SAN ANTONIO — Right now many parents are struggling to navigate the start of the school year in San Antonio. But there is one online education system teaching parents ways they can help their children succeed even with these drastic changes.
School has changed for most kids, with so many going virtual. But there are ways children can succeed even with this new normal. One way to adjust is to try to replicate the features of a normal school day. Brian Galvin, the Chief Academic Officer for Varsity Tutors added, "Even simple things like having the family take the dog for a walk in the morning so the kids get that fresh air and that ability to ease into the day a little bit. Recess breaks particularly with fresh air involved are really helpful in sort of replicating."
Try testing out different home setups. Galvin said, "Upfront in August and September a little bit of trial and error of what kind of mix of just moving kids around and not letting them get stale or sedentary is a good way to think about that."
Third, look into replacing lost extracurricular activities. Galvin told us, "One of the things we've done at Varsity Tutors is set up a whole series of free live online all virtual field trips that are basically classes led by celebrities."
Then there's the battle against the "COVID SLIDE" by finding ways to keep skills in check with extra time off from lack of school in the spring. Galvin added, "The number one cause of it is that use it or lose it. If kids aren't reading then they are going to lose some of their reading skills. If they are not doing math problems then they'll lose some of their math proficiency."
Last, try the concept of learning pods or virtual learning pods to help kids learn in small groups. Galvin said, "Small groups of families getting their kids together either for in person learning with a tutor or for just doing remote learning together so they sort of have that socialization."
To find out more about Varsity Tutors and some of the free programs they offer click here: VarsityTutors.com.
