As schools across the country have closed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, students have unexpectedly found themselves attending class online. Whether you’re usually a high achiever or not, this transition is tough. After all, the skills and habits that produce success in the classroom don’t always translate to success with digital learning. Being out of the classroom doesn’t mean learning stops. Keep reading for remote learning tips to make the most of your new school environment.
Have a Schedule
You might not like waking up at the crack of dawn to make it to first period on time, but the school day lends important structure to your day. The first week or so of freedom from the school schedule might have been fun, but unstructured days can get old fast. More importantly, days without a real schedule can seriously hurt your productivity.
Instead of wandering aimlessly through your days, create a schedule.
- Set your alarm. You don’t have to wake up super early, but you should make the most of (at least a few) AM hours.
- Create dedicated time for schoolwork—and do it during daylight hours.
- Include time to be active.
- You can still have fun.
- Make the most of the technology available to you—put your schedule in a calendar app with alarms that are hard to ignore.
For inspiration, check out our sample schedule below. You can download a Word version of this and edit the times and activities as you see fit.
Download this sample in a Word Doc
Create a Good Workspace
If you’re going to be learning from home for a while, you’ll need to set up a good learning environment.
- Eliminate distractions. At school, the classroom forces you to work distraction-free (mostly). At home, it’s easy to put on the TV in the background. Avoid the temptation—you need to be able to focus on learning.
- Gather everything you need—paper, notebooks, textbooks, pens, pencils, snacks. The more often you have to get up and go get something, the easier it is to get sidetracked and lose valuable studying time.
- Do a tech check. Make sure your computer is ready to run whichever software your school is using for digital learning days.
We’ve got some more tips for an ideal at-home study environment here.
Stay in Touch
Your teachers are still there to support you. If you have questions, ask! The more you engage your teachers, the better you’ll do on your classwork.
Don’t Rush Through Your Work
Remote learning means that your school day is over when you finish your work. On the one hand, you’ll get a lot more free time to write your novel, learn another language, or perfect your jump shot—but you need to avoid the temptation to rush through your work to get to that free time.
This is where setting a schedule helps. If you finish your schoolwork early, don’t just knock off for the day. Spend the rest of your allotted academic time studying for a test, doing more practice problems, or reviewing your notes. Remember: the goal of remote school days isn’t just to get through the work but to continue learning.
Look for Support
These remote learning tips will get you started, but if you find yourself struggling with class material or having trouble keeping yourself accountable, don’t wait to ask for help. Use a video chat app to set up study sessions with classmates. Enlist your parents to help you stick to your schedule and meet your goals. Or look for online tutoring to help you get through your remote learning days.
C2 Education has launched C2 Virtual to bring the same guidance and expertise we’ve always offered in our centers to the web. With C2 Virtual sessions, you’ll get face-to-face support from expert tutors who will help you meet your academic goals.
