Depending on where you are, down to the very county, you may or may not know when your kids are headed back to school in person. Some districts are starting the school year remotely, others have said they’ll be in person, and even more have yet to make a decision at all. Regardless of what your school district has decided, these are unprecedented times and no one can predict the future — even if it is just a month or less away! If you’re looking to start the school year on the right foot — you’ll want to be sure your home is prepared for remote schooling should that become your family's reality. Here are some easy home improvement tips to make sure your student has the best possible learning environment.
Distraction-Free
A distraction-free area will give your student the best opportunity to soak up as much information as possible. If your student has their own bedroom, setting up a desk and specific area within their bedroom can be a great option. However, be mindful if your student has a lot of distractions in their room, such as a TV, game console, or other potential distractions.
If your student shares a bedroom with a sibling or has lots of distractions in their room, it can be a good idea to set aside another area in your home for your student. Older students might be able to share a corner of their parents’ office, but younger students (and their parents) might fare better with their own area. A kitchen island, dining room, or converted playroom (sans toys) can make for great spaces to provide lots of focus.
A Quiet Area to Work
Even if you are able to find a relatively distraction-free area for your student, chances are, they could still be distracted by infiltrating noises. Whether sounds come from other areas of the house or from the outdoors, cutting down on unintended and distracting noise will help your student focus. If you’re considering window replacement and this noise reduction is also a top priority for you, investigate noise reducing windows, such as our Lifestyle Series windows, which just received the Quiet Mark Award.
Lots of Natural Light
Students not going back to school in person might mean fewer reasons to get out of the house, see their friends, and play outside. To help mitigate this, in addition to making sure they have play breaks, make sure their work area has lots of natural light. Natural light is a great way to boost your mood and give your students a more positive outlook, even during different and trying times. Setting up your students’ study or school area near your patio door or a large window will make sure they get plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
A Sturdy Surface
While it can seem nice to let your student (especially the older ones) set up on the couch in front of the TV with their computers propped on their lap, this can be extremely distracting. Even if your TV isn’t on, making sure your student is in an upright position and has a solid surface to set their laptop on will improve their focus and productivity.
Plugged In and Ready to Go!
Set up your students’ study area with easy access to as many plugs as they need to charge all of their tech tools for long days on Zoom classes or lectures. Extension cords and surge protectors will make sure your student can be in Zoom classes all day long if needed. Another good tip is to be sure your student has their laptop, iPad, or other accessories charging in the evening, even when they’re not in use.
While we’re all hoping our students will be able to get back to some semblance of normalcy this school year, being prepared for the alternative will make sure they’re still able to learn in a conducive environment. And even if your student does end up being able to go back to school in person, your home will be perfectly set up for homework in the evening as well.