Seven Tips to Help Your Child Excel with Home Instruction

Practical hints to master distance learning from Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) and Parents for Charter Schools

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (April 7, 2020) – Two organizations with a history of leading Florida's charter school movement today released a list of "Seven Tips to Help Your Child Excel with Home Instruction."  The practical hints are designed to help children and their parents master distance learning during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) and Parents for Charter Schools produced the list to help counter current home instruction challenges faced by children, parents, teachers and school administrators.

The seven tips are:

  • Set a regular daily schedule to complete assigned work and study.
  • Dedicate a designated workspace for your child
  • Set a check-in time when family members will come together to share what they're doing.  At the end of the week, let students share something they learned.  They can perform a skit, read a personal essay or conduct a science experiment.
  • Create a schedule that's divided into 15 to 20 minute or 30 to 45 minute sessions, depending on your child's age.  Set specific goals to accomplish for each assigned task during each session.
  • Take a mental and physical break between sessions.  Movement will help refocus the student's efforts and improve concentration.
  • Turn off distractions, including television and smartphones, during learning times.
  • Keep a notebook, journal or electronic copy of your child's work, if possible.  Not only will it be valuable to you, but it can also help your child's teacher see how your child is progressing.

In addition to the seven helpful tips, the Florida Department of Education has compiled a list of resources to help parents and others ensure continuity as students transition from classroom to distance learning.  The resources can be found at http://www.fldoe.org/em-response/resources-families.stml

"With so much uncertainty in the world, it's important for students and their parents to easily find whatever assistance they may need," said FCPCS President Robert Haag.  "Our organizations, Parents for Charter Schools and FCPCS, want to do everything we can to be helpful to them."

Membership in Parents for Charter Schools is free.  Parents who sign up at https://flcpcs.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mcform&view=ngforms&id=2001227#/

will receive a weekly email newsletter with information and tips to help children get the most from their charter school education.

About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as an organization driving the charter school movement in Florida, the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state, with a membership of nearly 75 percent of all operating charter schools.  Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven.  FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools.