Parents And Students Seeking To Find Comfort, Preparing For Remote Learning As Schools Adapt Plans Due To Coronavirus Pandemic
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With, in some cases, only days remaining before the start of classes families are gearing up for an unprecedented school year. For many it will be the first year started completely online.
It is a world of unknowns in the COVID environment and for some parents, it can be down right intimidating.
"From a parents perspective, yes I can see that," says Heather Perman who has two children enrolled in PA Cyber School.
"I was a little bit fearful at first but as my son Sean would say, 'It's pretty easy after you get through it.' Getting them online is easy actually. They know how to get online better than I do and they can navigate the systems. And since my son was online a year before my daughter, he was helping his older sister navigate."
Perman's daughter Emma is 13 years-old and going into her second year of schooling online. Her son Sean is 11 years-old and is going into his third year online.
Parents with younger children will probably have to take the technical lead, at least at first.
Heather says you want to get your child set up to succeed. "I would definitely give them a dedicated space. My son has two desks set up in his room. One for his play and his things, and another space for his school, locker included and a bulletin board so he can put stuff up."
"And my daughter, we actually gave her another room in the house as her office. They can listen online when they are having discussions online with their teachers, so there are no background noises bothering each other."
Perman understands not everyone has the space to set up a dedicated spot for their child and may have to use family common areas like a dining room or kitchen table.
"If that's what you have, the dining room table, have the family commit to that being the dedicated space because it would be best for your child to 'have' that area. Everybody has to try to be respectful to stay out of that zone during the time."
And she says make sure kids' distractions like video games and televisions are off and 'out of reach' during class time.
The set up of the school day may be different from district to district, but if there is flexibility, talk it over with your kids to determine what will be best for them.
"My kids offered to do morning classes so they are taking classes from 9 to 12. There are breaks in between, and if they need to get up to use the restroom, they can click a button to raise their hand and they can go do that."
"My kids are content at home. They make their own schedules, the classes that are online they have to attend them everyday, but the others that are online they can do throughout the day when it's convenient to them. If they are not feeling well, they can sleep in."
During the debates in the different school districts, some parents have raised concerns that an online education is not the same quality as their child gets in a classroom.
Perman says, "It's a different quality of education, it is not meant for all students. I have to say that, there are some kids who learn better in a classroom and I feel for those kids that need that interaction. But a lot of them, like our Emma and Sean, are thriving with the virtual on home."
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As for isolation and a lack of social interaction in the online classroom, Heather says, "You can get that online, my kids have made friends in their classrooms online."
Although, she says COVID will prevent some of the gatherings in person that the online schools have periodically used to increase socialization.
However, Perman says kids can and do connect on social media and parents can help with the social side of their child's life by planning and facilitating socially distant get-togethers outside of school hours.
Heather Perman, in addition to handling the kids with her husband Frank, is also a working mom who needs to get thing done during the day.
"I am able to work. I have two part time jobs. I do both family businesses. It gets a little crazy but it all works out."
Because her kids are older, she says if she has to slip out for an errand or to pick something up she can do that during the school day.
She points out that parents of younger children would not have that option.
