The Role of Parents in K-12 Online Learning 

Parents play a critical role in supporting students in K-12 online education. This role includes organizational support, educational assistance, and emotional guidance. We’ll look at  these roles and how they affect students’ education. We’ll also cover steps for parents if they struggle with a specific role.

K-12 online education is schooling from kindergarten through 12th grade delivered online. Students learn via digital platforms with teacher and parents guidance. Parents create a supportive environment for students and implement strategies to ensure their success in K-12 online learning.

Parents as Organizers in K-12 Online Learning

As organizers, parents set up a learning space and provide technological support.

Parents create a productive space for online education. This space should be quiet and equipped with school supplies. The supplies include a laptop, writing materials, and personal touches. Personal touches make the space inviting, but avoid clutter to prevent distractions from learning.

Parents purchase devices to support online learning. These devices include, but are not limited to, a laptop, router, printer, webcam, and VR goggles. Parents keep software updated and teach students why it’s important. They also help students troubleshoot issues. These issues may include setting up internet connections, resolving software glitches, and configuring new devices. Parents bring in experts or use their own knowledge to address these issues.

Parents as Educators in K-12 Online Learning

As educators, parents guide students in developing skills like time management and problem-solving.

They help students master time management through techniques:

• Planner. Organize tasks with a planner
• Prioritization. Focus on important tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix
• Pomodoro Technique. Work in 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks
• SMART Goals. Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals

Parents help students master problem-solving skills through tools and strategies:

• 5 Why’s Analysis. Drills down to the root cause by asking “why” five times
• Brainstorming. Generates a wide range of ideas
• Root Cause Analysis. Identifies the underlying cause of a problem
• SWOT Analysis. Identifies Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)

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Parents as Emotional Anchors in K-12 Online Learning

As emotional anchors, parents provide emotional support to students and teach them empathy.

The study “Parental Engagement in Online Learning Environments: A Review of the Literature” by Mark Stevens and Jered Borup reviews existing research on parental involvement in online education. The authors emphasize parental support as crucial for addressing student attrition and achievement in online settings. 

Parents guide students to manage stress and anxiety common in online learning. Stress and anxiety may include worries about grades, feeling disconnected, and struggles with using online platforms and tools. Techniques to help parents support students in managing these issues include three actions:

• Address the student’s concerns and validate their feelings
• Promote breaks to avoid burnout and maintain mental health
• Practice mindfulness or breathing techniques to reduce stress. Deep breathing is an example of such techniques. Deep breathing involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, and exhaling for 4 seconds

Parents also play a crucial role in teaching students empathy. They use these strategies:

• Demonstrate understanding and compassion in interactions with others
• Talk openly about emotions and the impact of actions on others
• Ask students to consider how others might feel in certain situations
• Encourage acts of kindness, such as helping a friend

Why is Parental Involvement Key in Online Learning?

Parental involvement is important. The role of parents is clearly highlighted in “The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents” by Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. The authors stress parental involvement is key to keeping students motivated. Active parental participation can improve students’ academic success by 20-30% in a less structured environment. 

Parents provide support and mitigate the drawbacks of online learning. These drawbacks include lack of social interaction and limited teacher-student interaction. Parents provide support covering these issues.

Tips for Parents in K-12 Online Learning

Parents play a crucial role in their child’s success in K-12 online learning. Here are seven key tips to help parents manage their role:

1. Ensure reliable internet and familiarity with tools
2. Designate a quiet, organized area for study
3. Establish a consistent routine
4. Check regularly your child’s progress
5. Help your child prioritize tasks
6. Facilitate peer connections
7. Maintain a positive and supportive attitude

What should a parent do if struggling in a specific role?

Parents may struggle with areas like organizational support, educational assistance, or emotional guidance in K-12 online learning. Spot the issue early to avoid affecting the student’s education. Here’s what to do based on the problem:

• Contact the teacher or hire a tutor if academic help is tough
• Seek help from a specialist if setting up the learning environment or managing tech is hard
• Consult a psychologist if emotional support is challenging

Take action to stay engaged and support students. Legacy Online School has certified, skilled teachers from diverse cultural backgrounds. These teachers help with any issues.

Conclusion

Parental support is key to student success in K-12 online education. Parents must understand their roles as organizers, educators, and emotional anchors. As organizers, they provide the learning environment. As educators, they help solve educational challenges. As emotional anchors, they offer moral support. Parents should address issues promptly if something isn’t working to stay reliable for students.