Guidelines and Expectations for Parents and Caregivers

As your child transitions to remote learning, it is important to create structures and routines that will help your child to be successful. You will also want to find ways to monitor and support your child’s learning that work for your child’s (and your own) work style and temperament. These guidelines offer suggestions to help your child find success in a distance learning environment.

 

Establish daily schedules. Remote learning is most successful when there are consistent times each day for sleep, school, meals, exercise, and relaxation. Fay@Home includes ample time for screen breaks, and we recommend that after the school day you encourage your child to find off-screen alternatives for free time as well, including independent reading and time outside.

 

Establish the physical space for academic work. You may find that the space where your child does homework on a typical day does not work as well for remote learning. The optimal space for your child’s school time will be in a public space (not your child’s bedroom) that has a strong wireless internet signal and that is quiet enough to foster productivity. We strongly recommend that your child’s work space be a place where parents or caregivers can be present to monitor your child’s learning.

 

Stay up-to-date on communications from your child’s teachers. Teachers will be communicating regularly with parents through email with updates and information. The frequency and detail of these communications will vary based on the students’ age and degree of independence. We also encourage you to have your child share and explain their learning tools, such as Seesaw and Google Classroom.

 

Establish routines and set goals. Start and finish each day with a simple check-in that includes these questions:

 

"What’s on your schedule for the day?"

"What work can you do by yourself?"

"What do you need help with?"

"What can we do together?"

 

These conversations help children to process the instructions they’ve received from their teachers, organize their thinking, and set priorities. Older students may not want to have these check-ins with parents (that’s normal!), but they should nevertheless. These check-in routines, if established early on, can help students stay on track.

 

Help your child process and internalize learning. People learn best when they have opportunities to process their learning with others. Beyond the check-ins recommended at the start and end of each day, parents/caregivers should regularly circle back and engage with their children about what they’re learning. However, it’s important that your child owns their work; don’t complete assignments for them, even when they are struggling. Think “coach.”

 

Seek out opportunities for social connection. Help your children maintain contact with friends and find ways to connect virtually. Be sure to monitor your children’s social media use.

 

Make time for quiet and reflection. Consider ways to build quiet time into your child's day. There may be times when siblings need to work in different rooms to avoid distraction.

 

Encourage physical activity and/or exercise. P.E. will be part of your child's weekly schedule, but be sure to make time if possible for outdoor free time and unstructured play.

 

Remain mindful of your child’s state of mind. With a change in routine, it is imperative for parents to help their children manage the transition. They will benefit from as much normal routine you can provide.