Stay healthy and safe, everyone. And wash those hands! As we move toward distance learning in an effort to flatten the curve, each school is executing plans somewhat differently, but the core concepts are all the same: that students will be expected to do 3-5 hours of self-paced study during the day. Obviously this will be a challenge for many students. Below are some tips to help make the next few weeks/months as productive and enjoyable as possible.
Make and keep a schedule. This is especially crucial for students with executive functioning challenges. With the structure of school absent, it’s important to provide one for your students. It should be detailed, realistic, printed out, and enforced. Think class schedule from school – various periods separated by occasional breaks. I am happy to help with this.
No studying in bedroom if possible. Best places to work have real chairs (not the couch), are “public” in that a family member walking by can see what’s on the screen, are quiet (no music), and are not places usually reserved for relaxation or sleep.
Gaming is real – schedule it. And right now, it’s one of the only ways that kids will get their (much needed) socializing. Normally I’m anti-gaming during the week, however with the change in structure, I’d say 1-2 hours a day (scheduled of course!) is fine provided they are doing what they are supposed to do.
Move outside. Some daily outdoor time – park, track, walk in the woods, bike ride, run – will help reduce anxiety and also help them use their energy in a productive way.
The Misorganized Mind 