To maintain an ongoing learning environment, schools are taking up digital education for students of all ages. Since there is uncertainty as to when schools can start functioning as normal owing to the coronavirus pandemic, such a step is the only way to ensure continual education.
Online learning for kids has taken over conventional classroom activities in several regions around the world. Teaching children at home with the help of online tools is a challenge for most of the parents. Though teachers are doing their best to make the most of the digital education tools available, there is a lot that parents can do to make it more effective. In the lines below, let us take a look at some online learning parenting tips that will make the whole process better and engaging:
Tips that work like a charm:
  • Create a favorable environment that encourages learning
    If children are given their own space for learning, they will develop a sense of belonging and will be encouraged to participate in the virtual learning activities on any given day. A designated laptop or desktop for their lessons and an environment that is conducive to their learning is advisable.
    Make sure that there are no distractions during the lessons so that children are able to concentrate only on the screen and the respective teacher. A quiet place without any disturbing sounds is ideal. Most of the schools request one of the parents to participate in the learning activities. However, this does not mean that you can interfere in the process of learning. Just be there for guidance and make sure that the children are able to make the most of the virtual learning activities.
  • Design a schedule to follow
    Just like a school has schedules for each student, make one at home too. In addition to the time spent on online lessons, there has to be a fixed time for meals, afternoon nap (for the smaller children) and breaks. This will ensure that students will get a feeling of being in schools rather than their homes. However, following the same schedule may become uninteresting after a while. Changing it weekly or once every fortnight is advisable to keep up their interest.
  • Limit the screen time on any given day
    Getting exposed to longer screen times can harm the children’s eye health. In addition to the online classes, there are many other instances in which they use multiple screens. Limiting the hours of gaming, watching television and chatting with their friends can help in the long run. As mentioned earlier, a schedule for all such activities helps in keeping a check on the screen time spent.
  • Let them talk to their friends using digital means
    Though children are generally happy to stay at home and not have to go to school every day, it is a fact that they miss the companionship of their friends and classmates. Allow them to have chats with them on a daily basis for some time. This helps them stay in touch with their friends and also speak about academics. Such sessions will give rise to an exchange of ideas, advice and many other significant purposes ideal for their learning.
  • Breaks are important too
    As important online classes for children are in the current circumstances, so are regular breaks. Many parents feel that this period has helped them bond with their children more because of the time spent at home. So, plan your breaks as per their schedule and encourage them to have fun. Group activities such as family games, quizzes, etc. can make the breaks enjoyable for everyone.

Schools are relying on an efficient school management system to take care of their digital education needs. With the help of tools such as whiteboards, audio and video conferencing that form a part of such a system, they are able to create an interactive and ideal teaching environment for students. Therefore, parents can do their bit by following the aforementioned online learning parenting tips and help their children get the best out of the available resources.