Page 10 - Birmingham City Schools 2020-2021

8 Tips to Help Your Child
Focus and Stay Engaged During Remote Learning
Here are eight tips to help your child maintain focus and stay engaged during this time of remote learning.
1. Understand the expectation for remote learning. How much time should students spend online for learning purposes? There are screen time considerations for all students, and older students can
handle longer amounts of time than younger students. Your child’s teacher or school should provide some guidance for what is reasonable. For young children, interaction and play is valuable for learning.
2. Deteremine what type of activities work best for your child. Are there certain types of remote learning activities that your child prefers over others? For example, does your child work better with synchronous activities, where they respond to a live instructor? Or does your child work better one-on-one with you? What learning platforms seem to engage your child more than others? The answers to these questions can be valuable for you and your child’s teacher to help plan the most effective learning experiences for your child.
3. Encourage movement. Kids need to move their bodies frequently throughout the day. Allow time for exercise before your child is expected to focus on a remote learning task. Some children are able to better focus on tasks when standing. Consider having your computer or tablet on a raised surface so that your child can stand.
4. Reduce distractions. Where possible, reduce distractions when your child is completing schoolwork. This includes noise as well as visual noise or clutter. A designated workspace that is comfortable for your child will be helpful.
5. Adjust your schedule as needed. If your child is frustrated — or alternately, if your child is very engaged in learning — make a change in your schedule to allow for a break (and revisit at a later day or time) or to spend time delving deeper into the topic. Some learning activities will be easier to move through than others. Consider working with your child on those activities or subjects that are more difficult during the times of day when your child is most alert and
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