5 ideas to support parents with learning from home

Gov. Tim Walz has ordered schools to remain closed through the remainder of the school year, and plans for the fall are not set at this point.

But amidst all the uncertainty, Learning Heroes encourages parents to keep calm, as learning can continue despite school being closed. Below are five components of the Learning Hero Roadmap to help keep students on track, even when it isn’t easy.

Focus on Key Skills

Parents may be feeling overwhelmed with helping their child through his or her math and reading lessons. But a quick readiness check of 3-5 questions—which students will view as a game—will connect students in grades K-8 to videos and activities that support home learning while simultaneously showing a child’s progress on key math and reading skills.

Ninety percent of parents believe their child is performing at or above grade level, according to a Learning Heroes national survey. But only 39 percent of teachers say students start the school year prepared for grade-level work.

Keep a Routine

As students work through the lessons and activities assigned through their distance learning plans, it is important parents help create a fun, daily routine with their child that fits the family’s needs and interests.

Turn off the News and Talk

While it is important to stay up to date on new developments with the coronavirus, Learning Heroes encourages parents to “remind your child they are safe and that life will get back to normal. Ask them how they are feeling. They can draw or write about it too.”

Stay Connected

According to a national survey, 78 percent of parents are satisfied with communication from their schools. If parents aren’t sure how their child is progressing, ask! Staying in touch with teachers and other parents will be helpful.

Enjoy Family Time

For some parents, learning from home has given them time with their child that full-time work and day care didn’t previously allow. Parents can use the health care crisis as an opportunity to pair learning with time together—whether that’s looking at family photos and writing a story about them or cooking a new recipe. Learning life skills (through social and emotional learning) is important too!