Struggling as students study at home? York County region experts share tips
With schools closed due to coronavirus, York County region parents and educators are facing new challenges.
All K-12 schools in South Carolina will be closed the remainder of the school year due to COVID-19, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Wednesday.
“We know it’s been difficult,” McMaster said. “This has been a hardship and a challenge on many, many people in our state.”
Local district leaders said students will finish the school year online or using paper packets. Decisions on graduation ceremonies have not been announced.
Rock Hill teacher Saani Perry said the situation has forced educators to overcome new obstacles. Perry teaches math at South Pointe High School.
“It is challenging first and foremost not see our students every day. They become a part of our everyday lives, good days and bad days,” Perry wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. “It’s also challenging to support students, colleagues and yourself in an online environment. It is doable, but missing the face-to-face interaction makes it challenging.”
Tips from experts
Don’t panic
Educating students at home while schools are closed is not the same as full-time homeschooling. But parents who choose that route can provide tips for families during the pandemic.
A Fort Mill mother of nine, Cynthia Keen homeschooled her children from the beginning. Her oldest is 14 years old and in the eighth grade. Her other children are 13, 10, 9, 7, 6, 4, 3 and 1.
“The biggest thing I learned is (children) are very resilient; what you think is a bad day may not be a bad day to them,” Keen said. “They’re learning a lot more about life than school would ever teach them.”
Hilary Scharton, a former school psychologist, said children are more likely to come through a traumatic experience positively when they see adults remaining calm.
“It’s super important for parents right now to model resilience, humor and hope when dealing with coronavirus,” she said. “Our kids are looking at us to see how we’re supposed to respond.”
Scharton, a mother of a 17-year-old, is now the vice president of K-12 strategy for Canvas, a learning software used by thousands of schools and universities across the globe.
S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said Wednesday school district leaders have been creative in continuing instruction and supporting families.
“While instruction is really important, the most important thing for you as parents is to look out for the physical and the emotional health of your family,” she said.
Perry said coronavirus has created new challenges for educators and parents.
“Try not to get frustrated, and help your student know that everything will be OK,” he said. “Learning is much easier when all parties are calm and supported.”
Ask for help
Scharton said it helps for students, especially younger children, to have specific instructions on how to complete their work.
Denise French, director of the Palmetto Homeschool Association, said parents should make use of the resources provided to them by schools and online, as well as reach out to teachers with questions.
“The teachers I know, they want to be in touch with their students,” French said.
The association provides resources and guidance to families who homeschool their children.
Lewisville High School teacher Pete Stone said he encourages students and families to share feedback. Stone was named Chester County School District’s 2019 teacher of the year.
“We as teachers are learning through this whole thing too,” he said. “Teachers have never done this before in this capacity.”
The S.C. Department of Education has resources on its website for teachers, students and families.
Perry said online tutors, free trials for education websites and online resources can be helpful for families. He said students should lean on each other and their teachers for support.
“Read over all the notes and materials sent by the teacher during this time and ask specific questions regarding those items. That will help teachers or other tutors specifically help with the issue(s) at hand,” Perry said in an e-mail to The Herald.
Katherine Foo, who teaches special education at Kershaw Elementary in the Lancaster County School District, faced an extra challenge in individualizing learning packets for her students. Foo said her materials aim to ensure students don’t lose the progress they made before schools closed.
“I would rather them maintain the skills they have already been working on,” she said.
Foo, whose child is in fourth grade at Kershaw Elementary, said constant communication with families has proved essential. She holds video chats with parents and started a Facebook page to share updates and video messages with her families.
“This is hard, especially with this group of kids. We’re like a small family,” Foo said.
Take breaks
Unlike homeschooling, students studying at home due to the pandemic have a set curriculum to follow with work provided by teachers, French said.
French said following a provided plan can be stressful for students new to school at home. She said it helps to let children complete the work at their own pace.
“Don’t let them put it off, but at the same time enjoy the journey; enjoy the flexibility of being able to take a break and play a game,” French said. “Don’t stress so much. Getting the work done is important, but it’s not as important as the relationship they have with their children.”
It’s important for parents to remember that students, especially elementary-age children, are not going to work for as many hours as they do in traditional school settings, Scharton said. She said children’s attention spans are about two to five minutes per year old they are.
“(Parents) need to moderate their expectations of what a school day will look like when doing it from home,” Scharton said.
Local parent Erica Bowman said sticking to a routine is helping her child navigate the new reality.
“I have our eight-year-old (second grader), wake up and get ready like it was a normal school day. Breakfast and then school work. After school work we go for a long walk with our dogs,” Bowman posted on The Herald’s Facebook page. “I have found that making sure we all get sunshine and exercise daily helps us all get through the day smoother.”
Stone said he focuses on giving students meaningful work.
“It’s not how much you do; it’s how much you get out of learning,” he said. “Don’t beat yourself up or pressure yourself or your kids. It’s a process and we’re normally not good at things we haven’t tried before.”
Keen said reading aloud with children is a way to engage them and help them learn. She said parents can also change up lessons, for example letting children do their writing in chalk outside.
Keen said children can find it hard to be isolated from their friends during the pandemic. She said outside time and breaks are important.
“Cherish the time with your kids ... it’s not easy, but it’s special,” Keen said.
