Judging by the way that education in a pandemic has gone so far, virtual learning is probably going to be pretty tough on us all. As former teachers, busy moms with a large age span of kids and quite honestly not a ton of patience at this point, we are here to help. Hopefully our little guide for parents can make this a bit easier.
A few things we can try to control, keyword: try.
Keep to a schedule on school days, write it down, make it clear, kids love a routine.
Have an area of your home that is specifically for school. If they can just take a laptop and be all willy nilly anywhere in the house, it might be a smidge distracting.
Don’t forget about snack time, lunch and recess. Make this a fun break! Easier said than done, I’ll be saying “just go kick a ball around for a few minutes” after week one. The intent is good though, I promise.
We polled the people and these were the most popular items that you guys said you were buying to prepare for virtual learning.
Well these and alcohol. Lots of alcohol. That seems to be a common theme during quarantine.
At the top of the list were desks and laptops: Your kids need a designated area to work and a computer of some sort.
Another great idea was alternative seating options: So good for the kid that has the wiggles.
We had many teachers respond to our poll and clocks and timers were something that was mentioned over and over. I really love this timer for a visual reminder to stay on track. A classroom pocket chart to show their schedule is also a good way to show them their day and what they should be doing at a particular time.
Staying organized is key. Keep all supplies together with the options below:
A student planner to write down assignments/due dates and other important info is a great way for kids to stay organized. Mine also use their echo dot to set reminders, timers or even play music while working. A large white board can also help them see their week at a glance.
Headphones are a must. A quality pair that is noise canceling with a built in mic will be great for all those zoom calls or google meets.
And why not add some inspirational decor to make it a little more fun…after-all these kids have been through quite a lot in the past few months.
And lets not forget the random assortment of supplies you know they’ll need. My favorite part of a new school year was always the new school supplies:
Never underestimate the power of new markers and organizational products. It just might put us all in a good, hopeful, dare I say excited mood!
