5 Skills Learning from Home Taught Us
April 14, 2021
Over the past year, 2020, more and more students transitioned from physical learning to online learning and back to physical learning. At Abbotts College, our students, parents, and teachers learned many lessons that can be applied throughout everyday life.
1. Self-discipline
Although it’s always important to practice self-discipline, online learning during the pandemic pushed the boundaries of self-discipline. Developing a routine and sticking to it was a struggle for many students. The past year taught us that self-discipline can be very difficult, but it also has the potential to have a positive impact on your life and ensure you reap the rewards. Some students from our Class of 2020 quoted discipline as one of the biggest keys to their success during the 2020 academic year.
2. Time Management
Time management isn’t just about having too little time on your hands; it’s also about sometimes having too much time, feeling overwhelmed, or procrastinating. Throughout 2020, our students had to learn how manage their time wisely and make sure that they complete their classwork, homework and School-based Assessments on time.
Through developing time management skills, our students were able to prioritise and manage their time wisely. The non-traditional approach to learning at Abbotts College is geared towards empowering our students to take control of their lives, be future-focussed and manage their time wisely.
3. Staying Motivated
Staying motivated is generally a difficult task for most individuals and the pandemic pushed the limitations of motivation. Students across the world had to find new ways to become and stay motivated throughout the pandemic and Abbotts College students were no different. Some students used techniques such as meditating, goal setting and rewarding themselves to stay motivated throughout the year.
4. Organisation Skills
Organisational skills were as important as ever in 2020. Our students and teachers had to learn how to turn dining room tables into classrooms and back into dining room tables every day. Having the ability to organise your space to help you work optimally was important.
Even more important was to become mentally organise: being able to compartmentalise your brain and look at the table in your bedroom as a classroom desk every day was taxing but it also taught us how to mentally organise our spaces.
5. Emotional Wellbeing
Last but certainly not least, we learned how to take care of our emotional wellbeing. Although most of our students, parents, and teachers were not physically ill, the risk of mental fatigue (or COVID-fatigue) and even depression was very real. Throughout the 2020 academic year, we stressed the importance of actively understanding emotions and learning how to manifest positive mental states.
2020 brought a lot of challenges with it, but it did allow us to practice self-improvement and learn many lessons along the way.
Our non-traditional approach to learning fosters life skills and enables our students to achieve everything they set out to. For more on us and our schools, please click here - Our Schools
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As the preliminary and final examinations approach, both students and parents or guardians often experience heightened anxiety and stress. This guide provides practical strategies to help parents and guardians support their children through this critical phase of their academic journey. 1. Foster Effective Organization Create an environment conducive to studying by providing a quiet, well-lit study space equipped with essential stationery. Collaborate with your child to develop a structured study timetable to set clear expectations and promote disciplined preparation. Encourage the use of resources such as past question papers, which serve as valuable tools for revision and practice. 2. Maintain Daily Check-Ins Schedule regular, intentional conversations, such as during dinner, to discuss your child’s progress. Inquire about their experience with the day’s examination paper, adherence to their study schedule, and their feelings about upcoming tests. These check-ins foster open communication and allow you to gauge their emotional and academic state. 3. Minimize Distractions Help your child stay focused by keeping electronic devices like phones, tablets, and gaming consoles out of reach during study sessions. Set boundaries on screen time and social media access to prevent procrastination. While challenging, limiting Wi-Fi access during study hours can significantly enhance productivity. 4. Support Emotional Awareness Encourage your child to identify and articulate their emotions, such as anxiety, stress, or fatigue . Recognizing these feelings is the first step toward addressing them effectively. Discuss coping strategies to help them navigate emotional challenges during this period. 5. Teach Self-Regulation Techniques Guide your child in practicing self-regulation to manage stress. Techniques include: Breathing Exercises : Inhale deeply for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and repeat. Sensory Focus : Identify five things they can see or hear to ground themselves in the moment. Tactile Stimulation : Hold a cold object to shift focus and reduce anxiety. These methods can help your child regain calm and focus during stressful moments. 6. Promote a Balanced Routine Prolonged study sessions late into the night can lead to burnout. Monitor your child’s study habits and encourage breaks to maintain balance. Plan activities such as outings with friends, a family meal, or short recreational periods with access to devices. Engaging in non-academic activities, like helping prepare dinner, can provide a refreshing change of focus. 7. Prioritize Self-Care Support your child’s well-being by ensuring they: Eat nutritious, regular meals. Get at least eight hours of sleep by limiting screen time before bed. Engage in physical activities such as walking, jogging, yoga, dancing, or gym workouts. These practices help alleviate stress and anxiety, which are common during examination periods. 8. Practice Empathy and Patience The examination period can be emotionally taxing for both students and parents. Approach your child with empathy, actively listening and offering guidance without criticism. This fosters a supportive environment, bolstering their mental health and sense of inclusion. By implementing these strategies, parents and guardians can play a pivotal role in helping their children navigate the challenges of examinations with confidence and resilience. Good luck to all the Grade 12 students with the upcoming examinations - you most certainly can do it!
