Experts Stress The Importance Of Routine As Students Start Remote Learning This Fall
BOSTON (CBS) -- School days will not start with a bell ringing this fall, but experts say parents who are guiding their kids through remote learning will want to establish a routine. "It sort of sets the expectations of what the child is going to do when they wake up in the morning and how they will go through their school day," according to Tracy Charbonnier, an expert in education technology at Bridgewater State University.
"If the child's invested, I think that helps as well," she added.
Nasheen Dashoush is a professor of early childhood education at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education. She told WBZ-TV giving your child choices helps them feel invested, so treat their daily schedule like a menu, not a to-do list.
"It might cause a mental shift of making sure they have some kind of choice and they're still engaged," Dashoush said.
When you are setting up the routine, both experts recommend building in breaks.
"Scheduling nothing is actually beneficial," Dashoush said.
Charbonnier agrees: "Let them do something that's not related to school. It just gives them that stress break and lets them focus on something else."
And watch for red flags -- like a child whose mood suddenly changes.
Charbonnier said parents will want to do something if their child suddenly resists online learning. "If you see that, maybe its time to sit down with your child and talk about it."
Both experts also stress the importance of being honest with your child. They know this is not an ideal situation - do not try to hide it.
