As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues, school districts across the United States (and the world) are scrambling to prepare options for schooling in the fall.
In this blog post, we take you through ways to prepare your children for three types of classes: in-person (fully face to face), virtual or at-home learning, and hybrid (a mix of the two). We also offer some tips for preparing children mentally and emotionally for these unprecedented learning situations.
In this blog post, we take you through ways to prepare your children for three types of classes: in-person (fully face to face), virtual or at-home learning, and hybrid (a mix of the two). We also offer some tips for preparing children mentally and emotionally for these unprecedented learning situations.
Preparing for In-Person Classes
If your child’s school is planning to go back to in-person classes in the fall, in-person classes will undoubtedly look very different from what your child is used to. Here are some ways to prepare your child to return to school in-person.
If your child’s school is planning to go back to in-person classes in the fall, in-person classes will undoubtedly look very different from what your child is used to. Here are some ways to prepare your child to return to school in-person.
Making sure your child stays healthy: Your number one priority will be making sure your child does not contract the coronavirus or spread it at school without knowing. Check every morning to make sure your child does not show symptoms of illness, particularly a fever (100.4 degrees F), sore throat, cough, severe headache, or diarrhea; if they do, keep them home until they can be tested. Any child who has had possible exposure to COVID should not return to school until they test negative.
It helps to keep a list of your local testing options so you can get your child tested and get the results as quickly as possible. The CDC also recommends making sure your child is up to date with all vaccines, including the flu vaccine, since it is still not clear how other seasonal diseases may interact with COVID in children.
It helps to keep a list of your local testing options so you can get your child tested and get the results as quickly as possible. The CDC also recommends making sure your child is up to date with all vaccines, including the flu vaccine, since it is still not clear how other seasonal diseases may interact with COVID in children.
Practice hygienic habits: Practice proper hand washing techniques with your child at home and emphasize what your child should be doing at school: washing hands, keeping distance from other children, wearing masks, and not sharing items or food.
Using examples, like putting paint on your hands and showing how easily it spreads if you don’t wash them, can help young children visualize the spread of germs. You can also show your child how far apart they should remain from other children (e.g. “Six feet—that’s how long your bed is!” or “That’s two golden retrievers away!”).
Many schools will require or strongly recommend that students wear cloth face masks over the nose and mouth, and these should be a priority whenever children are in close groups or poorly ventilated spaces, like on the bus. Cloth face coverings should not be worn by children younger than 2 or anyone with breathing problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests fun ways to help your child get used to masks, such as putting a mask on their stuffed animals, decorating masks, and showing your child pictures of other people in masks. As a parent, you can also normalize wearing the mask around the house to show your child there’s nothing to fear. Tip: look for cloth masks that are child-sized or with an adjustable fit. The more comfortable the mask, the less likely your child will take it off at school.
Using examples, like putting paint on your hands and showing how easily it spreads if you don’t wash them, can help young children visualize the spread of germs. You can also show your child how far apart they should remain from other children (e.g. “Six feet—that’s how long your bed is!” or “That’s two golden retrievers away!”).
Many schools will require or strongly recommend that students wear cloth face masks over the nose and mouth, and these should be a priority whenever children are in close groups or poorly ventilated spaces, like on the bus. Cloth face coverings should not be worn by children younger than 2 or anyone with breathing problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests fun ways to help your child get used to masks, such as putting a mask on their stuffed animals, decorating masks, and showing your child pictures of other people in masks. As a parent, you can also normalize wearing the mask around the house to show your child there’s nothing to fear. Tip: look for cloth masks that are child-sized or with an adjustable fit. The more comfortable the mask, the less likely your child will take it off at school.
Gather information: Make sure your contact and emergency info is updated on file with your child’s school, including other adults authorized to pick up your child—you may want to select an alternate if your contacts are high-risk individuals. Then, learn how your school will be updating plans for families if there is an exposure to COVID-19 at the school, and gather information on any current changes to school policies like start times, afterschool, cafeteria procedures, and more.
Plan ahead: Unfortunately, school closures and quarantine are a very real possibility. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. If a close contact tests positive, how will you quarantine your child at home for 2 weeks? Will you be able to take leave?
You should also plan for transportation—is your child still going to be riding the bus? If your school is returning in a cohort model, consider only carpooling with children in the same cohort. Finally, plan to ensure your child will still receive any services (IEP, speech therapy, behavioral services, etc.) normally provided with the school.
You should also plan for transportation—is your child still going to be riding the bus? If your school is returning in a cohort model, consider only carpooling with children in the same cohort. Finally, plan to ensure your child will still receive any services (IEP, speech therapy, behavioral services, etc.) normally provided with the school.
Pack your child’s backpack with:
- Reusable, personal water bottle (no water fountains!)
- Hand sanitizer and/or wipes
- Back up face mask
Preparing for Virtual/At-Home Learning
Many school districts across the U.S. have decided to switch entirely to virtual learning for part or all of the academic year, and at-home learning may be necessary if your child is immunocompromised. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your child is ready for these unusual circumstances.
Many school districts across the U.S. have decided to switch entirely to virtual learning for part or all of the academic year, and at-home learning may be necessary if your child is immunocompromised. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your child is ready for these unusual circumstances.
Technology needs: Access to technology that can support the virtual learning platforms and activities offered by your schools is crucial. If you foresee having tech barriers, such as access to high-speed wi-fi or appropriate electronic devices, find out whether your school or community is providing assistance for children to learn at home, like giving out school-assigned laptops.
Environment: There’s a greater number of distractions outside the physical classroom, so you can help your child stay on task by providing a quiet, uncluttered environment with all the supplies they will need to do homework. This doesn’t have to be a separate room—it could be a small desk in a corner of their own. Allowing your child to hang artwork or projects in “their space” can help make working from home feel more fun.
Organization and structure: From children to adolescents, many students will struggle to concentrate with the stress of COVID-19 and the removal from their normal environment. In times of crisis, having a routine is not only a key part of making sure your child's work gets done on time, it can also be a way of reducing anxiety. Help your child make a schedule that takes into account the whole family—but also, don’t get angry if a child occasionally deviates from the plan. Planning every day right down to the second is likely to cause more anxiety and less productivity, not more.
Physical activity: Without the scheduled physical education school provides in the form of gym and recess, it’s important to build physical activity into a child’s virtual learning day. Will your school offer any virtual activity opportunities, such as live-video guided dance or exercise classes?
Remind kids that one positive of being at home is their flexibility to stand up, stretch, and walk around whenever they want to, unlike in school. If you don’t have access to a socially distanced outdoor space, try activities like jump rope or hula hooping (just move any breakable items first!), or get creative, like playing “volleyball” with inflated balloons.
Remind kids that one positive of being at home is their flexibility to stand up, stretch, and walk around whenever they want to, unlike in school. If you don’t have access to a socially distanced outdoor space, try activities like jump rope or hula hooping (just move any breakable items first!), or get creative, like playing “volleyball” with inflated balloons.
Plan ahead: If your child receives any services through the school—speech therapy or OT, IEP support, tutoring, reduced cost meals, etc.—how will these services be provided when learning at home? You should also find out who will be communicating the form virtual instruction will take, whether that’s pre-recorded videos with attached assignments, or live classes through Zoom or other platforms.
Expect your child to miss seeing their friends, and find out if the school will establish opportunities for virtual socializing or if this is something you must organize with other parents. Open communication with principals and guidance counselors is key.
Expect your child to miss seeing their friends, and find out if the school will establish opportunities for virtual socializing or if this is something you must organize with other parents. Open communication with principals and guidance counselors is key.
Digital safety: Because your child will be spending more time in virtual environments than usual, you’ll also want to be aware of how to keep children safe online during at-home learning. UNICEF offers some helpful suggestions for parents and caregivers as well as resources for talking about online safety with children of different ages.
For instance, check with your school about how they plan to protect children’s privacy and personal data on the Internet, and whether their selected video platform (like Zoom) is secure. Familiarize yourself with tools for age-appropriate web browsing, such as Safe Search. Keep an eye out for signs of online abuse, such as a child who suddenly becomes more withdrawn, upset, or angry specifically after using the computer, especially combined with increased secretiveness.
Above all, remember that children look to adults to model safe behavior online.
For instance, check with your school about how they plan to protect children’s privacy and personal data on the Internet, and whether their selected video platform (like Zoom) is secure. Familiarize yourself with tools for age-appropriate web browsing, such as Safe Search. Keep an eye out for signs of online abuse, such as a child who suddenly becomes more withdrawn, upset, or angry specifically after using the computer, especially combined with increased secretiveness.
Above all, remember that children look to adults to model safe behavior online.
Preparing for Hybrid Classes
Hybrid classes, or a mix of face-to-face and virtual schooling, naturally should combine most of the elements described above. Above all, the best thing you can do to be prepared for hybrid schooling is to make it as easy as possible for your child to stay on top of their work schedule with simple calendars, daily schedules, and reminders of what they should bring to school vs. what they should keep home.
Families should also be extra vigilant about monitoring children in hybrid schooling for possible exposure to COVID, particularly if your school uses a “cohort” model. If your child is placed in a small cohort with other children, coordinate with other parents and guardians about carpooling and out of school activities, so you can all make sure your kids only interact with the same group of individuals.
Hybrid classes, or a mix of face-to-face and virtual schooling, naturally should combine most of the elements described above. Above all, the best thing you can do to be prepared for hybrid schooling is to make it as easy as possible for your child to stay on top of their work schedule with simple calendars, daily schedules, and reminders of what they should bring to school vs. what they should keep home.
Families should also be extra vigilant about monitoring children in hybrid schooling for possible exposure to COVID, particularly if your school uses a “cohort” model. If your child is placed in a small cohort with other children, coordinate with other parents and guardians about carpooling and out of school activities, so you can all make sure your kids only interact with the same group of individuals.
Preparing Children Mentally and Emotionally
Even if your child returns to school, sudden and extensive changes to policies—desks, social distancing, reduced contact with friends, altered schedules—can be very upsetting, especially for younger children, while the overarching stress of a global pandemic will impact older youths as well. Here are some tips for preparing children mentally and emotionally for a turbulent year of school.
Even if your child returns to school, sudden and extensive changes to policies—desks, social distancing, reduced contact with friends, altered schedules—can be very upsetting, especially for younger children, while the overarching stress of a global pandemic will impact older youths as well. Here are some tips for preparing children mentally and emotionally for a turbulent year of school.
- Monitor your child for changes in behavior, including excessive crying, anger, anxiety, sadness, insomnia, and unhealthy eating habits. Remember not to blame your child offhand for sudden outbursts or tears—many students are struggling to cope with the sudden rupture in key social ties with their friends.
- Comfort children who may be scared about COVID-19 and “getting sick” or getting relatives sick. Show them by example that it’s okay to be scared and anxious, and encourage them to talk about their fears. Talk to your child frequently about how school is going.
- Check in with your child’s school about their plans to address stigmatization and bullying, whether because a child does or does not wear a mask, if a child returns from COVID exposure, or for children targeted by racial and ethnic harassment due to wrong assumptions about where the virus comes from. Encourage children to always tell a trusted adult if they suffer bullying.
- Find out how your school plans to offer psychological and social or emotional support for children, not only during virtual learning, but also throughout the entire transition between at-home schooling and the return to school. This includes looking into grief counseling: particularly in coronavirus hot zones, unfortunately, the chances rise that a child may know someone who passes away due to the virus.
- Help your child set up ways to have healthy, socially distanced interactions with friends, or see if the teacher/school has a system for fostering these interactions.
- Set an example for a healthy mind and body by showing your child that it’s okay to take breaks and to emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep. Your child may be thrilled that they no longer have to wake up at 6 AM to catch the school bus—let them sleep.
- Above all, be flexible. Children look to adult guardians for guidance on how to react in times of crisis. Reassure them that their health, and the health of others in your community, is not less important than getting “good grades” or other metrics of success (otherwise, children may try to hide their symptoms in order to go to class).
- Be kind to yourself, too. The pandemic is placing extraordinary demands on parents and caregivers, and if you’re stressed out about doing a “perfect” job, both you and your child will feel the burden.
Teachers, parents, administrators, should all have the same goal in mind, that of giving all children and youth equitable access to education without making children, families, teachers, and staff make dangerous sacrifices for their health.
While the upcoming school year will require us all to let go of our preconceived notions about what a school day “should” look like, one thing is clear: preparation goes a long way to making sure students stay safe and emotionally supported throughout the process.
While the upcoming school year will require us all to let go of our preconceived notions about what a school day “should” look like, one thing is clear: preparation goes a long way to making sure students stay safe and emotionally supported throughout the process.
