Back to school looks dramatically different this year for most of us. If you are in an area safe enough for full time in-person classroom learning, count yourself lucky. Many schools have decided to start the year off totally virtual or are trying a hybrid model of part time in the classroom and part time online. It might be difficult to get in a rhythm either way, but here are my top 5 tips for Back-to-School in the time of Zoom.
Back to school looks dramatically different this year for most of us. If you are in an area safe enough for full time in-person classroom learning, count yourself lucky. Many schools have decided to start the year off totally virtual or are trying a hybrid model of part time in the classroom and part time online. It might be difficult to get in a rhythm either way, but here are my top 5 tips for Back-to-School in the time of Zoom.
Set a Morning Routine
Start off the morning as much like a normal school day as possible. Make it clear that it’s still school so they should wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, grab breakfast and be ready to learn. Many of us who are working from home now have learned that a great way to adopt an at-work-mindset is to approach your at-home-workspace much like you would your office (on a casual Friday). Once at your desk, or place at the dining room table, it’s time to get down to business.
Start off the morning as much like a normal school day as possible. Make it clear that it’s still school so they should wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, grab breakfast and be ready to learn. Many of us who are working from home now have learned that a great way to adopt an at-work-mindset is to approach your at-home-workspace much like you would your office (on a casual Friday). Once at your desk, or place at the dining room table, it’s time to get down to business.
Create a Productive Workspace
It is important for kids to have a workspace all their own. Set up a desk in their room or create a space in your home that is dedicated to class work during school hours. Provide all the supplies needed for each of their classes (calculators, crayons, pencils, paper, scissors, glue-sticks, rulers, protractors, etc. ). Being online for several hours a day can be difficult physically so think about ergonomics too. Make sure the chair is comfortable and the area is set up with enough space to take notes and function. Another tip, if your child starts complaining of headaches or tired eyes, you may want to consider getting
blue light glasses to reduce eye strain.
It is important for kids to have a workspace all their own. Set up a desk in their room or create a space in your home that is dedicated to class work during school hours. Provide all the supplies needed for each of their classes (calculators, crayons, pencils, paper, scissors, glue-sticks, rulers, protractors, etc. ). Being online for several hours a day can be difficult physically so think about ergonomics too. Make sure the chair is comfortable and the area is set up with enough space to take notes and function. Another tip, if your child starts complaining of headaches or tired eyes, you may want to consider getting
blue light glasses to reduce eye strain.
Consider Tech Upgrades
Your entire family connecting to the outside world on Zoom could overtax your home network. If your screen is freezing mid-sentence, you might need a
WiFi extender. An investment of $30 can help boost your signal and reduce whining from hard-to-please tech dependent teens. If you are working in close proximity to one another, you may want to add
good headphones to your back to school list - for you and your kids. Many school systems are supplying devices but if you are looking to purchase your own, there are some good back to school deals on ChromeBooks and laptops. If you miss the window on discount pricing, look again around the holidays when Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals heat up.
Your entire family connecting to the outside world on Zoom could overtax your home network. If your screen is freezing mid-sentence, you might need a
WiFi extender. An investment of $30 can help boost your signal and reduce whining from hard-to-please tech dependent teens. If you are working in close proximity to one another, you may want to add
good headphones to your back to school list - for you and your kids. Many school systems are supplying devices but if you are looking to purchase your own, there are some good back to school deals on ChromeBooks and laptops. If you miss the window on discount pricing, look again around the holidays when Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals heat up.
Take Breaks
Anyone who’s been working remotely for the last few months can attest that
Zoom Fatigue is real. Studies show that communicating primarily over video chats is much more draining and requires more concentration than in-person meetings. Kids especially will need several breaks throughout the school day to combat ‘zoom gloom’. Encourage your kids to get up, move around and step outside, even if only for a few minutes, when possible. Whether or not your child has a virtual physical education class, make sure they get out and exercise, movement is not only good for their bodies, it is shown to have a positive impact on learning and focus.
Anyone who’s been working remotely for the last few months can attest that
Zoom Fatigue is real. Studies show that communicating primarily over video chats is much more draining and requires more concentration than in-person meetings. Kids especially will need several breaks throughout the school day to combat ‘zoom gloom’. Encourage your kids to get up, move around and step outside, even if only for a few minutes, when possible. Whether or not your child has a virtual physical education class, make sure they get out and exercise, movement is not only good for their bodies, it is shown to have a positive impact on learning and focus.
Limit Digital Distractions
If you have a stubborn teen at home, getting them to leave their phone in another room during virtual school may be impossible. If you need some justification, recent studies confirm that the "mere presence" of a phone (silent and face down) does negatively effect concentration, focus and comprehension. If a 30 minute homework assignment is taking them 60 minutes, ask them to leave their phone in another room and see if they notice a difference. I can attest that I am undeniably more productive when I place my phone away from my workspace. If you cannot get them to fully part with the phone, have them at least place it out of sight and set to do not disturb. They should also know that they can pause all notifications during school hours on Instagram. Similar tools are available on other social platforms as well. In fact, most operating systems offer digital wellness tools and settings such as silencing disruptive notifications using downtime or do not disturb, app time limits and restrictions, communication limits, and privacy settings. One easy to overlook trick, close all unnecessary tabs and windows when you need to focus.
My bonus pandemic tip for everyone - parents, kids, students, educators and employers - please be patient with one another. Be kind and have empathy for the human being on the other side of the screen. This time is difficult for all of us. We are all trying our best to adjust to the current situation. Hopefully, when this is all over, we can appreciate how we are energized and more fully engaged when we can work, learn and interact in the same space. And maybe we’ll remember to not take our time together for granted, put our devices down and look up more often.
If you have a stubborn teen at home, getting them to leave their phone in another room during virtual school may be impossible. If you need some justification, recent studies confirm that the "mere presence" of a phone (silent and face down) does negatively effect concentration, focus and comprehension. If a 30 minute homework assignment is taking them 60 minutes, ask them to leave their phone in another room and see if they notice a difference. I can attest that I am undeniably more productive when I place my phone away from my workspace. If you cannot get them to fully part with the phone, have them at least place it out of sight and set to do not disturb. They should also know that they can pause all notifications during school hours on Instagram. Similar tools are available on other social platforms as well. In fact, most operating systems offer digital wellness tools and settings such as silencing disruptive notifications using downtime or do not disturb, app time limits and restrictions, communication limits, and privacy settings. One easy to overlook trick, close all unnecessary tabs and windows when you need to focus.
My bonus pandemic tip for everyone - parents, kids, students, educators and employers - please be patient with one another. Be kind and have empathy for the human being on the other side of the screen. This time is difficult for all of us. We are all trying our best to adjust to the current situation. Hopefully, when this is all over, we can appreciate how we are energized and more fully engaged when we can work, learn and interact in the same space. And maybe we’ll remember to not take our time together for granted, put our devices down and look up more often.
