Back to (remote) school and working from home
It is “back to (remote) school” today after a short Spring break week. For parents working from home this can be both a blessing and juggling act. On the one hand, it offers structured learning for children and helps to keep them busy for a few hours or the whole day depending on the age group. Yet, it also means supervising and supporting the children to keep them on track with “class work” and on time for group video conferences with teachers.
With more than one child you quickly adapt your schedule around the dynamic remote school needs, while carving what time is available to focus on your own work. As a working mother, I am learning to manage my goals and expectations around my startup business, Meiava, while being a teacher’s assistant. For many working parents, you also find your skills deployed as IT support, conference space logistics scheduler, physical education (PE) coach, and snack and cafeteria server. This is the new normal for many working parents. With Covid-19 yet under control, remote schooling may likely continue for the rest of the academic year here in the US which ends in mid/late June.
So what does a remote school schedule look like? Kids are online by 8:00 am (or earlier for middle and high school). As an example, a typical 3rd grade elementary school schedule here in the US comprises of around five hours of work covering between 8 to 12 classes a day on topics such as:
Daily journal writing
Reading comprehension
Math worksheet and online
Social studies
Music
Library activities and quizzes
Art projects
Physical education for 30 minutes including various warm up games, jump rope, etc.
Teacher/class conference check in for 30 minutes at least once a day. Some small group working conferences on occasions
Optional enrichment activities like games, design posters, writing stories
Kids were prepared with a “Go-to folder” with worksheets but rely on a daily online to-do list posted by the teacher. Surprisingly, there is very little live teacher instruction, and currently the video conferences serve more as check-ins to share answers to classwork. Online exercises and videos aid learning, but at least half of the time the children are self-directed to complete tasks.
For older grade children, the workload requires quite a lot of discipline to accomplish the classwork and assignments due - as if they were attending school in person. The assignments are graded regularly and posted online for the student and parents to review.
Remote school learning seems to work well for my kids. However, I can imagine that it may be challenging and stressful for some students. While video conferences are helpful, nothing replaces the in-person interaction with other kids and teachers. Hopefully it will be for a short while yet until it is safe to open the schools again.
Share your comments as a working at home parent with kids doing remote schooling.
Photo: © Meiava Inc.