Parents and guardians across the globe are reeling in the news that the education of their children now rests in their hands. Although schools are rapidly working to move their classes online, what students really need in this time is support from the people they can see in real life, while ensuring they are still working toward their learning goals.

As an educator, I am going to provide some of my top tips to help aide your child in their online learning journey;

• Be as positive and calm as you can be. It is an often forgotten fact that all children will soak up your mood like a sponge, so their anxiety levels to a minimum is paramount. It is also important to remember the environment they are trying to adapt to, so make sure you are being kind and flexible.
• Further to this, try to limit their time on social media or reading/seeing articles on the state of the world. We do not need to over-expose our children at this time.
• Structure is key - model your days off a predictable routine such as school hours with period blocks so the student can adapt more efficiently.
• Try and take breaks outside if possible.
• Do the hardest subjects first if possible, while their brains are more switched on and they are able to concentrate better.
• Get as creative as possible with learning - you have an opportunity here to help teach them real-life skills as well as their curriculum. Do what you can to embed some more knowledge in your child while you can.
• Try to keep your child on a consistent sleep schedule; it is too easy to let older children stay up and then wake up late, so try and keep a structure that works for your family.
• Don't forget to keep your child socially connected - remember that they are used to seeing hundreds of people on a daily basis and that has all of a sudden been taken away from them. Incorporate phone calls, video calls and the like into their routine so they can feel connected to their peers.
• Set a goals/reward system so your child has things to aim for and look forward to.
• Find a mentor that can provide individualised, one-on-one education that can help your child through the curriculum.

We are all in this together.