Coping with Zoom School
Easter break is over, and lots of kids are back at school ... online.
The Ministry of Education, school administrators and teachers have had some time to prepare for distance learning. They have had some time to get training, software and equipment. They have had time to develop modified lesson plans. And, ready or not, they are obligated to provide a safe and productive learning environment for our children.
“Distance learning is a method of study where teachers and students do not meet in a classroom but use the Internet, e-mail, mail, etc., to have classes”
If you are lucky enough to have reliable internet access and are blessed enough to provide your child with a dedicated internet-enabled device, then you are ahead of the curve.
Learning from a distance
Distance learning or online learning is not easy for seasoned professionals doing advanced courses like MBA's, let alone kids! Just because they sit like zombies watching streaming videos and playing video games doesn't mean that they will have the same focus for virtual school. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that, quite frankly, they won't.
As parents and guardians, our responsibility extends beyond providing internet access and dedicated devices. We have an obligation to:
Teach our kids how to access online classes
Teach them how to behave in such classes (because the rules are different)
Supervise both our children and their teachers
The school, on advice from the Ministry of Education, will select the preferred platform. Popular choices include dedicated learning platforms like Google Classroom. Schools may opt for a combination of platforms including advanced video conferencing solutions like Zoom, WhatsApp and good ole email.
Regardless of the method, be sure to check out the details and test early. Teachers are precisely that, educators. They are not (in most cases) tech support. They are (usually) not trained or equipped to troubleshoot your technical problems. We've got to help ourselves.
Learning by video
For video conferencing, start with installing the client or app on the device your child will be using. Help out the host and other participants by entering a suitable name to identify your child within the app. If you have privacy concerns (like me), you need not include the child's full name, but some sort of identifier is recommended. It's both rude and unproductive to leave the default name (often the device name like Galaxy Tab) on display.
Next, invest in a good headset with a built-in mic. My poor child sits on a conference call for five hours (with short breaks) each day. For his sake, and for the benefit of the teacher who has to listen to upwards of 25 squeaky voices, a good headset is essential.
Then, please identify and clear a space for your child to focus and work. Ideally, that space should be quiet, well-lit and free of distractions.
I am always amazed at how loud children are, and particularly small children. Hence, I have great respect for teachers. Keeping a classroom of children focused is hard enough; harder still when you can't stand in front of the room. Make it easier for teachers by teaching kids to:
Place themselves on mute unless they are talking to the teacher
Turn on (and off) their video
Sit still (and when you figure out how to do this, share the secret)
Be respectful
Raise their hand to indicate they wish to speak when acknowledged
Be on time and be prepared for class
For older children, take the time to teach them advanced features like using chat, screen share, annotation and whiteboarding.
Learning online pitfalls
Online classes provide a unique opportunity for parents to monitor school sessions unobtrusively. Participants can be held accountable. And, if you kids miss a class, conceivably, they can catch up by watching the recording. Great right? Well, not so fast. There are also new opportunities for abuse.
The faces of our children and the interior of our homes are on full display for extended periods to a relatively large number of people. Or, an embarrassing incident can be cut or created and disseminated on video. These are just two examples of many possibilities (after all, we are not in the business of giving deviants ideas).
With school campuses likely closed for the rest of the academic year, online school is our only practical option. But it's not a clean swap. We, parents, guardians, administrators, teachers and students, must all make adjustments to achieve results.
