Sydney Schools Are Moving To Online Learning Next Week

Following the announcement of continued restrictions in Greater Sydney, parents are preparing their children for online learning next week.

Schools in Greater Sydney are set to move to online learning for the commencement of Term 3 after the Premier announced an extension of the current stay-at-home order in place for the area.

The announcement comes after a number of new infections were identified, many of which were active in the community while infectious. It brings new concern for parents and teachers, who must now face the realities of educating children at home. So how can you prepare your kids for what’s to come? We’ve put together some simple tips to get the most out of online learning.

Keep A Routine

A routine is key to the success of any school day, so trying your best to replicate a similar routine for your kids at home will make your life easier! If you are also working from home, creating a day plan each evening and putting a clock somewhere visible will mean that older kids are able to self-direct their learning more easily throughout the day without the need for constant guidance.

For younger kids, printing out cute visual cues for activities and breaks and putting them on the fridge in order each day will mimic the kind of instructions they are familiar with from school and help them feel more settled.

Don’t Overdo It

Putting in a six-hour school day is just unrealistic for both parents and kids, even at high school level. Unless your child is about to sit their HSC, condensing their daily task list will avoid them losing interest and ensure they are engaged for their dedicated learning time.

Most schools that are using Zoom and other platforms to deliver instructions will also usually present a shorter school day (we really feel for teachers at the moment!) so you can set aside two focused blocks in the morning and encourage active play and exercise in the afternoon.

Prioritise Quiet Time

In a normal school day, there is often time set aside for quiet reading, study, and even meditation. These are super important in helping you manage the shift to online learning as they lock in some downtime for parents and kids, and reduce the stress of operating a makeshift classroom at home.

Pop on a couple of short yoga videos (we LOVE the Cosmic Kids Yoga ones!) or some relaxing music and encourage your kids to take time to independently decompress. It will give you just about enough time to make a cuppa and eat something too!

Be Kind

Tensions will be at an all time high during the online school experience, especially with the challenges of technology, space, and everyone being at home all at the same time (how often does that happen!). Remember to be kind to one another, have patience, and build in some fun family time at the end of each day to reward yourselves for getting through!

Board games and movies are classic but simple ways to take the pressure off, have a laugh, and remind the whole family that this, too, shall pass!

How are you feeling about returning to online learning? Are you from another state that has done it and have tips to share? Let us know in the comments!

27 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 06 May 2024
    8:07 pm
Im so glad i didnt have to deal with this

- - ashna9 said
  - 13 Sep 2021
    6:04 pm
And still going this many weeks/months later 🙁

- - mom322089 said
  - 28 Jul 2021
    10:59 am
Having some active break times like doing ‘go noodle’ or shooting hooping in the yard or make up little circuits has been important.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 22 Jul 2021
    2:37 pm
I certainly do not envy any parent having to juggle work, homelife and online learning on top of everything else.

- - mom133944 said
  - 18 Jul 2021
    5:32 pm
Good luck everyone out there homeschooling! Be kind to yourself, you’re doing the best that you can!

- - tessie said
  - 12 Jul 2021
    2:46 pm
I feel sorry for everyone going through this again. From the children to the parents and the teachers it is going to be a difficult time but I’m sure you can all persevere. Just remember to be kind to yourselves.

- - mom160421 said
  - 09 Jul 2021
    12:11 pm
I feel sorry for everyone going through this. It must be so tough for everyone.

- - Ellen said
  - 09 Jul 2021
    4:59 am
So hard and kind of depressing this is still going on

- - mom93821 said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    6:05 pm
Good luck to everyone and be kind to yourselves.
- mom93821 replied
  
  10 Jul 2021 , 7:42 am
  I hope people reach out for supports at this time.
- - Umbrellas2760 said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    1:43 pm
I am so lucky my children are all grown up now and there schooling is all done. Dont think I could cope now

- - HelenP5 said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    11:41 am
I was a stay at home mum for 12 years, so I know having little ones at home 24/7 can be a little taxing and to add work from home to that would be a struggle. But I have to admit that my teenage daughter seem to be more productive learning from home than she ever has been at school. My cousins were home schooled and they have achieved so much more than those of us that attended mainstream schooling. Although it can be a struggle or an inconvenience to us, I think most children could benefit from a self-passed, one on one learning environment!?

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    11:03 am
So glad I’ve managed to escape all of this so far, even when Tassie did have lockdowns it wasn’t as hardcore and if you still worked you were able to still send your kids to reduced capacity classrooms.

- - Danicastefanie said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    6:10 am
Will this be the new normal eventually? It makes me wonder if we will mostly be home-schooling by the time my baby is old enough for school

- - mom467577 said
  - 08 Jul 2021
    5:56 am
From my work with kids in schools a lot of kids excel with online learning, away from distractions in the classroom, however, there will always be the minority who need extra 1:1 support that only a teacher can provide, and if a parent is working while the child is learning then they won’t get that support and will fall further behind.

- - Frankiielot said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    11:30 pm
I don’t have kids school age yet but I think it would definitely be hard to juggle working from home as well as trying to home school them.
I guess it depends on your employer and how flexible they are in regards to time away from your computer etc.
Hopefully they are understanding towards the whole situation and are also in the same boat so that they don’t crack down too hard on their employees during this time.

- - mom265671 said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    11:28 pm
Good luck to them. Us Melbournians have done it tough with the learning side of things but it gets better
- Krusty replied
  
  08 Jul 2021 , 6:30 am
  This is not NSW first time to have their school children home, they were home a good chunk of last year!
- - BellaB said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    11:28 pm
This is hard for everyone, but they don’t have a lot of good options.

- - Mrs.twinmama said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    9:10 pm
Good luck to the Sydney families and children, it isn’t easy but you can do it (I’m from Melbourne so I get it).
- Krusty replied
  
  08 Jul 2021 , 6:32 am
  Again we have already done this!
- - Grace said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    8:18 pm
Goodness, I don’t have school aged children yet. 2 years and a 6 month old. But I feel for you school aged kid mummas. Good luck!

- - mom478886 said
  - 07 Jul 2021
    6:57 pm
And prioritise your own mental health right now too. The kids are all in the same boat, this week won’t make or break their learning. Do your best. If they watch too much tv and have frozen party pies for lunch everyday so you can get your job done too that’s ok!!
- mom468034 replied
  
  08 Jul 2021 , 9:49 am
  Well said!