K-6 Remote Learning in a COVID World: Support for Parents in 2020
What will school look like in September? As an elementary school teacher, I have been asked that on an almost a daily basis for the past 25 years. OK, maybe it’s only been everyday since April, but same thing at this point, right? Unfortunately, the best answer I can give is: insert shrug emoji here. As humans, we don’t like this sort of uncertainty in our day-to-day lives. It’s anxiety inducing. And for many of us, having something be out of our control and not our decision, well, that’s not our strong suit.
Schools and districts are facing tough decisions right now. Several scenarios are being assembled for how school will resume and not any one of them is going to please everyone. It seems as if schools are looking at everything from fully remote learning to blended learning to a full return to campuses.
I just finished year fifteen of teaching. Of those 15 years, eleven were spent teaching technology and innovation. As someone who has spent most of their career teaching non-traditionally, I would love to see us come out of this pandemic with an education shakedown that leads to massive, long term reform (that’s another blog post for another day!) Right now, though, we need to figure out the best ways to help our kids do their best in the current situation.
Here are some thoughts from your friendly, neighborhood technology teacher to help save your sanity while helping your student get the most out of remote learning.
Your kids are tech-savvy and that’s ok!
Your kids probably know more than you when it comes to the online platforms they’re using. From Seesaw to Google Classroom to Zoom and Google Meet, they’ve had to learn and adjust to a wide variety of new “classroom” settings. They should feel comfortable and confident in using these technologies. By second or third grade, they should be able to navigate these without a great deal of parent intervention. This is their classroom, and they should be as confident entering it as they are their physical spaces at school.
Technology is a functional part of their lives now, not just a reward or weekend activity.
For many years I’ve fielded questions about screen time, devices, and gaming. I’ve alway been an advocate for quality screen time. Building and creating in games like Minecraft and Roblox and coding/programming lessons build critical thinking skills and give students agency, which in turn creates self-discipline and direction. Quality screen time can also mean allowing children to use technology in the same ways you do. Search online for a recipe to make together. Use technology as a reference source for measurements and conversions. Involve your child in finding locations or directions with Waze or Google Maps when driving. Does your child know their full street address? They should by age 5, so why not spend some time looking at maps or using Google Earth together. Community and geography curriculum starts in Kindergarten nowadays and these activities are a great way to reinforce classroom activities and meet standards and benchmarks.
Now that most children have spent months using a laptop or personal device everyday, suddenly restricting it may cause confusion. Reinforcing positive uses of technology may provide a healthy balance in your house. When it comes to screen time, only you know what works for your child and your family. However, to guide you along, here are recommendations from the Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/screen-time/art-20047952
And, as much as l love technology, I will always be an advocate for unstructured play time.
Be aware of your child’s learning schedule.
Having normalcy and a regular schedule during times of remote learning is vital for many children. It doesn’t have to be an exact, to the minute, blocked and colored, overly-Pinterested chart framed and mounted in your home (please don’t send me pictures of that or invite me over to see it, unless, of course, you’re serving wine and want me to mock you.) A broad framework of, here’s when we start our learning day and here’s when we end it, will probably do just fine. Each week, have your child look at the days ahead and let them write up their schedule and calendar. The more responsibility they take, the better.
One of the major benefits of remote learning is an asynchronous platform. The ability to self-pace through asynchronous lessons can build confidence. For students who are struggling with a concept, this type of scheduling can provide them with more time to build skills. For students who work quickly, this can give them time to dive deeper and do enrichment activities. What flexible learning in the K-6 environment is not is a day where students do what they like when they feel like it.
Don’t be afraid to connect with your child’s teachers.
Remote and blended learning is uncharted territory for many teachers and school administrators. In March and April, teachers felt like we were building the plane as we were flying it. Because of the rushed nature of online learning, a lot of details fell through the cracks. If you or your child are confused about a topic or feel that something is unclear, don’t hesitate to reach out to the teacher. More often than not, if you need help, other people need clarification, too.
I wish I could see into the future and tell you what September looks like. Until then, let’s continue to take care of each other and hope for the best. Fresh air, physical distancing, masking, proper hand washing, and of course wine… lots and lots of wine.