Ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, the definition of school has changed tremendously. Now when you say you are going to school, it has multiple meanings such as, hybrid learning or remote learning, and not just in-person learning. With any changes in life, comes some adjustment to these changes. That’s why we have come up with 5 tips and tricks for you to utilize when you are faced with online learning.
Tip 1: Designate a specific place for your schoolwork.
When learning from home, it might be hard to limit distractions. That is why we recommend picking a designated space for you to do your online learning that has minimal distractions. This helps because it helps separate “work and play” or rather “school and home life.” Some of our favorite recommendations to do work are sitting at the dining room table or setting up a workstation in your bedroom or family office.
Tip 2: Make sure you have the right technology you need to be successful.
With taking online courses at home, chances are you have other family members either working from home or also taking online courses and it may get loud. We recommend investing in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones or just headphones in general. Also, we recommend making sure that your technology is up to date for all your homework assignments and virtual class sessions!
Tip 3: Take breaks in between each class.
When you are going to school in-person, you take a break to switch classrooms, go to the bathroom or for lunch. Health officials recommend the 20-20-20 rule. This means for every 20 minutes of screen time, you need a 20 second break and to stare off into the distance, 20 feet that is, to help prevent eye strain! We recommend setting a timer or an alarm for you to take a break between classes.
Tip 4: Make sure to get outside and get some fresh air.
Learning remotely can cause you to be more sedentary and that can affect your overall health. Whether it will affect your mental health and mood by being inside for long periods of time or your overall physical health by taking a toll on your neck, shoulder, and back muscles. We recommend that you try and get outside for a quick walk around your block to get you stretching out those muscles. Studies show that spending some time outside in the sun, helps improve your behavior, confidence, attention span, mood and gets you some necessary Vitamin D!
Tip 5: Don’t forget to ask for help and utilize your resources.
Just because you are remote does not mean that you still can’t utilize your teacher’s extra resources when you are needing some additional help. We recommend that if your teacher offers any before or after school extra help opportunities that you should try and attend or reach out to them via email or in class if you are lost or need clarification. If your teacher doesn’t have any availability, we recommend asking a friend, fellow classmates or even your family members!
Are you interested in putting these tips to the test and taking an online course? We encourage you to take a look at our Summer Discovery Online Course Options on our website and start an application or giving us a call at 516-621-3939 and speaking with a Summer Program Specialist to find your perfect online course fit!