How to Stay Focused and Successful in Virtual High School

By Jada Lawrence

Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WLHS) has been providing world-class face-to-face instruction since 1903. While the coronavirus has caused disruption to some of the norms of the classroom environment, it has also provided an opportunity to expand our ability to reach learners who aren't able to be in the classroom. The article that follows is written by a student of WLHS who shares tips she has learned in her experiences as a virtual student.

Online learning is a new thing to many students that often comes with a lot of struggles. Those struggles may be internet problems, camera problems, audio problems, and more. Students may even struggle with focusing, since they are at home with many distractions. Here are some tips to help you stay focused in virtual school.
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1. Put yourself in a room with no distractions and have all your school materials laid out in front of you.
2. Set a schedule for your online school including frequent 5-10 minute breaks to look away from our screen and stretch your body.
3. Put other devices away, that aren’t school related, such as your phone, smart watch, tablet, etc.. ,
4. Have a little snack to help you stay focused, but make sure it's not a distraction.
5. Make sure your computer is fully charged. When your computer is on a low battery percentage it often works slower.
6. When you are not using it, make sure you sign out and shut down your computer.
7. To increase your internet speed, try powering on and off your Wifi box or move to a location in your house where the internet works successfully.
8. Clear your browser frequently and close tabs that aren’t necessary.
9. Update your computer several times a week to keep it running smoothly.
10. Keep good communication with your teacher, asking questions and clarifying instructions.
11. Contact the school's tech support with any other computer issues that disrupt your virtual learning!

Jada Lawrence, grade 9 student at Wisconsin Lutheran High School