Education Leader Shares Key Strategies to Encourage Young Students to Successfully Navigate Remote Learning

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Sep 29, 2020, 09:50 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As families across the country work through the challenges of online learning and keeping kids on track during the coronavirus pandemic, education leaders say younger students may have a harder time. Educators offer practical tips for students to find success during this time.

Young students all of whom are new to the rigors of participating in a scheduled routine like schooling are now required to do so in an environment that requires the ability to navigate online learning through technology. This, in combination with the social-emotional challenges of learning in nontraditional spaces, created a challenging landscape.

"Young students have been looking forward to going to school for the past two or three years, and carrying their lunch box and their book bag," explained Staci Bennett, director of school quality (DSQ) at National Heritage Academies (NHA). "They feel like something is being done to them personally, and they don't understand. The kids are frustrated that they don't get to come in and hug their teacher on the first day of school."

To combat this sense of loss, NHA's network of schools has been offering socially distanced school walkthroughs and virtual orientation nights to give families a look at what their students' days will entail. Additionally, families can help their students by following these key tips:

Creating a dedicated learning space, whether that's a desk or the kitchen table, setting up a space that is theirs to learn in will create a mindset for learning.
Creating a sense of normalcy by following a set schedule, similar to a traditional school year. This includes setting a regular bedtime and wake up time, maintaining a set time for breakfast, and getting dressed for school.
Maintaining classroom etiquette. Speaking when it's your turn, following classroom contracts, and treating others with respect and kindness.

Though their classrooms may look different, from fewer students learning together in-person to kids logging in to learn from home, educators from all walks of learning share a similar sentiment: they are happy to be working with kids, regardless of format.

About National Heritage Academies:
National Heritage Academies is a network of 89 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies