Establishing Routines at Home

Every teacher knows that great classroom management is prerequisite to students learning. We know the pandemic has created a dynamic at home that parents had little time to prepare for, so we want to help you build routines and structure into your schedule to make the transition smoother. Here are some tips and resources:

• Children respond well to consistency, and it’s important for both their mental health and their productivity, especially during uncertain events. If your child is struggling with focus, motivation, or emotions, try collaborating with them to create a daily routine that includes some of these elements:
  • Time for learning activities (reading, math, science, social studies)
  • Time for independent reading practice
  • A fun and/or creative/artistic activity
  • Time to exercise or do a physical activity
  • Time to do some work that contributes to the welfare of the household (e.g. chores)
  • Calm/personal time
• Stick to the schedule as much as possible, and try to give your child early notice when there will be a change. There are some helpful tips and sample schedules in this article.
• Consider building an incentive into your schedule (e.g. game time; FaceTime with grandparents or friends) that your student can earn by staying on task throughout the day. Make the goal attainable by giving your child a defined number of opportunities for redirection throughout the day before losing this incentive. Be consistent once these limits are established.
• Start the day with something routine and familiar, such as the WDTS Morning News Show (we will do our best to publish a new episode by 8:45 every morning!).
• Participate in online activities like our Virtual Spirit Week to stay engaged with the community, even while we are social-distancing. Use communication technology to check in daily with close friends.