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How To Utilize The Rest Of The School Year (Part 1)

The current global pandemic has caused a restructuring of our day to day lives. As adults we have adapted to the new social norms and guided our children to do the same. However, students may still be feeling uneasy and unsure as to how to effectively utilize the remainder of the school year in order to get the most out of it. 

Now that schools are reopening, homeschooling systems have been established, and we have gained a sense of normalcy again, let’s focus on the probing question surrounding academics: How can we ensure that our children effectively utilize the rest of the academic year? In this 2 part blog series, we look at some practical tips to help your child (and learners in general) make use of the next 3 months to strive for academic excellence.

(Part 1) If you’re schooling from home…

1. Make sure your child understands how they will be continuing with their academics for the remainder of the year 

There are numerous options available to cater to your child’s learning needs. It is important to establish which option is most suitable for your child, and help your child get settled into their new schooling routine. Once they feel comfortable with the changes, they will better be able to focus on their school work. 

A good place to start is by establishing how much ‘catching up’ your child needs to do with regards to the past few months’ school work. If this task seems too daunting, we’ve got you covered – our Learn@Home Tutors and Facilitators are ready to help. Our tutors can assist with prescribed schoolwork, lesson creation and execution, catching up on gaps in your child’s curriculum, reinforcing foundations and fundamental concepts, and so much more.

2. Ensure that your child has a support system within their school

It is important for learners to receive support from within their school. Help your child feel supported by ensuring that they are on the correct Whatsapp groups, receiving their latest school work, and that they know where to find their lesson notes and assignments. If your child is receiving their school work through email, make sure that you read through the email with your child to ensure that the work gets done. Finally, it is important to ensure that your child is able to reach out to their teachers if they need to. 

3. Understand your child’s feelings surrounding Covid-19 and their school work

A key part in supporting your child’s academic journey for the remainder of the year lies in addressing the issue of the pandemic. Be sure to regularly check in with your child and their feelings around COVID-19. This will help them to understand that there is still enough time for academic success in 2020 and that everyone is in the same boat! 

  • Assess how they are feeling about their academics during the pandemic
  • Offer emotional support and reassurance
  • Establish realistic expectations around their academics and extra mural activites
  • Help them get comfortable with the new norms surrounding their school work
  • Give them time to adjust 
  • Make sure that they have their school work ahead of time

4. Set out guidelines as to where and how schooling will take place

If you have opted not to send your children back to school, it is essential to find the solution that will most effectively cater to their individual needs. If an in-home homeschool facilitator does not seem like the right fit for your child’s learning needs, an online tutor may be the best option. The earlier you get your child introduced to their new tutor or tutors, the better. Knowing how best to navigate your child’s studies is essential to their academic success. Learners have different study techniques and habits and it is crucial to find the learning solution that best fits your child. 

Here are some practical tips on how to ensure that homeschooling is effective:

  • Set up a proper study space 
  • Create a study and school work schedule for the next few months
  • Establish which areas of schoolwork may have been neglected during lockdown
  • Go back to basics before conquering new work
  • Set out guidelines as to what is expected during ‘school’ time
  • Set out a timetable as to when certain work should be completed

5. Get some help!

Parenting is challenging under the best of circumstances. If you don’t have the time or the knowledge to assist your child with their academics, an online or in-person tutor is a great way to ensure that your child gets all the support they need. Find out more about our tutors and Learn@Home facilitators, our Afrikaans and Zulu Boot Camps to recap on the basics of the language, our Study Skills Crash Course to learn how to study, or let us know how we can meet your unique learning needs. 

 

Part 2 in this series will look at how to utilize the rest of the academic year if your child is back at school.

 

Written by Sula Cooper, BrightSparkz Staff & Blog Writer

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