eLearning Schedule Hacks From a School Teacher

How am I supposed to manage everyone’s schedules?

Have you recently said something like, You were supposed to get on your school call 20 minutes ago–what are you doing?! If so, there’s a good chance you + your kids are still struggling to stay on time with their elearning schedule

Let’s be real, you can’t (and shouldn’t) be managing your kids’ elearning schedules to the minute. You might also have your own job to manage, laundry to fold, meals to make or other kids to help. Trust me, I’m living it + I’ve been there for far too long.

In today’s post, I’m walking you through some small things you can do to help the school day go a little more smoothly + give you back the time you want + need!

The Backstory on my eLearning Experience

I was a bit of a mess back in March when remote learning first started. I taught virtually while I literally had COVID-19…yeah, you read that right! Well, all 4 of us had it so things were seriously rough. On top of that, I had never in my life held a Zoom meeting, let alone attempted to teach virtually or help my own kids do school online too. It was so overwhelming + there was a huge learning curve. And keeping track of everyone’s individual elearning schedules was really what was hardest for me over anything else.

Thankfully with a lot of trial + error, my support network of fellow teachers + honest reflection, I slowly but surely upped my game when it came to remote learning. And let me tell you, my students’ parents are constantly asking me what it is that helps me to manage it all.

boy using visual time timer to follow school schedule by Erin Christopoulos Momentum Family

Why You Need To Make A Change

I have seen so many parents sitting along their children all. day. long. Moms, that isn’t sustainable! You have such a range of priorities in your life, so let’s make a solid schedule-following plan for your kids to follow during elearning so that you can gain back some serious time for yourself to accomplish your other priorities.

What to Do

What to do is very straightforward when it comes to managing your kids’ elearning schedules, but I’m going to really break it down into steps for you so that you have a clearer picture of the process. I’ve got you.

Have a Discussion

Having collaborative + honest conversations with my students is where some of the biggest breakthroughs have happened. If your child is as young as kindergarten, trust me, you can have an age-appropriate conversation bout how things have been going.

Remember, the intention is to problem-solve what isn’t working well about managing the elearning schedule(s) + coming up with a plan so that everyone gets what they need.

Discussion Tip #1

Choose your time + place wisely. Consider times of day when your child is at their best + choose an environment where they feel most comfortable. Maybe talk about it while you’re eating breakfast on the weekend or over hot cocoa after school. Springing this on your child in the heat of the moment will not give you the results you’re looking for.

Discussion Tip #2

Focus on listening more than talking. Ask questions that help you understand how your child feels about their daily school schedule. It’ll help you understand what they feel confident in + where they feel like they’re having the hardest time.

Some great questions to ask are:

When it comes to following your schedule for school, what’s working well? Why do you think it works so well for you?
I’m wondering about the things that aren’t working so well? What is hardest about following your elearning schedule?
If we could solve some of those trickier parts about your schedule, what are some ways it would improve remote learning for you?
I’d like to help you solve some of these trouble spots. Do you have any ideas for how we could solve some of these problems?

Tip for parents to have honest conversations about elearning schedules by Erin Christopoulos Momentum Family

Make a Game Plan Together

Acknowledging your child’s point of view is going to be the best way to step into your problem-solving together. It shows that your ideas for change come from a place of support + desire to help make the experience a more positive one for your child.

Here are

Maintain what is working well, agree to continuing these things!
Support what isn’t working well about elearning. Identify how to improve these aspects that make following a schedule difficult.
Agree who is responsible for what. It not only ensures that your child knows what the expectation is for them, but also reassures them that you are doing your part to support them as well!
Write the plan out even if it’s just in a list format of “Me” + “Mom” it can be really helpful for kids to see your discussion laid out + it always helps to be able to come back to it later as needed.

Celebrate!

Make sure that you find genuine opportunities to celebrate the progress your child shows toward their independence in managing their schedule. As a teacher, I have to spend a lot of time at school reinforcing positive behaviors in order for them to really stick beyond the ‘honeymoon’ phase of a new plan.

Make sure you are sincere, kids can smell a phony compliment a mile away. Think like a teacher + really acknowledge your kids’ efforts in ways that highlight effort, progress + growth. It not only encourages them, but also emphasizes the process over perfection which is so motivating!

“I see you’re already on Zoom without me reminding you–great focus!”

“You remembered to follow your schedule your own today with only 2 reminders from me! That was a fantastic effort!“

elearning advice to parents that change takes time by Erin Christopoulos Momentum Family

Correction

There are going to be plenty of times that the plan falls through. Remember that progress is going to take time. A lot of time.

Whenever possible, focus less on missteps + instead choose to ask questions that help your child do their own thinking. When you do so, you are training their brain to become less reliant upon you + more self-sufficient.

Here are some questions that help achieve that:

“I see it’s 12:00. Was there something you needed to do at that time?”
“I noticed how focused you are on your writing. Did you see the time?”
“What’s next on your schedule? (and then…Oh, that sounds fun! Uh oh, I think it already started.)”
“Time check!”
“How much time is left on your visual timer?”
“Don’t forget to listen out for your alarm at the end of lunch. How will you make sure you can hear it?”

boy following schedule in acrylic sign holder at home by Erin Christopoulos Momentum Family

Time-Management Strategies for eLearning

I know it can be abstract to come up with some strategies for time-management during elearning, so here are some of the best approaches that have worked for me at school + at home with Theo.

Email the teacher for the weekly schedule so you know what to expect day-to-day.
Create a visual schedule with your child. Here are a few ideas:
- Print the daily schedule + put it into an acrylic display stand. (Many teachers already have these made but you could make one too.)
- Make an AM/PM checklist of important times. (Teacher Hack: Laminate the checklist to make it dry-erase. Use a Mr. Clean Sheet as your eraser)
- Use pictures if that helps!
- If you need to simplify to 2-steps at a time try drawing two boxes labeled ‘First’ + ‘Next’. Have your child check in with you after completing the two tasks.
Set recurring alarms for predictable schedules (end of device break or lunch, start of specials, etc.)
Invest in visual timers to help your child see how much time is left before their next transition.
Agree on check-in times throughout the school day. This can be a time your child can anticipate you checking in. This is a great option if your child is sensitive to your help but still needs it in order to be successful. These might be time-based (I’ll check-in at the start of every hour) or schedule-based (i.e., at the end of Reading)

kids can be independent with school work by Erin Christopoulos Momentum Family

Your Win with eLearning

In supporting your kids in their independence, you not only build their self-management + organization skills that are incredibly important to their academic success, you’re investing your time + energy in skills that will also help your kids at home.

When your children take on this responsibility, they build confidence in their ability to manage themselves + value that your trust in them to be independent. By putting your efforts into investing in your kids’ independence instead of being the sole time-keeper of elearning, the personal gains are immense.

In no longer spending your time + energy on managing schedules, you have the capacity to tackle all of the other priorities in your life. When you don’t have the constant power-struggle or mental load of keeping track of everyone’s schedules, you are freed up emotionally as well. Enjoy knowing that you have the time + headspace to reinvest in yourself.

What will you do with your renewed outlook? Comment below!