This year has brought with it a host of new challenges. One of the most pressing of which, was "how to keep our kids engaged, and excited for their school day." No more recess. No more face to face interaction with friends. For all intents and purposes, all the "fun" parts of school had been erased, leaving only the difficult subjects and concepts being explained from behind a computer screen.
Now that the US is seeing lower numbers of COVID cases, and vaccinations are reaching more Americans, we may see things returning to some kind of "normal"...whatever that normal even looks like anymore. We are not sure if anyone knows. Many students are going back to school still either partly, or fully online. The COVID-19 pandemic, in one swift motion, changed the landscape for how we educate our children.
As educators, and parents, it is our job to ensure that our students, and children, are coping with these changes, and receiving the same level of education that they would receive in a classroom setting.
"I have been tutoring using online platforms for over three years," Book Bros Head of Tutoring, K'ylon Haugabook said. "During that time I have learned many ways of keeping eyes on the screen and productive communication flowing."
So lets dive in to three of those tips and (good natured) tricks that help us keep your kids engaged, and let you know what you can do to help facilitate online learning environments.
Tip 1) All Kids Learn Differently, and Thats OK!
If there is anything we've learned this year, its that rolling with the punches and being able to be flexible is a downright necessity for adult life. If our student works best in a quite space, say a desk in their room, then by all means -- make that their workspace. But if they are able to focus better in the outdoors, laptops are portable and so are we! A picnic bench works just as well as a desk.
Tip 2) Engagement Fosters Engagement
How can we expect our students to raise their hand, offer up answers, and care about our subjects if we aren't as passionate and excited to be teaching as we want them to be learning. At Book Bros, we guarantee that every tutor your student is assigned, not only loves their subject, but is excited to pass on their knowledge. If we come to class looking like a dead fish, we can expect an, albeit smaller, dead fish to be looking back.
Tip 3) Don't Forget That the Brain is Just Another Organ
Part of what we do at Book Bros is to address the entire student, from the feet up. If the student isn't eating balanced meals, exercising, and developing their physical wellness, then we can't expect their brain to be operating at the highest level possible. Online learning can make for very sedentary days. Standing up, taking breaks to walk, get fresh air, and recenter are key to a productive online learning experience.
For more tips and tricks to keep your students leading the pack, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bookbrosco.
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