Here are five things parents and caregivers can do to help their child be successful when learning online:

1. Continue with a schedule.

Traditional school days provide students with a lot of structure which is hard to replicate during online learning days. For some students, the flexibility of learning online is a natural fit. However, for other students, especially young learners, managing this increased autonomy is a challenge. Families participating in online learning need to build their own routines to make it work for them, but the research shows that having a specific daily schedule is key.
Build it.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

2. Model resilience and persistence.

Learning online from home removes much of the accountability that students are used to in the traditional classroom, so achieving the same level of success will take a higher level of intrinsic motivation and self-directed effort. Just like time-management skills, this motivation comes more naturally for some students than for others. Parents and other caregivers can make a big difference simply by demonstrating the importance of these skills in the “real world” beyond school. Demonstrating your own hard work and motivated attitude will help your child take a similar approach while learning online.

3. Set up a designated workspace.

The right workspace makes a huge difference in students’ mindset and ability to focus. When participating in online learning, students have the ability to complete their work where they want, so it’s important to put thought into what kind of environment is truly most effective for them and make sure that they have a designated space at home where possible.

4. Get to know the online learning platforms.

Online learning means that students spend a large part of their school day immersed in an online programme (or maybe several). For parents, taking the time to get familiar with what those platforms looks like, how your child is using them, and what resources are available are some of the best ways you can offer support. While this is time-consuming initially, it is time-efficient in the long run.

5. Stay in communication with your children’s teacher.

Teachers play an absolutely critical role in online learning and maintaining open, frequent communication is key to student success. Parents and other caregivers need to make sure this ongoing dialogue with teachers is constructive and timely in order to solve any issues arising in a way that supports student learning and ensures appropriate help for students when its needed. (Based on an article from Edmentum.com, March 2020)

As many of us at TGTIS are parents ourselves, we realize that, even with all the best intentions, that online learning doesn’t always go smoothly. We are very empathetic to your circumstances and are here to help. Please reach out to us when you are struggling so that we can support you and your child to have a successful online learning experience