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It’s back to remote learning for Victorian students. These tips could help

With schools running online, many parents are supervising kids while also working from home themselves.

With schools running online, many parents are supervising kids while also working from home themselves. Photo: Getty

After an extra week of school holidays for many students in Melbourne, the Victorian government has confirmed it’s back to remote learning for prep to year 10 students in locked down parts of the state from July 20.

When schools across Australia first began moving to remote learning back in April, the ABC spoke to a number of education experts and parents about what worked (and what didn’t) for them.

So from ideas for play to structuring your day, here’s a survival guide to homeschooling … if you’re one of the parents who needs it again.

Check to see if you’re eligible for support

Kids need reassurance, so it’s vital to explain this will be temporary. (Unsplash CC: Andrew Ebrahim)

The Victorian government will offer extra funding to eligible kindergarten services in locked-down areas to let them offer free kinder to children during term three.

Other resources available include video or phone counselling for secondary school students.

The government has also partnered with organisations like the Melbourne Football Club and Smiling Mind to produce resources for students.

Explain the latest changes to your kids

Children – just like adults – will need to mentally adjust to being back under stage three restrictions.

Not only will they not be able to play with their friends or see family for six weeks, but they may also be going back to remote learning.

University of Newcastle education lecturer David Roy said disruption to routine could make children anxious, and that could lead to more meltdowns and tantrums.

“This is normal and expected under these circumstances,” Dr Roy said.

In a letter to parents earlier this year, Sydney’s Canterbury Public School said it was important parents talk to their kids about what’s happening because understanding can reduce anxiety.

“Help your child to think about how they have coped with difficult situations in the past and reassure them that they will cope with this situation too. Remind them that the isolation won’t last for long.”

Dr Roy also recommends being as playful as possible.

“Kids need that. That’s one of the reasons we have recess and lunchtime. We’ve got to have kids … jumping around, exercising, burning off that energy,” he said.

Structure your day, but try to be flexible

One of the top tips from some parents who have home-schooled their children for years was to create some structure to the day.

Perth mother Cheryl Harris has home-schooled her three children for 12 years and suggests setting up a regular school-style structure: 9am to recess, to lunch, to 3pm and then screen time or free time.

But rather than trying to immediately set down that routine, Ms Harris said parents could be flexible.

She suggested hands-on activities, such as getting the children involved in cooking lunch for everyone.

“Cook dinner together, play Play-Doh, Pictionary, learn to braid, [and] look at character traits like flexibility – a good one for right now,” she said.

Rebecca English, a lecturer at the QUT School of Teacher Education and Leadership, recommends setting gentle limits around playing games or chatting online to friends until the day’s curriculum work was done.

“Get the work done in the morning and negotiate with the child on what they want to start with and what they want to do next,” Dr English said.

“You’ll find that you can probably get through a significant portion of the work in a couple of hours.”

Get the creativity flowing

Giving kids choice in how they play can enhance their feeling of control over an unpredictable situation.

The advice from play specialist Cat Sewell was not to worry about coming up with endless ideas, keep it as simple as possible, and let children (the experts) take the lead.

“Children are so geared for play. They’re wired for play and they’re wired for imagination, so I think the first thing is for us not to stress,” she said.

“Play lets off a lot of steam … The way [kids] are going to be processing the changes and stress that they’re picking up at the moment is through play. So it’s absolutely crucial they’re able to do that at home or wherever they are.”

Here are Ms Sewell’s top tips and ideas for playtime:

  • Sit back, don’t take over. For example, rather than inviting children to use old boxes to make a rocket, give them an idea or prompt and let them come up with their own plan
  • Ask open-ended questions. This could include questions such as: ‘I wonder what we could do with this?’, ‘I wonder what this could be?’, ‘I like what you’ve done there. Can you tell me about it?
  • Use open-ended materials to create with. Cardboard boxes, fabric and recycling can be used in many different ways
  • Set up an obstacle course
  • Make a fort or build a cubby house
  • Remember that it’s OK to let kids play on their own.

Many parents have gone through it … and made it out the other side

Remember that remote learning wasn’t smooth sailing for everyone the first time around.

Here’s what parents said about how their children fared.

ABC

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