Create A Good Learning Environment

 

      Home Schooling-Create a good learning Environment

During early onset of COVID in India children were asked to stay at home for 3 to 4 weeks, subsequently during summer children stayed at home However post summer we were not ready to open school as COVID was  still rising and there is no end  in sight when school will reopen  This situation has created many challenges and problems to kids . They have to continue adopting to virtual learning schooling.

We know just how hard it can be to support your kids as they learn, especially for those who are also trying to work. Over and over again we’ve heard this frustration from parents, especially those with young children who may need support. So, as an occupational therapist who works with young students, I thought I’d put together a list of strategies that will support all learners and prevent long term damage as you set up an at-home learning environment for your children.

 

Create a space for learning

Our brains associate spaces with activities so setting up a physical space that’s dedicated to learning will help you be successful learning at home. Ideally it’s in a different place from where kids sleep or play video games or watch TV. And when they use that space, they pretend like they are going to school. When they want to play or goof off a little bit, or take a break, they leave that space.

Wearing school clothes, whether that be their uniform or clothes other than home clothes or pyjamas, helps children to put them in a school frame of mind.

If possible use bigger screens so kids are seemingly more engaged and they can actually see and feel and be a part of what’s going on more than on a small mobile screen or tablet or laptop. 

 

 

Tips for Postural Corrections

Home is designed for comfort, now to create work environment it is necessary to apply ergonomic principles. It is very important to take care of correct sitting posture with proper foot rest.  Distance between visual field and working surface should be ideally at least 2 feet. Spine should be erect with proper back support and neck should not be in forward position.  Keep elbow supported. Make sure the space has plenty of lighting. If you have multiple children at home with different learning schedules and online/remote learning requirements, create a space accordingly and maintain privacy. It is recommended investing in a whiteboard and/or a stick-on calendar to help stay organized no matter what is the kid’s age. Try and post schedule and/or task list for the day.

Encourage your children to engage in independent work or play

Studies show that young children benefit from independent play. At this particular time, many parents started planning every minute of the day for their children. Children learned to expect that - when they don’t know what to do, they look to their parent for entertainment rather than finding their own activity. However, it’s not sustainable to do this for our kids’ long term and it’s important for them to be able to play independently, solve problems, and self-direct. To get started build in longer stretches of independent play, consider using the 15/45 rule. Give your child 15 focused minutes of attention. Then, set them up with an independent activity and let them engage in self-directed play for 45 minutes. It won’t happen seamlessly right away, but stick with it and you may be able to get longer stretches of work time in before you know it.

 Take off the pressure

 As we know this is a lot. Know that no one expects you to be an ideal teacher, best parent and super employer and no one expects you to do it all. Don’t worry about tackling all of them, just do what you can, as you can. One way is to prioritize your work, set up routines .Take help of the family members. Distribute your work amongst everyone One of the biggest learnings in life is for our kids to take ownership of not just of their learning, but also of their entire life. Some extra chores like setting up of table, cleaning their room , Helping you in kitchen at a minimum — those types of things not only detract them from their learning, but will add to it because it will make the child more disciplined, they will feel prouder of their responsibilities, and the habit of helping family members will develop.

Benefits of Physical Play

Life is movement and movement is Life. As mobility is compromised due to online schooling Physical activity should be part of your child's daily routine. Some tips for increasing your child's physical activity include setting limits on screen time other than mandatory school timings, encouraging your kids to take breaks from sitting throughout the day and going out for short activity sessions to break up the monotony. You can also look for child-oriented fitness or dance and music classes as to add some variety to your routine. With some creativity, you and your family can find ways to have fun and be physically active within the current rules and guidelines.

For children under five need more time for play and exploration. Some low-prep activities that can occupy your student and engage their mind As find all the objects in this room that are red, Sensory letter tracing in bags of paint, a paper plate with salt on it. Matching shoes/socks etc. Lastly it is important to give your child space. Remember they are not used to having the parents monitoring them all the time while in school.

By

Dr. Mona Shah

Occupational Therapist, Clinical Psychologist.

www.anshucentre.com (9324105907)

dr.monarehabcentre@gmail.com