When the school goes online - a user guide!

All our schools are closed and suddenly sitting rooms have become school rooms! At Brandon, we have been teaching online for more than five years now and have a decent idea of how you can make the transition to home schooling painless.

Try the following checklist

Set up your school area;  you will need:

·        a desk with a clear working space (a kitchen table will do if a desk is not available but, if possible, it should be dedicated to studying during 'school time');

·        a comfortable chair at the correct height for the desk;

·        good lighting;

·        a stable internet connection;

·        a computer, possibly with a camera for online lessons;

·        stationery;

·        a printer.

Create a home-school timetable which is available to all members of the household. Build-in breaks, homework time and time for cultural and healthy activities.

Lesson times need to be respected. This means... during lesson times, as much as possible, siblings, parents and helpers should stay away from the 'school area'

Set up a new account on your computer which does not have access to online distractions.

Ensure that, if you are using the camera, nothing you would rather keep private is visible to outsiders. More online safety tips here!

Breaks are vital; try not to do more than an hour at a time without moving away from the screen.

Everything getting too much? Go out for a quick walk or do a series of exercises. 

Don’t forget cultural activities; think about suggesting an art journal or model making project. In a future post, I will share some suggestions for online 'visits'.