TIPS FOR LEARNING FROM HOME

HELPING FAMILIES THRIVE AT HOME!

It’s a difficult time for parents and children. Families are grappling with the question, in a time of so much uncertainty, how can we ensure our children’s continued social and academic growth? And stay sane at the same time?  

Starfire is here for you to provide hints and tips to keep your child thriving and your sanity intact!

Time
Provide structure and consistency. Routines give children a sense of security and help them develop self-discipline. 

  • Create a daily schedule. Identify goals, school deadlines and family priorities when making your schedule. 

  • Add time for everything you want to achieve: class, free reading period, fun, exercise, “math around the home”, meals, etc. Don’t forget to schedule lots of short breaks to reset your child’s ability to focus. 

  • Stay on track by entering important events into Google Calendar and turning on alerts.

Materials

  • Make sure your children have the materials necessary to complete all assignments. This could include ensuring stable wi-fi connections for classes via Zoom, downloading a PDF reader, or ordering a big box of pencils and a sharpener.

  • Screen time - Many parents worry about too much screen time for kids, however, technology can be empowering for children of all ages, with tools that help make the learning experience engaging and creative and allow for kids to stay connected to others. Students learn coding as a language and critical thinking skills through MIT’s Scratch and ScratchJr. Coding program. Children can maintain their emotional and social lives through connecting with friends and family via Facetime, Google Hangouts, Skype, and Zoom. Check out Screen Time Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics

  • Zoom - Many teachers are turning to Zoom to take their classes into the digital classroom. Zoom can be used on almost any device connected to internet, including a phone to download Zoom. You will get an email from the teacher with all the key info, plus an 11-digit meeting ID that you click or tap to get into the class. 

    • Try to reduce distractions around children when they are in the digital classroom. Encourage kids to tune in carefully to what others are saying. Social and physical cues are more limited in the virtual classroom.

    • Before a session, it's always a good idea to open the Zoom software and test your webcam and microphone to make sure they're working to avoid technical surprises. You can test your internet connection by joining a test meeting (if your Wi-Fi connection is unstable, you can improve video performance by connecting directly to your ethernet).

    • Check out more tips on setting expectations and prepping for Zoom classes from Common Sense Media.

Working with your school
Your child’s teachers are invested in their success and remain a critical resource during this time.

  • Help your student check for messages daily from teachers and other students, and make sure to reply to any messages that require one.

  • Use school resources. Contact your child’s school, as well as the local school district and state education resources for support. This is especially critical if your child has an IEP or 504 plan and requires additional support and services at school.

Curriculum Support and Activities
There is a flood of free educational resources online. Find a couple of resources that work for you and build from there. We have curated an awesome curated selection of STEAM resources for parents.

  • Prioritize your child’s greatest need and then their biggest interest or passion. This is a great time to spend on passion projects.

  • Look for resources that will keep them connected to their real-life community—enrichment classes, piano lessons, Sunday school and local dance classes are all going online! Grandparents and family friends are volunteering to lead activities like storytime and craft sessions. 

  • Read freely. Encourage literacy and a love of books with free reading time.  

  • Solve real-life math problems. Math is all around us, in the mundane and the creative. Check out these challenges for making math fun at home from Stanford’s Youcubed project.

Environment
Create an area in the house for your child to be able to focus on learning. 

  • Home learning has an advantage in that it can be adapted to your child. You can almost always personalize your child’s learning space (sound, light, room, equipment)

  • As long as the student can focus and be safe, there are no limits to where the learning can take place. Feel free to allow children different places to learn, whether lying on the ground or sitting at a table—whatever works best for them.  

  • Try to limit distractions. Turn off the TV and try to limit noise.

  • Have your children pack up their materials into a basket at the end of day so they can put them aside when they're finished.

Mindset
Intelligence and new skills can be developed through hard work. Students’ beliefs about their intelligence and what it takes to learn has important consequences.

  • Give your child time and space to struggle with problem solving. Help them build grit and a growth mindset. Students with a growth mindset understand they can get smarter through hard work, the use of effective strategies, and help from others when needed. 

  • Offer your child praise for effort, persistence, perseverance, resilience, deep thinking, and mistakes—not for intelligence or for speed. 

  • Encourage self-direction. The more students own their learning and have a voice in their work, the easier and more fulfilling learning will be for everyone.

Parent Perspective
Learning is complex. Your child needs a wide range of support: academic, collaborative, psychological, technical and disciplinary. You need to take care of yourself first before being able to provide support to others.

  • Meditation - It's important to show care and compassion for yourself, especially in times of high stress. One way to introduce self-care into your daily routine is meditation. There are lots of meditation guides out there, but we found that this super simple introduction from the YouTube Channel “Improvement Pill” is the best way to get started.

  • Movement - Keep moving, even with physical distancing. The New York Times has some great ideas, including simple, equipment-free exercises and basic, stress-reducing yoga.

  • Forgiveness - Be forgiving of yourself and your child. This is a very stressful time. We are all doing the best we can do right now.