Students and teachers aren’t the only ones who play a major role in remote learning. As much as possible, schools must also involve parents. That’s because students will be spending their time at home instead of in school. Parents will be there to act as facilitators and even take a teacher’s role during online classes. 

Below are some of the best practices for supporting parents with remote learning:

Consistent communication 

Many district leaders had a hard time when it came to communication platforms in the quick transition to remote learning. Since then, social media has become an important secondary method of communication for schools.  For example, schools use social media sites like Pedagogue to create groups for parents and keep them posted on all the happenings that concern them and their children.

Provide tutorials 

Many parents use technology in their day to day lives, especially on the job. They are comfortable with tech, not because they are tech gurus, but becomes they have been trained on how to use technology. When it comes to using edtech, they will need the same level of training and support. Schools can show their support to parents by making video tutorials that will walk them through the education apps that their children are using. Also, they can hold face to face workshops to accomplish the same thing.

Host a parent academy  

In education, parent academies or boot camps are not new. Schools have hosted various events that have aimed to create unity and support for students. Developing such online academies is increasingly more valuable now that meetings in physical spaces are currently out of the question. For example, schools can host a parent academy to discuss ed-tech tools that their children will be used in remote learning or even host an academy for something as simple as learning how to use YouTube.

Make virtual announcements 

Another effective way of supporting parents is by making virtual announcements. Self-recorded videos can be posted on a website or embedded in an email. They can include a “joke of the week” or another fun challenge to help support each family’s emotional and mental health. Also, virtual announcements can substitute for traditional parent-teacher conferences during remote learning.

Helping with at-home learning 

Some schools opted for a synchronous approach (live sessions), while others went with an asynchronous approach (pre-recorded plans) when they shifted to remote learning. Either way, these approaches put pressure on the parents. Teachers should open their doors to parents who are monitoring their children’s learning at home. They should encourage them to ask questions or additional information and share their ideas, too. Teachers can create a group for parents to have class-related discussions or welcome them for a private chat regarding their children’s performance.

A successful remote learning experience can be made possible with cooperation among students, teachers, parents, and school administrators. Parents shouldn’t feel burdened or intimidated with remote learning as long as you apply practices that will support them every step of the way.