How to Help Your Freshman Adjust to Taking Online Classes
Beyond adjusting to the new realities of living at home again, your freshman has to juggle taking all his college courses online. In-person classes moving online will be a big adjustment for your college freshman.
You may be tempted to treat your freshman similarly as you did while he took courses in high school. Consider that your freshman is no longer a high school student. The same tactics used to encourage good grades and homework completion will probably be ineffective.
How can you help your freshman? Below are four tips for helping your freshman adjust to taking his classes online due to COVID-19.
Let your freshman take ownership.
With your freshman taking his classes from home now, you will be tempted to check in more often about grades and homework. Your intentions are not to communicate control or to hover, but your freshman may read your actions as controlling and hovering.
Though much has changed due to the coronavirus, not much has changed when it comes to your freshman’s coursework. If you desire your freshman to be successful, allow him to take ownership of his grades. Parental pressure or extrinsic motivators may have worked some in high school, but your freshman needs to take ownership of his grades.
So what can you do? Encourage good choices. Take notice of good character. Support him when he is frustrated or needs a proofreader. Support him similarly to how you would if he was still away at college. (Your child still needs to advocate for himself, even though he is currently at home.)
Form a regular family schedule.
As much as possible, maintain some sense of normal. Life is far from normal, but that doesn’t mean you cannot form some sort of routine or schedule by which the family functions.
If your freshman’s siblings are a constant source of distraction, work to put them on a schedule that will make it easy for your freshman to work on classes. If your work schedule is flexible, work to establish quiet times during the day for you and your freshman to get work done.
In essence, make the home environment as conducive to college classes and homework as possible. This is not always possible, but do your best to make taking in-person classes online easier.
Allocate space for your freshman to do schoolwork.
Your freshman’s bedroom likely isn’t the best place for accomplishing coursework, even if he thinks it is. Just like the college dorm room rarely works as a study spot, your freshman’s room is equally (if not more) distracting.
Your freshman may resist the idea of doing coursework outside of his room. However, after attempting to watch lectures and do homework from his room for a few weeks, he may be open to some suggestions.
Try to allocate certain rooms or spaces in your home for your freshman. Make this space just for him if possible, so that he feels he can access and utilize this space any time day or night.
Be flexible about family time.
You may have grand plans to have regular game nights or movie nights. You may want to have regular meals together. Some of this may be possible, but likely not all of these ideas will be possible with a college student.
Communicate what family events you do expect him to take part in. Be careful to keep these expectations realistic, and do your best to give him forewarning of this event occurring.
Remember your freshman is used to having complete control over his schedule. Even though he’s living at home again, his schedule is significant too. You both may have to do some give and take.
Even if you and your freshman plan for success, this adjustment will be an adjustment. Do expect some bumps in the road, but do your best to make those bumps as minor as possible.
