We are living in strange times indeed! Since the advent of the novel coronavirus, life has slowly changed around us in ways we have likely never anticipated. We are asked to socially distance from our neighbors and loved ones, families are struggling to make ends meet, and we are asked to wear masks in places we’d never considered having to and we are also bracing for a new way of learning in our schools. It’s all very overwhelming and hard to manage. As we begin a new academic year, many schools are opting to begin in a virtual learning model. This often looks like having students log in to participate in either pre-recorded or live lessons with their teachers and classmates. For many parents, the thought of trying to this is very understandably daunting and perhaps intimidating. While we don’t have all the answers to what virtual learning will look like, we do have a few tips to help parents make the transition a little smoother.
Prepare Your Mind: Virtual learning and distance learning are relatively new concepts for most people. Traditionally, we’ve always gone to a brick and mortar school with a teacher who taught us in-person, and although this model is not always perfect, we know what to expect when we literally “go to” school. However, this new way of learning form afar is something very different to most of us. We may not really know what it will be like, and that’s ok. Not knowing what to expect in a new situation, all of the “what-ifs” associated with it can often make us feel powerless and defeated before we even begin. As we embark on the upcoming school year, with all of its obstacles and opportunities, take a deep breath and settle in on the fact that this is new, it will be challenging at times and maybe even uncomfortable, but you can do it!
Remain Flexible: If there’s anything I’ve learned in my decade-long teaching career, its that you never know what will happen on any given day. Fire drills will go off in the middle of a test, your laptop may shut down in the middle of an otherwise flawless lesson, little Johnny might throw up on the way to recess. Hey, things will happen. However, what happens is not nearly as important as how you respond to it. This may mean splitting the test into two parts due to the fire drill, reworking your lesson due to technical issues, or navigating your line of first graders around little Johnny’s accident so that you can keep it moving! Having a flexible and resilient approach to virtual learning will be key in making sure your child gets the most out of it, and you don’t have to be a trained teacher to master this skill, but you do have to have a willingness and ability to not get “stuck” when you face challenges.
Give Yourself A Break: As a nation, we have been dealing with a lot recently. There have been so many changes and adjustments to our daily lives and it has been very overwhelming. As we embark on a new school year, with new protocols and ways of learning, it can be very tempting to beat ourselves up if we don’t get everything just right the first (or second) time. However, as a parent, you are working hard not only to provide shelter, food, and clothing for your child but you are also wearing a new “home teacher” hat as well that you did not ask for. When things get hard, remember to give yourself a break and some grace. You are doing the best you can!
Give Your Kids a Break: In the same way that many parents did not ask to be pushed into managing their child’s learning at home, our children did not ask to be robbed of the opportunity to safely learn in a school environment. Many children are struggling with depression, social isolation and other unfortunate implications of the pandemic our nation is facing. Though there are children who truly thrive in a virtual learning situation, there will be many for whom learning at home will not be ideal. You may notice that your children are not engaged in virtual learning, they may complain about missing their friends and they certainly may come to you with questions that you struggle to answer about their assignments. When this happens, remember that they are just kids, trying to adjust to a new way of learning within the context of a pandemic. Just like you, they are doing the best they can and will need your support and grace for the challenges that come with this.
Ask For Help: Even though we can’t be together right now, the old adage “it takes a village to raise a child” is still very true. To that end, plan to maximize virtual learning by reaching out for help when you need it. This can look like contacting teachers, asking friends and family for help, or possibly hiring a tutor for your child to fill in the gaps where you may not be able to. In order to ensure the success of our children, we will have to work hard to make sure that we are leaning on each other to support them. Here at Find a Tennessee Tutor, we are happy to answer any questions we can about matching you with an excellent tutor to partner with your family. Best wishes for a productive and successful school year!
