Tips for Virtual School – Online Learning

Virtual School and Online Learning is new to just about everyone in Charlotte.

It’s OK if you’re a bit stressed out.

There’s frankly a lot to juggle between work, household chores, and maintaining some semblance of a schedule.

The reality of school closures and dealing with the Coronavirus is setting in.

CMS has in effect pressed parents into service as “co-teachers” in a virtual learning environment.

If you’re having marital problems, considering separation or divorce, anxiety about teaching kids at home is entirely normal, if not to be expected.

There are some steps and plans to put in place that may help.

This hasn’t happened before

We are all, at least to some extent, creatures of habit.

Establishing a daily routine can be soothing.

It may help to be thoughtful in setting up certain rules for virtual learning, thereby avoiding creating the opportunity for bad habits.

Kitchen table, ‘virtual learning’ isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The key is to set parameters, removing distractions as much as possible – Bill Powers, Divorce Lawyer  

With the continued closures of schools, restaurants, churches, and remote workplace arrangements, we are all dealing with the unfamiliar.

The new normal is anything but normal.  It can be downright discombobulating.

Starting the new Charlotte Meck school year on-line, with its occasional start-up glitches, it’s important to be mindful that there will be an adjustment period.

It also may be necessary to set certain parameters, including workspace zones, areas of separation, quiet places, and tear down goals to convert the kitchen table from school to the place to gather and eat a family.

Virtual classes and schoolwork

Most people go into the profession of education voluntarily.

Educators go to school, study hard, and obtain a teaching certificate because they love working with kids and helping people learn.

CMS Virtual Learning Information 

Many later go on to receive a Master’s degree and/or Doctorate in education.

It’s a passion.

Classroom teachers feel chosen, led to the profession.

I’ve never understood why teachers don’t get paid more.  I suspect many parents now share in my belief that they deserve a big-time raise – Bill Powers, Charlotte Collaborative Lawyer 

Don’t reinvent the wheel.  It makes sense to talk to friends, family, and neighbors about what works.

Reach out to people, call them, post on social media, exchange ideas about how to keep kids focused.  Ask questions:

1. What’s the best way to keep children engaged?
2. How do you address special needs or learning styles?
3. Are there better technologies or ways of doing things?
4. What are the potential problem areas to anticipate and avoid?
5. What works?
6. What doesn’t work?

Collaboration is key.

Reach out to your child’s teacher.  Social distancing results in, well, distancing, and separation from others.

We don’t always realize how important personal interaction is in educating children.

Seeing your teacher at “drop off” or at school events, if even for a short while, is part of the education process.

That’s clearly lost with virtual and remote learning.

Teachers probably don’t enjoy the virtual education process either.

They like kids.

They enjoy and thrive through interaction with others.

And they weren’t necessarily trained to teach by video.

If you have questions or concerns, talk to your child’s teacher.  Share both concerns and successes.

Tell them the issues you encounter at home. Ask for advice and possible resources.  Seek out their opinions.

And probably most importantly, thank your teacher.

Tell them how much you appreciate them.

Maybe share you did not fully realize how hard their job is until you tried doing it yourself.

Establish routines.

Normalcy and regular patterns help in organizing the process of educating your loved-on.

Focus on the positives.  Virtual learning can be more efficient.  It may allow for less “slack time” or time wasted administering education such as “bio breaks,” rest periods, and putting seats in chairs.

Establish a designated “workspace” for members of the family.

Be intentional about it.

Require the learning area to be organized, free from clutter.

If it’s the kitchen table, remove everything including seemingly innocuous objects like salt-and-pepper shakers, centerpieces, and anything not related to doing school work.

Create a checklist of items:

• Pen
• Pencil
• Book
• Homework
• Laptop
• Internet Connectivity

Charlotte Child Custody Information

1. Child Custody Legal Issues in North Carolina
2. Separation Laws in NC