“How are we going to do this?”
That is what many students must have thought when schools closed.
Through experience, however, home-schoolers have always known how to distance
learn.
Students who have a home-schooling background are prepared for
the ups and downs of virtual education. They have developed self-discipline and
can transition more easily to digital learning than those used to a school-imposed
structure each day. Home-schoolers know that whatever arises, they can adapt
and follow a plan, whether it be in their own home or a classroom.
“I must confess that this is not how I expected my junior year to
end,” said Nosca Dietrich, a student at St. Michael the Archangel High School
in Fredericksburg. “But for me, distance learning is no different from being
home-schooled. Home schooling prepared me for this situation. It taught me
skills that I would never have learned without home-schooling experience. It
also taught me to embrace changes and what is expected of me through these
changes.”
Students who have not been home-schooled should consider a few
helpful tips from someone who is more comfortable with this situation. First,
focus and eliminate distractions. Find a quiet place where there are no
interruptions or temptations from electronic devices. Perhaps you are a student
who tends to procrastinate and not get things done. It takes discipline to
overcome this. You may tell yourself you will do it later, and then end up
leaving it for a longer period of time than you planned. If there are times
when you do have to leave your work, come back to it as soon as you can and
finish it. Your work will just keep piling up, so be diligent.
Do you have trouble managing all the work and assignments? If you
have a large workload and it gets overwhelming, use a journal or a notebook and
write down your assignments and deadlines. You then have it all laid out on one
paper, rather than crowding around your head or in different places. Work on
the assignment with the nearest due date or the one that you know you'll get
done fastest. If you know that you're going out for a long period of time,
double check your work. If you are done early, go ahead and send and cross it
off your list.
Don’t underestimate organization and neatness. If the space
you're working on is messy, you're not ready to work. Label and stack textbooks
in an orderly pile or on a shelf dedicated to schooling. Writing utensils
should be easily accessible in a pouch or box, and binders also labeled and
stacked on their own shelf. Put everything within arm's reach where it is ready
for use.
After the pandemic passes, nearly all students will have gained
experience with home schooling. Of course, parents are always the first
teachers and instruct their children their whole lives in the ways of the
faith. Ultimately, if distance learning does nothing else, it will help
students understand more about themselves, their parents, and the importance of
being flexible and continuing to work hard no matter what life throws at you.