During this unprecedented public health crisis, many of us are struggling with overwhelming feelings of unrest and unease. As we march towards an uncertain future, the loss of our collective routines has exacerbated the situation—and no one is feeling this upheaval more than school-aged children. If your child has attended a traditional school for the entirety of their academic lives, they are probably unsure of what’s expected of them in a digital classroom.

As a parent researching how to best prepare your student to shift from an in-class learning module to remote learning, you’d like to familiarize yourself with online education as well. As the semester unfolds and online learning becomes the standard, we at Mountain Heights Academy—the highest-rated online high school and digital learning provider in Utah—would like to do our part by providing you with some insights that will ease the transition.

Keep Your Chin (and Grades Up)

One of the most difficult hurdles to overcome in these trying times is a loss of enthusiasm and momentum. Help your student maintain their enthusiasm for the learning process—and even enjoy their experience of online learning in a non-traditional setting—during this period of isolation and separation. “Check-in” with your child frequently and allow them to express their feelings about the current crisis.

New “Flex,” But Ok!

Online classes allow your child to study at their own pace while also granting them the flexibility to learn other skills and engage in outside activities. Use the extra time that you and your student will be spending together at home to develop some new interests, such as learning a musical instrument, or “cottage” industries like knitting, sewing, or woodworking.

No Student is an Island

If your student enjoyed regular social interactions with friends at school before this transition, be sure to include some online “meetups” with some of their best schoolmates throughout the day. Smartphones and computers have made it easier than ever to make a “face-to-face” video call with friends, and those interactions are more important now than ever. A student is more likely to stay on task with regular intervals of rest; if you’re working from home as well, ask your child to accompany you for a walk around the block.

Seize the Day

Your student’s teachers are working diligently to ensure a successful transition to online learning. Contact them and thank them, and ask if they’re designating any “office hours” during the day when your student can feel free to contact them for individualized help with schoolwork. Be extra understanding to the teachers integrating online coursework with their individual instruction—remember, they too are adapting as quickly as possible to the situation.

Stay Present

At Mountain Heights Academy, we’ve perfected a non-traditional model that elevates every student, but online learning is still different from in-person learning. Not only is your student constantly bombarded with difficult news stories, but the Internet itself is also a source of distractions that pull focus from their studies. Ask your students for some updates as they work; if they’re concerned about current events and desperate for news, watch an update with them after their schoolwork is completed.

At this point in history, technology is your student’s best means of communicating with the outside world. Mountain Heights Academy understands this integration of technology—and of adapting to non-traditional learning situations—as the state’s highest-rated online high school. If you’re unsure of which steps to take to ensure your child’s success in this uncertain climate, contact us for a consultation. With patience, understanding, and innovation, you can help your student make this semester one of their best.