While many educators and parents place a high value on academic skills, they often overlook soft skills, such as comprehension, time management, and organisation. In today’s world, soft skills are vital for success when it comes to academics and a progressing career.
Soft skills enable students to manage time, follow instructions, prioritise tasks, set goals, and create action plans. Students can grasp the material taught in online classes, take notes to organise their thoughts, and submit coherent assignments on time. The results in better grades that accurately reflect their knowledge and give them the confidence needed to succeed in other areas of their lives.
According to neuroscience studies, too much clutter surrounding a person can cause their thoughts to feel overwhelmed, leading to panic attacks, distress, and anxiety. It can also impact optimal child development. Meanwhile, organised children are more confident, smarter, and happier.
But the flexibility of online schooling frees children from the constraints of physical classrooms. While it allows scheduling study time around family, work, or other commitments, all the conveniences leave children with too many options for where, when, and how to study.
But MA/MSc/PhD qualified teachers at online international schools like Cambridge Home School Online are trained to ensure each student gets personalised attention, so they stay on top of everything – academics, socialisation, extracurriculars, and overall well-rounded growth.
Recommended Read: Looking to the Future: How Cambridge Home School Online Equips Young Learners
The online British school accepts applications from children in many regions across the globe, including Europe, the UK, Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. Yet, the organisational and interpersonal skills of educators and other faculty help ensure a cohesive and inclusive environment for all.
The low student-teacher ratio per class means they can monitor each student’s progress and build a strong relationship with them to gain insights into their interests and learning capabilities to help them excel.
While online learning is a lot more convenient, the learning motivations and attention spans of students are declining fast. Focusing isn’t always easy, with so many distractions demanding attention. But with little effort and insightful organisation tips for online students, children of all ages can excel at an online school.
Tip #1- Find a Quiet and Effective Space for Attending Online Classes
The classroom is wherever the child has access to stable internet and a smart device when enrolled in an online school. Try finding a place that’s quiet and free from distraction so you can peacefully listen to the lecture, interact, and take notes either by hand or on the computer. You’ll also need an electric outlet to keep the device charged when logging into the online class.
While it can be tempting to create a comfortable space that helps you relax, it can make you lazy, especially if the space is associated with activities such as sleeping, eating, or watching TV. If the space is limited or you’re always on the move, store the materials in an easily transportable backpack.
Having access to everything you need in an organised manner will enable a smooth transition whenever it’s time to study. Although too much comfort isn’t recommended, the desk and chair must be ergonomic to maintain a good posture.
The space should be well-lit and clutter-free. Studies show that brighter rooms tend to increase motivation levels and uplift students of all ages. Soundproofing the area is also a great way to ensure no noise disturbs your focus during online classes or study hours.
Moreover, working in the same place each time will help you get into a routine. It will keep your mind organised and clear, allowing you to set boundaries that will help you maintain a work-life balance.
Recommended Read: How Cambridge Home School Online Works Towards Mental Health Support
Tip #2- Use Digital Tools to Your Advantage
Students today have access to various online resources designed to keep them productive and organised. Time trackers, physical filing systems, online calendars, digital post-it notes, and note-taking apps enrich the online student experience by keeping them motivated and on track.
Leverage all resources and customise the tools, use descriptive names for convenient identification, and increase productivity and efficiency. Top international schools like Cambridge Home School Online offer students access to tools such as supplemental instruction, career counselling, time management coaching, and a full-fledged eLibrary.
Students can access countless valuable resources, including previous catch-up lessons, past papers, videos, books, PowerPoint presentations, study guides, and other edutainment options that will support their unique goals and learning journeys.
Additionally, students enjoy a weekly lecture series, where a renowned personality delivers an empowering lecture each week to help students elevate their academic performance and learn about the career path they’re interested in.
At Cambridge Home School Online, we advocate the smart use of technology to enhance children’s learning abilities while supporting them in their journey of improving self-discipline and stirring the curiosity and motivation required for self-learning.
Tip #3- Schedule Time
Familiarise yourself with the class requirements, syllabus, and important due dates to avoid unpleasant surprises down the line. Organising the schedule and setting alerts will facilitate the studies and help you set aside time for other things in life.
It’s also a great way to figure out when you’re most productive. You can use the insights to optimise time and get more accomplished while balancing school with other responsibilities. Students who establish a routine are more likely to stay on top of their studies.
Recommended Read:10 Grade-Saving Habits Every Student Should Develop in 2023
Tip #4- Stick to the Plan
Setting goals helps give students of all ages a sense of direction. Students have to balance multiple responsibilities between learning and life, making a fail-proof framework for each week a key to setting yourself up for success.
Organising weekly and daily goals can help break up tasks into a more sustainable workflow. You can visualise the week and stay accountable. Many people find colour coding a great way to distinguish academic deadlines from others.
List-making tools like checkboxes, highlights, and time blocks can help prioritise obligations while staying on track. During class or revisions, bookmark important items so you won’t have to hunt them each time you need them.
You can find online sites with games and flashcards that can help you study. You must also ensure no notification pop-ups distract you during online classes. Many online tools are available to restrict time spent on distractions. If you find yourself checking Instagram every few minutes, use these apps to ensure optimised productivity rather than wasting time online.
Tip #5- Take Scheduled Breaks
Your study schedule must include breaks to be truly sustainable. Research reveals that breaks are essential to morale. Stepping away from the screen at regular intervals gives you a chance to move your body and relieve eye strain. It also helps improve concentration in the periods students are learning.
People around the world swear by the Pomodoro Technique developed in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. The time management method helps procrastinators, perfectionists, and students of all kinds stay organised.
It involves taking a five-minute break every twenty-five minutes. After a couple of hours, take a longer break. Tasks requiring longer periods of sustained concentration can be accelerated with longer planned breaks. Experts also encourage bringing healthy snacks to the room but avoid having full meals in the designated study space.
Regardless of how much rest time you factor into the schedule, breaks must include opportunities to move and stretch your body, drink water, and refocus your eyesight. The Journal of Behavioural Addiction highlights that scrolling smartphones or other devices doesn’t qualify as a mindful break. So it virtually defeats the purpose of taking breaks.
Recommended Read: Is Group Study a Good Idea for Online Students?
Tip #6- Create a Robust Support System
List down family or friends that will help you stay on track with online school. Discuss your commitments with them and make sure they understand time constraints and patterns. Cooperation and the help of those who live with you can make life easier for you when balancing house chores and other responsibilities with completing the coursework on time.
Feeling isolated can also take away the motivation to stay organised or keep up with online classes. In this scenario, reach out to your teachers or other students. You can organise combined study sessions and activities to help each other stay focused and accountable.
Study groups are an effective way to keep yourself on track. But don’t hesitate to ask for help from teachers at Cambridge Home School Online. With online learning, part of staying organised is being proactive and reaching out before you run into trouble.
If you feel shy, you can request a one-on-one session with the educators. They can help you sort out confusion or absorb the concept at your learning pace. However, the online British school emphasises a friendly class environment, providing equal opportunities for every student looking to flourish in a safe environment.
Teachers encourage each child to express themselves comfortably as they learn various helpful skills. The safeguarding systems are also devised empathically to provide emotional and educational freedom while accommodating the special needs of each child.
Activities and class environments are designed to promote teamwork and help them thrive without unhealthy competition, harassment, depression, anxiety, bullying, violence, or other behaviours that can hinder socialising or learning capabilities.
Now that you know many interesting organisation tips for online students, implement them to see the difference they make in your online schooling endeavours. The organised curriculum and teachers at online international schools like Cambridge Home School Online have helped students secure top grades in their prime IGCSE subjects.
Many students from the reputable online British school receive instant offers from some of the best universities worldwide. The names included top universities such as Berkeley, Princeton, Yale, Oxford, MIT, Cambridge, Harvard, and Columbia, among others.
The online British School helps students grow into compassionate, attentive, intelligent, skilled, and empathic students who excel not only at academics but also on extracurricular grounds. We take pride in the fact that all our students turn out to be well-rounded adults, fully prepared to excel in their academic, professional, and personal lives.
Join the club by submitting an application form at one of the best online British schools in the UK. The prestigious online Cambridge school offers classes starting from primary prep school all the way through to IGCSEs and Sixth Form, working with students across the globe.
The flawless TrustSpot score and positive reviews prove why we’re trusted by parents and students spread over many regions across the world. You can reach out to our representatives for more information before starting your journey toward a bright future awaiting you.
They’re available round the clock to walk you through the admissions process and important term dates. You can also send an email to receive prompt guidance about our curriculum, fee structure, and scholarships & bursaries.
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FAQ
What are the key soft skills necessary for academic and career success?
The essential soft skills for academic and career success include time management, organisation, comprehension, and the ability to prioritise and set goals, which enable students to absorb material effectively and submit assignments on time.
How does an organised environment impact a child’s development?
An organised environment is proven to contribute positively to a child’s development, leading to increased confidence, intelligence, and happiness while reducing feelings of overwhelm, distress, and anxiety.
What are the benefits of personalised attention in online schooling?
Personalised attention in online schooling helps students stay on track academically and with extracurriculars, fostering overall growth. Small class sizes ensure teachers can monitor each student’s progress and cater to their individual learning needs.
How can finding the right study space enhance online learning?
A quiet, well-lit, and clutter-free study space can increase motivation levels, improve focus during online classes, and help maintain a good posture, all of which are conducive to more effective learning and better academic performance.
Why is a support system important for online students?
A robust support system, comprising family, friends, and educators, is crucial for online students as it helps maintain organisation, accountability, and motivation, preventing feelings of isolation and aiding in timely completion of coursework.
