Devereux Center for Effective Schools releases online training series to help parents support remote instruction

With schools across the U.S. shifting to online learning during COVID-19, the Devereux Center for Effective Schools recently released a series of 10 online training modules to help parents engage children in remote instruction.

The free training series – “Parents’ Guide to Virtual Instruction: How to Support Your Child” – offers evidence-based strategies to help parents successfully manage the online learning process from home.

“This series teaches parents how to increase engagement and prevent problem behaviors,” said Devereux Center for Effective Schools Director Barry McCurdy, Ph.D., NCSP, BCBA-D. “Parents are not expected to be teachers, but they do play a critical role in managing an effective at-home classroom environment, and in partnering with their child’s teachers to help students embrace this new way of learning.”

About the parent training modules …

The training modules in this series address the following topics:

An introduction to virtual instruction
Attending to, and ignoring, children’s behavior
Setting rules and expectations
Developing agendas and establishing routines
Delivering effective requests

Conducting effective transitions
Establishing consequences to correct problem behaviors
Incorporating problem-solving into your routine
Communicating with your child’s school

Each module takes between 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and several modules are supplemented with example materials and handouts. Note: CES is offering the introductory module for free. View instructions on how to access this module.

“Whether students are learning in a fully remote or hybrid environment, which combines in-person instruction with online learning, parents are faced with the challenge of creating and maintaining effective educational settings within their homes,” explained Devereux Center for Effective Schools Consulting and Research Psychologist Rachel Eisenberg, Ph.D., NCSP, who helped develop the online training series. “The modules are designed to be stand-alone sessions, and can be viewed in any order, allowing parents the opportunity to pick and choose which ones to access based on their needs. Our goal is to provide families with the tools and resources they need to create positive and supportive home-based learning environments that facilitate student success.”

Supporting teachers, school staff

In addition to the training series for parents, CES also released two online training series for teachers and other school staff. Look below for details.

“Teachers’ Guide to Engaging Students in Remote Instruction” (11 modules): The training modules in this series address topics, including engaging students in remote instruction; motivating students to participate in remote instruction; and leading virtual community meetings to build relationships with students. View instructions on how to access the free introductory module.
“Calm Cat Relaxation Skills Training” (10 modules): This training program is designed to help teachers, counselors, social workers, psychologists and other school staff teach relaxation skills, such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation to elementary school students with, or at risk for developing, emotional disorders, such as stress and anxiety. View instructions on how to access the free introductory module.

Learn more about the Devereux Center for Effective Schools’ new online training modules, and learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

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