Virtual Learning Help

[niccig]

If you get an Amazon Dot for both his room and your room you can use them as an intercom and "drop in" in to his room from your Dot and tell him that class is starting or "make an announcement" that will be broadcast into his room. You can also set repeating alarms and reminders through the app on your phone to go off on the Dot in his room.

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I forgot you can do this. Definitely could help to automate the reminders.

DH, DS and I text each throughout the day. DS and I are on zoom most of the day, so it’s less disruptive to text each other and wait for a break to respond


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[Liziz]

Others have suggested great ideas for the timers/not missing class part. Since you mentioned he's struggling in general, I'll throw out what really helped my DD last spring. My DD was only in 2nd grade so I realize this might not help at all for your DS, but just in case it does --

I found that DD really struggled with the format her assignments were being given in. I spent a few minutes each morning making her a checklist style "to-do" list that was at a pretty fine granularity. So if the task was "read this story, answer the questions on page 41, then submit a picture of your answers on Seesaw", it would be three separate check list items on her list.

It was definitely extra work for me, but it was really helpful and worth it for her. For an older child, I can actually envision working with the child to teach them how to make their own check list....

[PunkyBoo]

Others have suggested great ideas for the timers/not missing class part. Since you mentioned he's struggling in general, I'll throw out what really helped my DD last spring. My DD was only in 2nd grade so I realize this might not help at all for your DS, but just in case it does --

I found that DD really struggled with the format her assignments were being given in. I spent a few minutes each morning making her a checklist style "to-do" list that was at a pretty fine granularity. So if the task was "read this story, answer the questions on page 41, then submit a picture of your answers on Seesaw", it would be three separate check list items on her list.

It was definitely extra work for me, but it was really helpful and worth it for her. For an older child, I can actually envision working with the child to teach them how to make their own check list....

I do something similar for my DS2 who has ADHD and just struggled painfully with the format of the schedules and assignments he's given. So each morning before he gets up, I write his assignments in post it notes that are color coded by subject, including his chores for each day and reminders for exercise/gross motor activities. I put them all on the to half of a poster, and at the middle is a line that says when all the post it's are moved down below the line, THEN he can play video games. It really helps him to have each item broken out into small chunks and he can choose which to do when.

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[gatorsmom]

I didn’t read all the pp so maybe this was mentioned. Does he have a wrist watch? You could get him even a cheap one and set a morning alarm for him. I’d do that in addition to other bedroom alarms.

Otherwise, is there any way you or Dh can open his door A half hour before class and say, “hey, get up!” And then have a written out list of what he needs to have done before class starts. Or maybe a chart where he gets a star for days without incident and at after 21 or 31 stars he gets a really big LEGO set or nerf gun, etc. Those kinds of charts worked REALLY well with my kids.

[KpbS]

I would print out a daily schedule for each weekday showing class times and other built in study/work times per subject. Then I would set reminders on his phone (if he has one) that sound 7 minutes before each class starts.

[KpbS]

I do something similar for my DS2 who has ADHD and just struggled painfully with the format of the schedules and assignments he's given. So each morning before he gets up, I write his assignments in post it notes that are color coded by subject, including his chores for each day and reminders for exercise/gross motor activities. I put them all on the to half of a poster, and at the middle is a line that says when all the post it's are moved down below the line, THEN he can play video games. It really helps him to have each item broken out into small chunks and he can choose which to do when.

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Yes, this 100%! I made daily to-do lists with my kids so they can refer to them to see what needs to be scheduled and done when.

[Myira]

What about setting reminders on Alexa 10 mins before each class starts? This in addition to putting up his schedule where he cannot miss it.
I think PP have good suggestions on incentives for him. Maybe a quick 5 min downtime(hopefully you have some wiggle room between classes) to do his favorite activity/game to recharge if that helps.


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[Myira]

If you get an Amazon Dot for both his room and your room you can use them as an intercom and "drop in" in to his room from your Dot and tell him that class is starting or "make an announcement" that will be broadcast into his room. You can also set repeating alarms and reminders through the app on your phone to go off on the Dot in his room.

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Oh you already suggested the exact thing I thought of! I have reminders set for the kids to drink water throughout the day and for DD to wear her Invisalign!

I feel you OP, my 9 year old DS is a time police so attending classes on time happens. But completing assignments on time is a whole different story. We had to be on his back for an assignment that originally was due last week but luckily the teacher extended the due date and yet he was dragging his feet on it.


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[lizzywednesday]

....

It was definitely extra work for me, but it was really helpful and worth it for her. For an older child, I can actually envision working with the child to teach them how to make their own check list....

I love checklists, and if a child has ADHD, they really do need that extra breakdown. DD's teachers have helped by breaking assignments up into smaller bits & pieces, and I use a similar strategy for both asking her to assist with basic care and household things, as well as tasks I need to complete myself. (For reference, see my annual pre-holiday houseclean threads.)

[carolinamama]

DS2 is 11, not organized and hates school. He's also 100% virtual right now. Some of this may be specific for his set-up but maybe it will work. We use a combo of written schedules/reminders and electronic. I hung a 3x2 white board on his wall with a basic schedule. For the next day, each evening I write the date and "day" of his 6 day rotation. He also has a printed copy of his schedule pinned to the bulletin board above his desk. The teachers put all live meetings on the kids' Google calendars so we have gone through and set up popup reminders for these meets 5 minutes before they begin. I don't allow him to have his phone during school hours but if you do, you could use it for alarms. As of now, DS2 isn't allowed to submit assignments without me checking them first. Virtual learning is hard and most kids will have trouble with at least one of it's aspects.