Want to be your child’s learning tutor? Follow these tips to kick off the school year
So, if you’ve decided to enroll your child in a K-12 virtual private school and become their learning coach, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by your new role.
For this modality to be successful, trust in the coach is essential for accountability, structure, and student guidance. Whether you are a new learning coach or your family is considering switching to online education, these tips to kick off the school year will help you to build a solid foundation for a successful school year.
What is a learning coach?
In short, for MGM Academy, it means being a parent, guardian, or other trusted person who is a dynamic contributor to your students’ learning at home. Ultimately, as a parent, you know what your child needs, what excites them, what challenges them, what they dream about when they imagine their future, etc.
Daily tasks of the learning coach by grade level
In this role, you hope to help your child thrive. By becoming their coach, you can offer your students a level of support and guidance that no one else can provide, and you will be able to watch them learn, advance, and succeed; that’s why it’s important that you follow our tips to kick off the school year.
The learning coach is responsible for planning your child’s school day, a task that MGM Academy’s virtual scheduling tool can simplify. They can also monitor attendance, keep in touch with teachers by phone or email, and provide individualized support with learning activities. Still, the details of your role will vary as your student grows and becomes more independent.
Elementary School (Grades K-5)
– Designate 4-5 hours a day to supervise school activities.
– Schedule your child’s school day with homework assignments and breaks.
– Assists with online school lessons and frequently connects with your child’s teacher.
– Helps ensure that your student understands lessons and thrives.
– Celebrates their achievements and encourages them to continue to progress.
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
– Designates 2-3 hours daily to supervise school activities at virtual middle school program.
– Assists with specific lessons.
– Checks your student understands what they are learning and keeps the grades up.
– Communicate with teachers regularly on a face-to-face basis.
– Connect your student with their teacher whenever necessary.
High School (Grades 9-12)
– Allocate 2 to 3 hours per day to supervise school work.
– Support with some lessons.
– Check your student understands what they are learning and keep grades up.
– Communicate with teachers regularly on a face-to-face basis.
– Connect your student with their teacher whenever necessary.
How to homeschool my student?
Let’s list it:
1. Stay organized
To start with the tips to kick off the school year. One of the most valuable commitments of a learning coach is to provide students with the organization and structure they need to make progress. Children of any age can benefit from an organized educational environment where school supplies are easy to find. Help your child create an organizational system for classroom materials and a calendar to keep track of activities, due dates, and project deadlines.
2. Master time management
Most students turn to their learning coaches for time management support. It may include setting alarms or timers, helping set deadlines, giving a five-minute reminder before changing activities, or teaching your child how to break a large project into smaller, more manageable chunks.
In addition, you will need to determine the learning coach’s time commitment, as it varies depending on age level and your student’s needs.
3. Take a look at the week
When asked how to prepare for home study, most experienced learning coaches recommend spending a couple of hours each weekend practicing for the next week’s classes. This ahead-of-schedule allows them to print out any assignments, make note of due dates and assessments, purchase needed materials, and adjust their students’ extracurricular schedules to have room for projects with more time or additional tutoring.
4. Balance flexibility and routine
While flexibility and freedom regarding where and when students learn are particular features of a virtual school, many students still benefit from a regular daily routine with set times for classes, meals, recreation, and other activities. When your schedule inevitably changes, it can be crucial to display the daily itinerary so your students can see it and know what to expect (this is one of the most important tips to kick off the school year).
5. Lean on your student’s teachers
Your child’s teachers will undoubtedly offer the best advice on how to prepare for virtual learning. At online schools like MGM Academy, our teachers are state-certified education experts fully qualified to teach distance learners.
You can turn to them to talk about your student’s progress and understanding, to get information about your role as a learning coach, and helpful motivational techniques for studying at home. Teachers can also give you access to resources you may need, such as online links and vocational counselors for additional support.
6. Motivate your child with fun clubs and activities
Everyone loves to have options; that’s why many online schools provide a variety of extracurricular activities and student clubs for students. Whether your student is interested in the arts, science, gaming, or helping others, you’re sure to find a club that’s a good fit for them and other classmates who share the same passion.
7. Prioritize events and field trips
The learning online school goes beyond the computer. Going on field trips is a way for you and your student to put the concepts you’ve learned into practice in the real world and make in-person connections with other members of your community.
8. End the day with a positive message
Finishing with the tips to kick off the school year, don’t forget to end each school day by giving your child praise, encouragement, or affection, even when they have struggled. Both you and your child have worked hard to adapt to a new way of learning, so it’s time to celebrate his successes.
With these tips, the support of your child’s online teacher, and a good portion of accountability, you’ll become an excellent learning coach and enjoy being a part of your child’s growth.