Do’s and Don’ts for Parents

Do’s and Don’ts for Parents whose child goes to Online School

 If you have a kid that goes to an online school, it’s understandable if your protective instincts kick in occasionally. However, read this article to find a healthy measure of help and support for your child during an online class.

Creating a Safe and Calm Environment During Online Class

When in an online class a facilitator must have the attention of your child. It is also important that your child feels safe from any judgment. Set-up a dedicated learning space for the child’s class. That means that, ideally, your child will be alone in a room. That means no siblings, TV, and preferably any noise in the background. If a child is too young, let’s say two to seven years old, it is okay for an adult to monitor class. However, make sure it’s from a reasonable distance. If there are any issues, technical or other, feel free to step in and help.

Removing all things that could be distracting to a child during online class will help you, the facilitator, and your child. What you shouldn’t do is allow TV, mobile phones, and apps or any other kind of distraction during class.

Overcoming Physical Distance

Plan a routine just like you would when the child goes to the school. Make them take a bath and dress up neatly, keep the books and learning toys ready according to the day’s timetable, give them a light breakfast before the class, put a water bottle next to them and encourage them to complete their homework or assignments on time.

Make sure that the child doesn’t skip the classes just because it is happening online. If your child is using your computer or phone for classes, do not plan your meetings or any other activity or request him or her to hang up during the class hours. Try to find out about the scheduled date of assessment. You can help your child prepare for this assessment. Make sure that your child is present for assessment. This is important for Grade completion. The only alternative is to appear for the supplementary assessment. This is not advisable because the question will be more difficult and it will lead to incurring additional cost of assessment.

 

Again, if your child is at a younger age, it’s important that you or some other adults are present. In that way, you can make sure that the child is paying attention. Also, you can prevent zoning out, since younger children tend to do that. Since facilitators aren’t physically in the room, they can have the child’s attention, but to some extent. Help your child in the introduction phase to understand that there is a live person behind a screen. Once you establish that and the pace of learning it will become much easier. Easier for you, easier for the facilitator, and most importantly – easier for a child.

 

Upbringing and Control

It goes without saying that yelling and scolding shouldn’t be a part of an online class. If your child doesn’t behave correctly at some point during class, talk about it. Talk calmly in a pedagogical manner, but make sure it happens after class. In that way, a child won’t waste time with a facilitator. Furthermore, a child won’t feel embarrassed in front of a facilitator. Besides, if you talk in private rather than in the middle of the class, it will be easier to explain what was wrong with the child’s behavior.

Engagement With a Facilitator During Online Class

While your child is in class, ideally there won’t be any need for you to talk to a facilitator. Again, if your child is still quite young, it’s understandable to make sure in the beginning everything works fine. In the first couple of classes, make sure you are close by. In that way, you can observe and step in when needed. If all goes to plan, after a while you won’t be needed. Once a facilitator and a child establish the pace and mutual respect, it should be a smooth sail.

What you shouldn’t do, is take classes instead of your child. Often parents, with good intent, sit beside a child and get carried away. When a parent tries to lead a child to a correct answer, they end up answering a question themselves. In that way, lessons become less efficient and it’s a loss for a child and a facilitator. Make sure your child behaves nicely during classes, but don’t take them instead.

Shyness in Front of a Facilitator During Online Class

If your child is timid and an introvert, fear not. Together with a facilitator, you can help them overcome it. Make sure to explain to them that the facilitator is there for them and not the other way around. Also, the facilitator must have a certain degree of authority so make sure to explain that. Our facilitators are polite, calm, and above all friendly. However, a child mustn’t perceive them just as an authority, or just as a friend. First will lead to fear and shyness, and the latter to disrespect and a chaotic atmosphere. Ideally, you want to find the middle.

The teenage period is especially challenging for a parent. If your child is of that age, try to establish a respectful connection with a facilitator. Explain to them that in the long run they would regret missing out on education. Make sure that you try your best and the facilitator will do the same.

Healthy Mindset

Make sure that your child has enough time before class to prepare the right way. If classes are in the morning, make sure that their morning routine is done. In that way, the child can focus better on the subject, and it will learn more quickly. Arguments, disagreements, and skirmishes are normal things when you have a child. However, they shouldn’t take place right before classes. If there is a problem, make sure that you find the right time to talk about it. Immediately after the class isn’t good either. You should let the material learned in the class sink in with a child. Anyhow, the rest of the day is long enough to talk it through.

Occasional Rewards

It is always desirable to encourage your child when they do something nice. However, don’t make that habit too often. If you do that for every minor milestone you will achieve the opposite. But providing small presents now and then is a healthy way to go. That doesn’t have to be a material reward. A shorter pep talk or praise will do the job just as well. If the facilitator of your child is content with the progress they made, or they got high grades, make sure to acknowledge that and find a way to reward it.

Engagement With the School

In case you have any feedback, query or complain and you want to contact the school authorities. Please mail to letters@vikalpindia.com or drop in a text message from your registered number to the WhatsApp number of the school. You will get a response within 48 hours. If you want to schedule and discuss some issues. Please mention the issue. Kindly be specific. If this issue is related to any product, class, teacher or all, please mention all points clearly. School counselor will schedule a call and discuss in detail. If you find any discrepancies or have any grievance, please contact the following: Mr. Narender Kumar, the designated grievance officer E-mail: letters@vikalpindia.com.