The sudden shift to remote learning as the “new normal” hasn’t been easy on any of us. Parents especially are now pulling double (even triple!) duty as parents, educators, and workers.
The biggest challenge, though, isn’t in adapting to a sudden change. The biggest challenge we face is ensuring that our students are getting a proper education and receiving the personalized attention they need to thrive. So, what can parents do to improve the experience for themselves and their families? How can parents ensure that their child’s education is not being put on hold?
Make Sure Your Student is Getting Face-to-Face Interaction
Students need to feel that they are unique and not get lost in a sea of other students. It’s challenging to stay engaged in their studies when they are looking at a screen for hours on end. Especially for students who are gifted or have learning difficulties, the lack of face-to-face interaction can create boredom.
Face-to-face interactions are a key part of creating an active learning experience. Parents can take the following steps to ensure their student is getting the right kind of attention:
- Communicate with teachers – Communicate with your student’s teacher to see if you can arrange for 1-on-1 screen time. This will allow the teacher to pick up on verbal and physical cues that will help them gauge your student’s level of understanding.
- Get 1-on-1 support – Many students find that even one tutoring session a week can help address knowledge gaps or clarify course material. 1-on-1 tutoring sessions can even be tailored to your student’s preferred pace, helping to prevent boredom or frustration.
Track Learning Progress
The lack of face-to-face interaction with remote learning means that teachers and schools will have fewer opportunities to gauge student progress throughout the semester. This means that we all have to find new ways to track our student’s learning progress.
The lack of face-to-face interaction with remote learning means that teachers and schools will have fewer opportunities to gauge student progress throughout the semester. This means that we all have to find new ways to track our student’s learning progress.
- Ask for progress reports – Schools are experimenting with different ways of tracking student progress with remote learning. Many are offering a variety of digital tools to evaluate ongoing learning progress. Make sure to ask your school/teacher for regular progress reports.
Get Help Where You Need It
Right now, parents are feeling overwhelmed with the added responsibility of guiding their child’s education. Luckily, there are plenty of additional resources available to help ease that burden. Busy parents looking for a helping hand during remote learning can explore the following options:
- Community learning pods – Many communities have started to form “learning pods” where parents and students get together for a group learning session. This helps with the socialization aspect of learning, while also providing a much-needed support system.
- 1-on-1 private tutoring – Private tutoring sessions can be a huge relief to overburdened parents. A tutor can help with goal setting, creating structure, teaching advanced subjects and more. Regular communication can also keep parents up-to-date on their student’s progress and educational roadmap.
Making the Most of Remote Learning
COVID-19 and remote learning have presented us all with an unprecedented set of challenges. As we all attempt to create a sense of normalcy, it is important to remember that we are all in this together and to take advantage of the available resources.
1-on-1 tutoring can help us overcome many of the obstacles we are currently facing such as added responsibilities and lack of guidance or structure in our learning. As parents and teachers ourselves, we believe students thrive when they find that just-right tutor who understands their learning style and inspires them to work harder.
Are you ready to explore 1-on-1 tutoring? Click here to schedule a consultation and learn how Tungsten Prep will help your family improve the online learning experience.
