The COVID-19 pandemic forced kids nationwide to become homeschoolers in a matter of days. While many rejoiced at the opportunity to learn from home, we all quickly realized that learning and working from home presents challenges we didn’t anticipate.
Not knowing what the start of the next school year might bring, it’s a great time to assess where we are and adjust for the future. Here, we offer three things high school students can do to improve learning remotely.
Keep a schedule
This seems like a simple tip, but it can be harder to accomplish than it sounds! Home is a comfortable space. It’s easy to get your schedule off track by sleeping in, getting distracted, playing online games, or procrastinating with things you’d rather be doing.
To successfully learn remotely, it’s important to keep a schedule. Try to wake up, eat meals, and go to bed around the same time each day. Choose a dedicated workspace. Schedule time for breaks between work, and collaborate with others in your household to determine the best time to finish working.
Sticking to a routine will make remote working feel more natural and less stressful.
And remember it’s important to enjoy time with family each day to relax. Then, get a good sleep so you can manage what’s coming tomorrow!
Set realistic goals
With so many plans in limbo right now, it might feel impossible to set goals. But even if the goals you set are small and realistic, they will give you a sense of direction and accomplishment.
ACT.org suggests using SMART goals as your guide. This method will help you to set short-term, attainable goals that lead to long-term success.
SMART goals stand for:
● Specific—Set a detailed goal.
● Measurable—Make sure the goal is quantifiable.
● Attainable—Be sure that you set a reasonable objective.
● Realistic—Know that you can attain the goal.
● Time-bound—Set a deadline.
It’s important to have goals to work toward. In the grand scheme of things, they may seem insignificant, but attaining each accomplishment will lead you closer to success. Setting goals that you know you can achieve will help you stay focused and organized while you learn and work remotely.
For seniors, this will prove critical as you embark on the college application process, during which essays will take up most of your time.
Find ways to interact
At this moment, you can’t pass your friends in the hall, set up a study session after school, or drop in to chat with a teacher after class. But it’s still important to find new ways to interact with your classmates and teachers.
Stay-home orders can lead to feelings of frustration and isolation. It also can be difficult to convince yourself to log online every day when you might rather relax in your pajamas. Instead of logging out, find new ways to interact and stay engaged.
Ask your teachers when they are available for questions or to check-in, and how they prefer to be contacted. Chat with friends to see how they are feeling and what they are accomplishing. Share articles, resources, or tips that you find helpful with classmates. Do something old school and meaningful, like writing a letter or making a phone call.
We are missing the in-person interaction, and it’s difficult to get the personal connection through a screen. Adjusting the ways in which you communicate and interact will help you maintain relationships while working remotely.
Conclusion
There are few things that are “normal” during this global pandemic. Our routines, plans, events, and relationships all look very different. But there are ways that you can improve your skills now that will set you up for success in the future. Keeping a schedule, setting realistic goals (especially when planning for college!), and interacting with others will better your remote working skills.
~ Written by JASON PATEL, Former Career Ambassador at the George Washington University and Founder, Transizion.