Amidst the global pandemic, there have been many changes to the way we live our lives. However, one of the most notable differences this back-to-school season is the prominence of remote learning. While some schools go back to in-person instruction, the effects of remote learning are still felt around Canada.
The shift to remote learning has had various effects for many parents and students, especially for newcomers and immigrant families. Many newcomer families have struggled with online schooling as there are multiple language barriers such as English where they may not be fully equipped to help with, adding a hurdle of its own in an already new environment (OECD, 2020).
Furthermore, the new normal has impacted the mental health of some students. According to the American Psychological Association, many students faced a lack of motivation as well as a drastic change in environment with a loss of access to friends and teachers (APA, 2020) This shines a light on the fact that even in a virtual setting, the need for group learning and social interaction seems to be quintessential, especially for students at younger ages.
To make this back-to-school transition easier, we have partnered with TUEX education foundation, a non-profit organization that specializes in education. They provided us with some vital tips to get kids, families and their environment prepped for the new school year.
1. Remind a positive outlook regardless of certain outcomes
With academic success comes a strong and confident mind. Often those who continue to perform poorly on tests have accustomed themselves to a mindset that influences poor effort and minimal work because they have accepted their previous marks and have lost hope. Whether you receive one bad mark or several, you are still capable of flipping the outcome around if you analyze your studying habits and make changes accordingly. The reason why most students continue to do well after performing well on a couple tests is that they get the motivation to continue working hard and maintaining that standard. Try to develop that same mindset whether you need to convince yourself that you can perform well on the test or commit to extra studying. Keeping a positive outlook will ensure that you learn from your mistakes and perform better academically.
2. Keep your studying habits consistent and linear rather than exponential
Many students have come to master the art of procrastination, having to cram weeks worth of information into a few days is tough to do even to those who may be able to process information faster. Studies have shown that students perform better on tests when they have been continuously studying throughout the weeks and increased the amount of studying they did in a linear fashion. When students increase the amount of studying they do by a lot all of a sudden they tend to forget important information and perform worse on examinations.
3. Change up your study space once in a while
When studying in the same location for a long period of time you may tend to drift off and forget to go over important information. Changing up the location every once in a while during a long study period can increase your studying efficiency and provide practice for the real examination. As the location where you are going to be writing the test is not necessarily a place you have spent a lot of time studying at.
4. Create a distraction-free environment and begin a routine
Distractions are the biggest reason why a student cannot grasp information while studying hence resulting in poor test results. These distractions may vary for every single person however it is up to you to find out what those distractions are and how you plan to get rid of them. If they are related to electronic devices, some choose to download focusing apps or to hand over their phone to someone they trust who would keep it away from them. Or if it may be the case that your distraction is also what you need to study such as a laptop, you can refer to some site blocking sites that can prevent you from getting off track.
5. Prioritize your studying and start with small tasks if needed
As the last tip to your back to school guide, consider making a priority list with all tasks that need to be done in a day prior to beginning a study period. Many suggest starting with simple easy tasks to get into the groove of getting things done and tackling bigger tasks after. However, don’t leave big tasks to the end because you may tend to not complete them due to tiredness so we suggest you get right into them right after a few small tasks.
As kids head back to school, you can prepare your children for success by TUEX Educations online tutoring!
If you are looking to support many other families and children this holiday season, visit the Geenees app to give back!
References
OECD. (2020, October 19). What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrants and their children? OECD. https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/what-is-the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-immigrants-and-their-children-e7cbb7de/#section-d1e1065.
Stringer, H. (2020). Zoom school's mental health toll on kids. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/online-learning-mental-health.