One of the biggest questions during the COVID-19 crisis is whether or not schools should reopen. It’s challenging to keep up with school closures on a nationwide basis since there are a variety of them in use:
- State-ordered closure
- State-ordered regional closure
- Varies by school/district
- Hybrid or remote instruction only
- State-ordered in-person instruction
Whatever the current situation, if you’ve decided to home school your child or are forced to, it’s time to dedicate a space within the home for studying.
It’s not as challenging as it sounds
Most students will spend much of their “school” time in front of a computer. Thankfully, laptops are small enough to set up just about anywhere.
Start with a work surface
It doesn’t matter if the work surface is the kitchen or dining room table or a coffee table, as long as it’s large enough to allow your child room for a computer and for paperwork and books.
If using one of the aforementioned surfaces, however, your student will have to clean up after each session. If at all possible, try to find an area for a desk that is roomy enough to hold everything and when the study session is over, he or she can leave it as-is and return the next day knowing where everything is.
Finally, design experts recommend that you place the desk so it isn’t facing a window or any other distracting feature.
A comfy chair will help keep your student working
It’s a wonder that kids learn anything in school with their hineys stuck to that hard piece of wood that serves as seating in a traditional classroom.
Go bigger than our schools and choose a comfy chair. Ensure that the chair has an adjustable height mechanism or that it is the right height for your child to work comfortably and not have to raise or lower his or her head to view the computer monitor.
You may want to add additional seating such as “… bean bags … so your child has the freedom to move about as they study,” suggests Julia Reis at FamilyEducation.com.
Lighten up the area
An overhead light isn’t enough for a child who is doing a lot of reading and screen time.
Although natural light is best (and the more the better), task lighting, such as pendant lights or table lamps, not only help prevent eye strain but help keep “… your child alert and focused,” Deborah Gilboa, MD, tells Jennifer Kelly Geddes at ThisOldHouse.com.
You have so many options when setting up a work space for your children, whether elementary school-aged or high school students. Get some inspiration online at:
Have fun with your project!
