in math or whatever the subject matter is, you fall behind.”
CREATE A LEARNING SPACE
The boundary between home and school vanished. Re-establish some lines by dedicating a part of the house for learning.
That could be a room, a table or a corner. Whenever a student is there, it’s time to learn.
If space is limited, even putting on a hat or scarf to signal an intent to learn can help make the mental switch.
“Give them their own unique learning space so they can focus,” Heller said. “But give them some flexibility as everyone learns differently. Some may need to sit quietly by themselves or with headphones on. Some may need to stand and move around.
“Know who your kid is and what can best help them. Talk to your student.”
STAY PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE
This is a new world for everyone — parents, students and teachers alike. Everyone is learning new roles and best practices.
Stay patient with your children. Their whole world has been turned upside down. They can’t see their friends. Their routine is in tatters. And this can all be scary.
Mental health is key. If a student is struggling, reset and try again later.
“It might just be a day where you need to sit and be together,” said Cheryl Charlton, superintendent of the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance. “Go outside, take a walk or be in the yard. It’s never going to be a win for a parent to force their student to learn when they are not ready to do so.”
ASK FOR MORE
Many parents have expressed frustration at the pace of the emergency online education. But schools are trying to balance the needs of all their students, not just the high-achieving ones.
Students from high-income households have all the resources needed to succeed online. But as districts have found out, large swaths of their population didn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to leave those students behind.
But if any student doesn’t feel challenged, they should contact their teacher or principal, Boise School District spokesman Dan Hollar said.
“If a parent wants to reach out to a teacher to provide more enrichment opportunities and more growth opportunities for that particular child, we are all in on that,” Hollar said. “We will customize that education for that particular child.”
The Idaho Digital Learning Alliance also remains open to students. The state-funded academy offers online courses in partnership with Idaho’s public schools. All classes are taught by Idaho certified teachers trained in online education.
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
