In this digital age, many things can already be done remotely. Aside from work, you can perform plenty of tasks without leaving the comforts of your own home, thanks to the Internet and all the wonderful digital advancements people enjoy today.

Getting an education is no exception.

Computer-based learning is not a new concept. However, “online life” only recently reached its peak after a major pandemic made movement more difficult. This “big bang” of the digital age, so to speak, has made it clear that everything and everyone is now online, even learning.

Still, students face several challenges that can hinder them from continuing learning beyond school. From procrastination to several forms of distraction, a lot of things can disrupt your child‘s learning. Taking naps, watching TV, and even doing household chores can be considered productivity killers because they prevent him from completing his learning tasks for the day.

To make sure your child gets the education he needs to live a fulfilling life even if school is out, try these eight tips for making home-based learning more effective:

Teach Him Active Studying

Active studying is a technique that entails asking questions before, during, and after a learning session. Aside from giving the task direction, it also helps your child stay on track and reflect on what still needs to be improved for the following lesson.

Teach him active studying by asking what he is about to learn and if he already knows the subject. These questions should direct his thoughts subconsciously towards the topic he is about to learn.

During the study session, you can also ask him more questions to stimulate critical thinking, such as:

• How will this affect the big picture?
• Did you understand what you read enough to be able to paraphrase it?
• Can you write down ideas or keywords? Why do you think these are important?

Once the session is over, you can follow up with queries about what he learned (the takeaway) and what more he needs to learn in the subsequent sessions.

Give Him Tangible Goals

If you’re homeschooling or performing guided tutoring on a difficult topic like STEM robotics with your child, it would be best to set tangible goals that you can measure later.

Setting goals according to a fixed daily learning timetable can help reduce the pressure on home-based learning. It can also help you see how much progress your child has achieved, making it easier to reward accomplishments and motivate him in his home studies.

Use a Digital Calendar and Alarms to Keep Track of the Schedule

Home-based learning can be difficult to manage schedule-wise, so you have to find ways to stay on track. This can be done using a calendar that contains a study timetable for each day of the week.

Setting alarms and using a timer to stick to the schedule is also a good idea. Aside from keeping you focused on the task at hand, it can help you stay committed to it until you’ve covered all the materials your child needs to learn at home.

Above everything else, doing so also lets you determine the appropriate time to give your child a break and make the learning process more effective.

Minimize Distractions

As mentioned earlier, distractions are your worst enemy when it comes to home-based learning. Prevent your child from watching videos or playing when it is time for studying and help him understand that there’s a right time for everything.

Don’t Overdo It; Take Age-Appropriate Breaks

While you should motivate your child to study hard, you must never overdo it. Like in school, you should incorporate breaks based on your child’s age. This is especially true for kids who study online and use any kind of screen to learn.

Taking a break after one to two hours of screen time is ideal to avoid exhausting his eyes. You should also prevent him from using his break time to use gadgets. The idea is to get some rest from the use of such devices.

Incorporate Offline Activities

When your child is already studying online, it would be better to keep him away from any other gadget during his break time. This means no video games or social media, as both aren’t much of a break to begin with.

Instead, try to incorporate offline activities like exercising, drawing, or playing outside. Household chores like cooking, for example, can also help teach your child about measurements, proportions, and conversions.

Non-digital games – especially those that make him use his brain while still having fun (e.g., Scrabble or riddles) – are also great for breaking the monotony while still fostering learning.

Make Sure He Gets Enough Sleep

Getting at least eight hours of sleep is important for students of all ages, especially on a school night. Even if your child is studying at home, you must make sure that he gets enough sleep to ensure that his brain is refreshed and ready to process the information he learned.

Tempting as it may be, cramming at night is not the best way to go as a full night’s sleep enables better learning. Plus, it helps keep him more alert and boosts his memory for better, more effective studying.

Set a Specific Study Area

Assigning a specific study area is also a great way to improve the efficacy of home-based learning.

It can be the kitchen table, a desk in his bedroom, or a separate study area altogether. Just make sure that you avoid including a bed or any sort of cozy area in the study zone as it might trigger sleepiness in your child.

It is also important to keep the space organized and clean. Set aside unnecessary items like toys and non-educational books as they might distract your child from his studies. Alternatively, common study tools like pencils and papers should be easily accessible.

Continue Learning at Home

Whether it’s the summer break or any situation that requires children to stay at home, parents need to be there to help continue their education. As difficult as it may seem, you can help with your child’s education beyond school through home-based learning. Consider the tips listed in this article to make it as effective as actual school classes are.

AUTHOR BIO

Maloy Burman is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Premier Genie FZ LLC. He is responsible for driving Premier Genie into a leadership position in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education space in Asia, Middle East and Africa and building a solid brand value. Premier Genie is currently running 5 centers in Dubai and 5 centers in India with a goal to multiply that over the next 5 years.

 

 

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Are you fond of kids? You might hear, yes, from a majority that they like children or want to have one of their own. We all know that a child’s first learning institute is their mother. Mothers want their kids to learn best and be a better part of society. In the beginning years, the learning process might not seem necessary. As a child advances through its developmental years, it indeed becomes vital to introduce your kid to a learning environment outside homes and a mother’s lap. It is hard for a child to accept an environment that is new and unfamiliar to them. Your child might give you a tough time for a month or two in the early education years. They are right to feel so because a child needs to feel safe and secure before they can adapt to any change in their routine.

Learning is an ongoing process, and what makes it possible for learners to enjoy it, is the learning environment. Positive learning environments are essential in developing the will to learn, participate, and ask questions. Students learn better when they see their learning surrounding safe, secure, and accepting. In a positive environment, a student feels a sense of belonging, freedom to voice their opinions, and ask questions without fear of being judged.

A supportive environment is not only beneficial for students, but it also allows the teachers to be more effective in their teaching methodologies. The learning environment has to be productive and encouraging, giving an insight into what professional studies shall they pursue further. Every country has a state education policy that defines the course of education and its progress. The education policy career path helps youth to decide which field of education they want to acquire expertise. These policies ensure the provision of training to every citizen as their fundamental right.

If you are in the field of education and struggling with maintaining a healthy and productive environment in school, here are a few suggestions that you can implement.

1. Build an emotional connection

We all want to feel comfortable and connected, especially at our educational institutes. As a student, we spend many years of our life at schools. Students need to feel connected and owned to express their opinions. You can always make the learning environment connected by leaving room for your students to share their views at the end of the lesson. This way, students will feel valued, learn to collaborate, and respect each other’s opinions.

2. Make easy supervisions

Students are known to be naughty and mischievous. To keep an eye on their activities, you can always place a mirror by the side of your writing board; this will allow you to monitor their activities while you are writing on board. Involving students in board activities encourages them to develop writing confidently. Taking frequent rounds will also alert your students to follow the discipline and maintain personal space.

3. Create rules

Display school rules at visible places for students to read and learn what they can do and what actions will lead them to their punishment. It is important to announce what you expect from your faculty and students alike. Rule not only allows us to practice responsibility, but it also lets students know their safe boundaries. Safety is the first concern of every management. Parents entrust their kid’s education and protection to school management.

4. Identify the precursors

The school caters to students coming from various backgrounds, which means that every student has a different persona. We cannot expect every student to exhibit the same behavior, but we can help them adapt to better ones. There are precursors to actions. If you are dealing with behavior issues at your school regularly, you can identify the precursor to a particular behavior and let your teachers be aware of them to avoid the risk of any significant problem.

5. Know who you are hiring

One of the most critical factors that entail the safety of any organization is to be aware of who is part of your faculty. Proper screening of your faculty members and students are equally important to avoid any security danger. Having a decent detailed record of your faculty members is not only crucial for your welfare but also at the state level. Having a check on a person’s background is essential to know about their activities, and in case of any suspicion, we can always involve higher authorities.

6. Bully free

Kids are vulnerable to bullies at school. That is a common problem that has found everywhere. Students want to feel good about themselves. It is the responsibility of a teacher to prevent bullies and encourage students to respect each other. Induce a think time in your classes to let student ponder their activities and learn from their mistakes. Bullying is known to cause a negative psychological impact on students thinking processes. Intimidation can prevent through awareness campaigns, counseling sessions, and by identifying the igniting factors.

7. Must attentive

It is essential to be mindful of your surroundings. Encourage students to notice anything unusual in their school environment. Effective communication between your employees and parents of your students can also give you an edge to keep them informed about your activities to build trust.

Conclusion

Studies show that emotions also have an impact on learning. If your classroom or school environment is stressed, it will impact your overall school ethos but will lead to low self-esteem. Stress has reported to slow down cognitive skills. A positive environment can bring a lot of potential in school culture and ethos. Building a safe environment is the responsibility of everyone. School heads can mingle with their employees to have a clear idea of problems occurring on the ground and plan remedies for their elimination. Adverse events outweigh the impact of positive learning. A safe and secure school culture will not only motivate students to learn with interest, but it also allows them to develop a sense of responsibility among them.