Wondering how to set up remote learning?
When setting up remote learning at home, I look to find simple ways I can help my early learners thrive. And remember! How to set up remote learning at home doesn’t need to be over complicated.
These are strategies that not only helped me in the classroom managing 20+ students but are also organization ideas that I am using at home with my three children. Having to manage assignments along with tasks for work is a gigantic ask of families. I want to help you to feel great and ready to take on remote learning.
Here are five simple tips to get everyone set up and feel a little more successful headed into the new school year.
RELATED: Curious what I am teaching my preschoolers this year at home? I will use our activity cards along with this preschool curriculum.
Are you homeschooling this year?
If you are homeschooling at home and need a little help getting is set up, use this homeschool tips post or our playroom setup for ideas.
We also have these five activities for the first week that will help kick off the school year!
Hang the alphabet at eye level
When placing resources (such as the alphabet) on the wall, try to keep them at eye level. We want to find a place that our children can visit often and freely.
These decals here came from Target dollar spot. I have limited space and knew I could find a wall like this to put them on. Ideally, I would hang the alphabet straight across A-Z without breaking it up. But since this is my home and not a classroom, I have to do what’s best for remote learning.
Alternative ways to post the alphabet at home
- Post the alphabet on a large sheet of paper to hang on the wall.
- Use a long strip of painter’s tape and write the alphabet across.
- Write the alphabet on a sheet of paper to keep out and use when needed.
When adding anything to your working place, do so with your kids so they know where to find the resources they need. Many times as a teacher, the room was bare on day one so that the wall can be filled with the child created work overtime.
RELATED: Looking for back to school books? These listed here are our FAVORITES!
Designate a Bin for Each Child
We can think of this bin as the new backpack. This is where your child will keep all the workbooks, folders, and classwork they will need for remote learning.
Without overthinking it, designate a place for each person that will be learning at home. (YOU included if you are the teacher)
You can look around your house and find something to repurpose or get these colorful bins from Lakeshore Learning. Have each child pick a color. This designated bin is where you will store the learning materials needed for the school year.
PRO TIP: Wait to fill each bin. You can introduce the items into the container one at a time in the first week. For now, have your child select the bin they will use.
Picking a designated bun for each person is a quick and easy way to get organized for remote learning.
RELATED: Do you have a big kid at home? You will love our activity cards for BIG KIDS!
Create Weekly Book Bins
Here is a great way to develop good reading habits at home and store books in the main living areas within a home.
These are called Book Bins.
Book bins are a collection of 5-10 books that each child has for the week to read during a designated time each day. For my first grader, I picked books he could begin reading himself. For my non-readers, I picked books for them to take picture walks. I talk with the boys about taking a peek and thinking about the illustrations.
Over time, you can allow your child to fill the book bins wit books they believe to be a good fit. The trick is that the same books are kept in the container for an entire week for lots of time to build momentum when reading and rereading.
- Establish a reading area and reading time.
- Share with your child that this is a book bin and will get filled with 5-10 books each week.
- Allow 10 minutes each day to read through the books inside the bin. Start day one with five minutes and slowly increase the time each day.
- You can also use this time to float from child to child listening to them read or engaging in the book through conversation.
- Model good reading habits before your children dive into independent reading.
Print, Share and Hang the Remote Learning Schedule
When children know what to expect, they feel more confident and invested in their learning.
Sharing the schedule before the first day can help everyone wrap their head around the new school day. It makes the day predictable and reassures children (and us parents) that there is a plan in place.
And guess what? You can straightforwardly share the schedule with your child like this:
- Print it out.
- Sit next to your child and share, “WE have your school schedule. Let’s take a look!”
- After looking it over together, write the schedule on chart paper, and hang at eye level.
Now you have something visual to help put the plan in place.