5 Effective Strategies For Learning At Home
In response to health and safety measures implemented due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Canadian schools ended in-class learning in the spring of 2020 and transitioned to a virtual learning model for the remainder of the 2019/2020 school year. School authorities, teachers, students, and parents had to rapidly adapt to a new learning model. Teachers transformed their pedagogical practices, parents became direct facilitators of learning at home, and students adapted to learning at home through various digital platforms and modes of instruction. For the 2020/2021 school year, some families have either chosen to continue learning at home through the school authority’s virtual learning program option, experienced brief periods of at-home learning due to COVID-19 safety protocol, or independently homeschool. Regardless of the circumstance, learning at home poses challenges to families who are not equipped with strategies and resources for this learning context. Here are 5 effective strategies to navigate learning at home skillfully.
1 - Create A Schedule That Works
The first step to achieve success learning at home is to create a schedule that works for your family. The key is to organize your day for optimal learning. This may include organizing your learning activities for when your student is most alert and ready to receive the content. Ensure that you are including breaks in between subjects or activities. Breaks offer a transitional period that can prepare a student’s mind for learning. Depending on the student’s learning style, age, and ability to focus, breaks within the learning activity may be appropriate. Your schedule should be clear and include visuals. Visuals are a great way to keep students organized, and can offer younger students reminders of what to expect for their day of learning. Keep the schedule within sight to help you and your student stay organized. Organization brings peace and clarity, and will keep students focused on learning. If your daily learning schedule is already planned by the school authority, you can still implement these tips. The key is to remain organized and keep the schedule within clear sight. Set your intentions for the day and ensure that the learning block is planned. Be flexible and adaptable, because learning virtually is very different from learning in the classroom.
2 - Set Daily Learning Priorities
Setting daily learning priorities will keep you and your student focused and motivated to learn. It is important for students to set goals for their learning. Sometimes, your day may not go as planned due to unexpected circumstances or interruptions. The day may not go as planned, if the student is not motivated to learn. If this is the case, adjust your schedule and learning goals. Prioritize learning that incorporates literacy, numeracy, and application to life. For example, your day may include reading, counting, drawing, baking cookies and going on a nature walk. Alternatively, your day may include completing errands together, and using the opportunity to teach your student practical life skills. There are opportunities to learn in any situation!
3 - Understand Your Role As A Parent To Support Learning
Parents are naturally their child’s first teachers. If learning at home is a new circumstance for your family as a response to the pandemic, it is important for you to be clear on your role to support learning at home. Take your new role seriously, but be gracious to yourself and your student. You may have expectations that are different from the teacher. Be mindful to separate your childhood learning experience from your child’s learning experience. With this in mind, pace yourself and ensure that you are paying attention to your student’s emotional response.
4 - Use Communication To Reinforce Desired Behaviour
To foster a positive learning experience, it is important to use appropriate communication to reinforce desired behaviour. You can use positive reinforcement strategies, such as positive affirmations to recognize your student’s efforts towards learning and keep your student motivated. To motivate reluctant learners, you can use the “first, then” strategy. This helps students focus on a specific learning priority in order to attain a small reward once the task is completed. Another strategy is creating a calming space within the home that is separate from the work space. This should not be a punitive area, but rather a space to help learners regulate their emotions and get their mind prepared for the next learning activity. Please do not confuse time in the calm corner as a “time out” space. The space should be a refuge for your student to go to should they become overwhelmed or dysregulated. You should also use communication to reach out to your school authority to advocate on behalf of your student. There are supports available to meet students’ needs, so ensure that you are reaching out to obtain these resources.
5 - Prioritize Mental Health
Make mental health a priority in this learning environment. We would be remiss if we did not recognize external pressures that impact learning. In our current climate, the economy, racial tensions, lockdown restrictions, fears about the pandemic and personal challenges are stress-inducing and can negatively affect learning. Another consideration is the loss of separation between home, school, and work. For some families, these three separate experiences are all taking place in the same space. To support mental health, a first step is to consider relationship building exercises within your family. Activities that are engaging and stimulating can help enhance communication and relieve stress. An added benefit is the opportunity to learn through play. Another mental health booster is incorporating coping strategies. Some examples include using movement to release energy and mindfulness strategies such as breathing, self reflection and awareness. Grounding helps center students and relieves anxiety. To counter high stress and reactivity, you can help your student use calming techniques that use the five senses (i.e., sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) to keep them in the present moment.
Finally, don’t forget to help your learner A.C.T. A - is for acceptance. Accept where you are in this learning experience and create a plan. Set achievable goals and work towards them. C - is for compassion. Remind your student to be kind to him/herself, use positive affirmations, take breaks, and communicate when they are overwhelmed. T - is for time and space. Students need time to think about and process the learning material. They also need help organizing and planning for assignments. Students and parents can also seek out support through a tutor, learning group, or meeting with the teacher or learning strategist.
With the right strategies and mindset, learning at home can be a successful experience. Do not hesitate to reach out for direct support and resources to help your student thrive!