In a cyber school environment, establishing and maintaining a solid daily school routine is important not only for the student but also for the parent. It can help save time, reduce stress, and increase student cooperation. Sometimes it can be a challenge for families to maintain a steady routine, whether they get off track or don’t accomplish as much as they planned to for the day.
It is normal to have some school days that do not go exactly according to plan, but if that is happening regularly, it can be frustrating. Here are a few suggestions that may help reveal a routine that works better for you and your family.
- Use a visible calendar to map out all of the regular events of your day and week. Be sure to include your students’ live classes, regular appointments, or recurring activities. Consider color coding the calendar by student or category (academic, extra-curricular, appointments, etc.)
- Once your schedule is written down, it will be easier to determine when you have time available for working with students individually or completing Learning Coach tasks.
- Use a Time Tracker Worksheet to better understand where you are spending your time. We often have a misconception of how long tasks actually take. Tasks we think will take forever often only take a few minutes. Tasks that we imagine getting done quickly often take hours. Using a time tracker worksheet or app can provide a clearer picture of how long tasks actually take so that days can be planned accurately.
- Once you become more sensitive to how long tasks actually take, consider where to place those tasks on your daily and weekly schedule.
- Do your best to adhere to this new routine, but remember to use it as a guide. Maintaining flexibility with any routine is important when we encounter unexpected events or interruptions in our days.
Having an established routine will help in many ways and ultimately lead to more productive school days. It may take a bit of time for your family to adjust and get into the swing of things, but once they do, things should flow much more smoothly. Remember to be flexible, too, as sometimes things can happen during the day that are out of your control.
For more tips on being successful as a cyber parent, check out our blog post, "How to Be the Best Cyber Parent [5 Tips]."
If you are interested in learning more about cyber schools, we invite you to check out our Ultimate Guide to Attending a Cyber Charter School in PA. This comprehensive guide provides curriculum examples, the cyber school instruction process, and will help you determine if cyber school may be a good fit for your family.
