Making the Best Of Virtual School this Fall

Fall is here, and many families have heard the news that their schools will be conducted 100% online or will take a hybrid approach where each portion of the student body will attend school 1-3 days a week. A compilation of reopening plans from Education Week, a trade publication focusing on K-12 education, shows that more than 80 school districts including Los Angeles, Houston, Fairfax VA, and Montgomery MD are reopening or have reopended with remote learning only. Families that were incredibly disappointed (an exhausted!) by the spring distance learning experience are looking for alternative options to make sure that their children do not fall behind even further than they did in the spring. As reported by the New York Times, families are scrambling to form learning pods, micro schools, and tutor supported learnings, while news of the $25,000 learning pod has certainly reignited the debate on how educational inequity is again at the forefront of this pandemic.

For families with children of an age where independent learning is not possible (these are elementary and preschool age children), considering a learning pod or some form of instructor/caregiver led learning environment is absolutely valid, and critical for working parents. After all, these children need caregiver attention at all times. For Middle and High School students, who do not need caregivers, it is important to understand what aspects of the online learning environment was challenging this past spring, and find ways to support each student to the extent possible under COVID restrictions.

This may come as a surprise to some families, but many students did very well academically this past spring. We have heard from many families that reported that students (especially high school students), with new found time on their hand (without the commute and heavy extracurricular commitments) thrived and got better grades. Also they were able to get more sleep which was helpful to the student’s overall well being. New York Times explores this phenomenon in What if Some Kids Are Better Off at Home?  

 

The families that reported the opposite effects frequently cited issues related to:

• Quality of instruction: Lower quality of instruction / No instruction (many school districts were unable to offer live streamed lessons, only offering assignments)
• Lack of interactive learning: A significant contributor to learning, and to student happiness overall
• Time management: Inability of students to manage their time / stick to a schedule without parent/teacher supervision
• Motivation/ stamina: Difficulty concentrating in home environment / inability to focus on task at hand
• Isolation: Social distancing has placed stress on students who may withdraw even further
• General malaise/stress involving pandemic: The psychological and emotional toll on students cannot be underestimated

 

On quality of instruction, in most school districts, we will definitely see an uptick in live streamed instruction this fall. Many families fortunate enough to send their students to private schools and public schools that were able to provide zoom based instructions were overall happy with the quality of the lessons. Most public schools will adapt to a zoom based live streaming model at least some of the time, and assuming that the same teachers are teaching the same subjects, but now virtually, we should expect the quality of instruction to be higher than what most students had in the spring. Zoom based learning will also help with students that crave interaction. Teachers and students will be able to participate in active discussions and debates online. Online learning has been around for many years with many schools run entirely online very successfully (many universities, but high schools and middle schools as well). Read our blog 12 Online High Schools to Consider for more information.

 

Some tips gleaned from families that have made online learning successful includes:

• Find a quiet place designated as school: Many students found virtual learning in their bedrooms or in common spaces in their homes, with a myriad of distractions, less than optimal. Most students will benefit from a clear delineation in space designated for school work. Setting up a separate study space is critical, even if it is within a bedroom (being sure to assign beds as a no go zone).
• Create a schedule and build concrete limits and deliverables into them: When time is relatively fluid, and there is no deadline to finish a particular assignment in a day, students have a tendency to take more time than needed to finish a task. Perhaps break time up into 20 or 30 min. increments, and make sure that the student finishes to the best of their ability one subject/task within that time frame (with catch up time at the end of the day for anything missed).
• Make optional office hours scheduled mandatory check-ins: Almost every teacher has the same gripe - students not taking advantage of office hours. Almost all teachers will provide office hours, and now that they are virtual, there is even less excuse for students to not attend and get the personalized attention that they need. This is FREE tutoring!
• Supplement with Online Learning: If your student is not getting the optimal education that s/he needs from school, or on a specific class/subject, there is a plethora of online resources to help your student, from getting simple topics clarified on youtube video to supplementing with an entire online class.
• Create virtual study groups: Students craving inspiration and interaction from other students should create virtual study groups. Even if it is just a time to have zoom or facetime on with friends, while each student is studying quietly and independently, having a set time and routine with fellow students can help with time management and/or motivation issues. Parents should monitor how effective this is, as some groups can become a distraction.
• Make use of planning tools: There are many wonderful tools available online to help students set up manageable to-do lists, budget time, study in small chunks, and limit distraction. How to Help Your Teens Manage Time lists all the latest technological tools to help students get organized and stay focused.
• Monitor student progress: Even the brightest and most organized students could use parental guidance to make sure that any negative trends are caught early and addressed. Parents need to be sure they are familiar with all of the online tools that schools provide to be on top of grades, assignments, deliverables, etc. Parents should not be fretting over every assignment, but they should schedule in monthly or quarterly check ins with online tools, or better yet directly with students.
• Make social time: It is critical that students socialize with their peers to the extent that they can -  going out for walks, getting together to work on an academic or creative project (offline socially distanced or online), and watching a movie together (again possible remotely!). How to Help Teens be Social Again will provide good ideas on how to make sure that teens have the social and emotional support network needed to thrive. Feelings of isolation and stress over events beyond their control is real, and must be addressed. 
• Encourage movement and schedule in fun: Make sure students make time to go outside, exercise, get fresh air, and engage in fun activities outside of school.

 

There is much that students and parents can do to make virtual learning this fall a success, and perhaps even an enriching experience. That being said, there are instances where students can absolutely use additional resources and guidance when classes are not taught well, or students are struggling to thrive.

• Subject matter tutoring
• Goal setting and time management
• Academic monitoring
• Enrichment and Extracurricular planning
• Third party professionals focusing on psychological and emotional health of the student
• Students with learning difference or special education needs 

 

Parents are being asked to shoulder a tremendous amount during COVID-19 and through the ever changing educational landscape. We are here to help.

 

Versed Advisors provides parents with personalized guidance on optimizing student success in all school environments. Whether your school has gone virtual, or you are opting to homeschool your child, or are very happy with your school, but are looking to have an advisor manage academic enrichment and extracurricular activities, we are here to provide your family with the personalized guidance and the heavy lifting to make sure your students are well on their way to success.

 

Book a free consultation to learn more.

 

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