5 Tips to Turn Distance Education into Success
The back-to-school season has officially begun. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close this spring, virtual learning was new to many parents, students and teachers and some of them had difficulty in transitioning from formal to online education. Adapting to this format was inevitable for all of us, since virus concerns prevented schools from reopening and often parents opted for a temporary gap in education rather than returning to the traditional learning.
Faylyn Emma, who is a high school math teacher at Colorado Connections Academy, which has specialized in online education and served more than 2,000 students in Centennial State, said that a family or teacher equipped with the right tools and strategies is unlikely to fail in online education.
In this article, we will discuss the five tips for making distance learning at home successful.
1 – Establish a routine for yourself
Faylyn Emma said that kids improve better when they have a routine; this includes distance training at home. Parents may want to prepare their children the same way as they prepare them for a normal school day.
Depending on the school and the teacher, learning can be simultaneous, online or offline, lessons are prepared in advance and conducted according to the students’ syllabus. This gives parents the flexibility to develop a school program that suits their circumstances and their child’s individual needs.
She added that it also helps to take a holistic look at the weekly plan ahead of time.
“See what’s on the weekly schedule and plan the things you need or want to do each day, including the breaks, mealtimes, and family activities, according to that schedule,” said Faylyn Emma.
She recommends that students should have a designated area for the schoolwork where they can access their computers, chargers and other supplies they may need but also where they shouldn’t be distracted from the household distractions.
2 – Know the time when you should take a break
Emma said traditional classes consist of about 15 to 20 minutes of education and 15 to 20 minutes of application. Families should plan their day with what she calls “learning pieces” to make the school day more manageable. “Students will have a hard time sitting in front of their computers for hours, so you should dedicate these learning blocks to about 30 or 50 minutes,” Emma said. This will give students the time to learn, understand and then apply the newly gained knowledge. Families should also make sure that children take breaks in school schedules. This will not only help students recharge, but also reduce their screen time.
While High school students at Colorado Connections Academy spend about six hours a day on classes, younger students study about four to five hours a day. “I wouldn’t recommend staring at a screen longer than 45 minutes without a break even if it’s just a short 5 to 10 minutes break.” Emma said.
Wearing blue-light protection glasses can help children suffering from screen-related headaches. It might also be helpful to have some of the activities that need to be completed on paper, she said.
3 – Establish communication
Emma said that the best thing that teachers, parents and students can do when distance teaching takes place is to communicate regularly.
Students and parents should provide teachers with the necessary contact information. In this way, they can be aware of the homework and other similar things. Likewise, the teacher should give their contact information to the parents so that parents can reach the teacher and get the necessary support when they need it. If contact with a family is lost, Emma said she also sends postcards or does home visits to stay in touch with them. “We’re going to use all of these to make sure that a student is doing well and is learning at home.” she said.
4 – Be proactive
As a virtual educator, Emma believes that her job is to provide academic instruction as well as facilitating students to become independent learners. This means accustoming her students to vocabulary related to the online platforms, making it easier for them to access course materials, and developing clear instructions on how to complete lessons, she said. This also helps to set their expectations.
Teachers should also take into consideration the students with different learning styles and adapt their instructions to suit these preferences.
“What do students need to access and learn from the curriculum, and how can you make sure it happens?” said Emma. “Encouraging them to take the ownership of their learning really helps the process.” she added.
5 – Be patient (especially with yourself)
Both parents and educators will eventually face challenges with online education, and Emma proposes that neither side should be too harsh on themselves.
Sometimes there will be situations that will hinder or affect the school day. “The most important thing is that you shouldn’t give up, just as we teach our students that they don’t succeed at every test,” said Emma.
“Sometimes we learn from our mistakes or failures,” Emma said. “There’s nothing wrong with trying something that you think might help or not trying something new.”