Kids
in tears of frustration after hours in front of the computer. Grades marked
down for absence when the wifi crashed or the child forget to press “Send” to
turn in an assignment. Parents expected to be on hand as learning coaches. If
your family teeters daily on the edge of meltdown, you're not alone. Review these
suggestions for standing up for your family's needs.
Find allies. The
problems do not generally originate with teachers, who are under demands from
school districts and government agencies. However, you'll have to relate to the
teacher, in a non-judgmental way, and it helps if you have allies. Meet
periodically with the parents of your child's classmates, discuss the issues,
and then designate a representative to talk with the teacher and seek
solutions.
Set standards.
Children should not be penalized for broken links or missing information.
Negotiate with the teacher to establish procedures for dealing with problems
that are not the children's responsibility.
Maintain communication with teachers. Either through a parents' group representative, if many
children are having the same problem, or on your own, if it's an issue specific
to your child, consult with teachers to problem-solve. Make sure to work
cooperatively, not combatively. Teachers are under a lot of pressure too.
Advocate for your child. Whatever is going wrong, you may be able to come up with creative
solutions to propose. From taking more frequent screen breaks to reducing the
number of assignments, see if you and the teacher can find a compromise that
will lessen the tension for your child.
Document the situation.
Take notes on the challenges your child is facing and the conferences you have
with the teacher, in case you need to refer to them down the line.
Create social time.
Sitting in a virtual classroom involves less social interaction than sitting in
a classroom. Ask the teacher to schedule group projects or occasional
conversations among kids.
Go up the line of command if necessary. If your child's needs aren't being met, you may need to
contact the principal or guidance counselor for additional arrangements.
The
issues we are facing are being exacerbated by the changing school schedules,
and because kids, teachers and you as a parent are never sure what is coming
next. It is not like the kids met the bus at 7:15am and came home by 2pm. Parents now have had to accept a more
hands-on role.
Thanks
to Parent.com for suggesting some ways to handle the situation you are now
facing.