Distance Learning

Education is taking a 21st century leap forward!
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Distance Learning is simply where a teacher and a student are not in the same physical space.  Online learning has been popular in colleges and community colleges for years and now with the COVID-19 virus, it has come to our middle and elementary schools.

If you are a student or parent and do not have access to the Internet at home or on your phone, please contact your school and let them know.  Teachers are creating lessons for your child that you can use to keep up that are "hard" copies or on paper so your child will still get the necessary learning.  The lessons should be designed with the student in mind, not for the parent to teach. The object is for students to work self-directed and pursue their own learning.  "Ha" you say, "my child is not self-directed!"  and that is the hardest part of online learning - having students take the time to work on their own.  Self-direction is one of our Profiles of a Graduate Skills in our school district.  I've linked some strategies that may be helpful.  Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Try to set up a regular time for your student to work.
2. Build in breaks (TV, video games and outdoor fun)
3. Create a calendar or schedule where students can write in their "Online Conferencing" meetings with alerts, so they are responsible for attending their instruction - Google Calendar is a great way to do this.  
4. Praise the positive attitude - We work to build a Growth Mindset and part of that is working through failure, and learning perseverance.
5. Don't be hesitant to reach out to your child's teacher if something isn't working.  For many teachers this is a new way to teach and we have a lot of ideas, strategies and supports that we can include depending on our students' needs.  
6. Lastly, enjoy the family time!  Wrap learning up in daily chores, cooking dinner, fixing the faucet, discussing issues of the day, babysitting siblings, all of these regular day to day activities will help your student build character, responsibility and independence.  

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