In this new interactive learning world, it will be important for students to ensure that they are doing their utmost to develop successful habits and routines. For students who are used to studying in person, this is a major shift, so it is possible to make mistakes along the way.

I wanted to share the 10 greatest mistakes we've seen other teens make to help your teen prevent these traps, so you can make sure you avoid them.

During this move to online learning, here are the 10 biggest mistakes we have seen students making.

1. Not thinking of it as "Real School"

Several things may lead to schoolwork not feeling "real" right now, spending the entire day at home, getting very little (if any) face-to-face contact with instructors, little (or no) live classes or planned events, the weather being progressively warmer. All of this can make students feel more like they are on summer break rather than in the middle of a school semester.  

But now that we know this is not just a 2-week break and for the remainder of the semester it will be our "new normal," students need to find a way to change their attitude about online courses and bring the same amount of focus into their learning experience that they would if they attended school in person.

Students who don't take their online classes seriously could end up struggling to master the curriculum, disappointing their professors, slipping behind their peers, and negatively impacting their GPA, based on the policies of their school.
"It's just an online class," is the type of attitude most students have about an online course. The students work at their own speed and do not realize the significance of consistently working.

The tempo that the students set is typically a very frantic one. The consequence is nothing but the pressure of last-minute task pressure. Students either drop out immaturely as a result or certainly lose out on an assignment.

2. Missing Major and Important Updates

Teachers are publishing assignments and reminders more often than ever in this modern age of uncertainty, and often change strategies and due dates for work long after it has been allocated. So, students must be on the lookout for these improvements and regularly search for alerts to ensure that nothing important is missed. If your teen has not yet done so, urge them to build a list of places where their teachers may post data, such as email, Remind, their classroom websites, Skype/Zoom Meetings, Google Classroom, etc., and set a reminder to review each of these places at least once a day. 

Many of the notices teachers send, are also very lengthy and comprehensive, so it is also crucial for students to avoid the urge to skim and ensure that every letter, announcement, and email is read carefully as soon as it is posted to ensure that important material is not skipped or ignored. 

3. Not Raising Question During Class

A lot of youth fail to speak for themselves and are hesitant to give questions or complaints to teachers via email or letter. But now that students are unable to ask questions or get teacher clarification in person, they need to practice reaching out to their teachers even though it's not something that comes to them naturally. Getting into the practice of proactively asking questions about projects before they are due, letting teachers know whether they have trouble opening or uploading their work online, speaking up if they see a score posted that seems wrong, and so on will go a long way to ensuring students in their online classes have a more positive experience.

4. Get Distracted 

Although it looks promising to have the comfort of studying from everywhere, often students get overwhelmed because their study setting is not organized like a classroom. The location from which they might studying could be loud, distracting, etc., contributing to lower levels of focus and comprehension.

While one factor distracting the students may be the place of study, several other factors are still at play. For example, students frequently find that during an online class, the lack of an instructor in their space allows them the right to engage in disruptive activities. 

At times, students forget that the purpose of online tutoring is the same as studying in the classroom, i.e. developing their skills. As a result, they lightly take their online class and simulated subject matter professionally, not paying 100% attention.

5. Forgetting to Submit Things Online 

Now that students are not attending school in person, when they get to class, teachers are not able to prompt students to send in assignments. So, students are now much more responsible for making their own notifications about due dates and activities to be sent. Some students believe that due dates should not need to be written because they are all posted online now, but there is too much detail to keep track of something easy to forget.

If your teen has not already set up a scheduler, planner, to-do list, or reminder device to guarantee that items are submitted on time, now will be a great time to build one. 

And bear in mind that the framework they have for monitoring online classroom deadlines looks different from the one they used to attend classes in person. The aim is to find something in this modern immersive learning world that can work for them as easily as possible.

6. Not Resorting to Their Own Learning Style 

We all know that there is no style of learning which fits everyone. Every individual has his own learning style in this world. When they study individually, some people learn best, and some learn better in a group environment.

By simply listening to a lesson, some people learn more, and some people learn better with a bit of physical interaction. You don't get the social experience that a college might provide during an online course.

So, you should make sure that you are okay with the learning style that online tutoring provides before going for an online session with a tutor. If not, online tutoring allows you to find opportunities to practice in your own way.

7. Not Managing Their Time

For all online learners, controlling time is also critical. Since I have a very strong probability that the student will have domestic obligations, it makes time management much more important. There are occasions that these online classes can be taken for granted by students. But studying for a minimum of 10 to 15 hours a week is very necessary.

It is therefore very likely that, because the individual taking the course is likely to be working, he forgets the date of an assignment over an office project. So, one should make sure he still devotes ample time to the course.

8. Having No Dedicated Space

It can be Too enticing for students to stay in pajamas all day and focus on assignments in bed while they do school work at home! But learning and relaxing in the same areas makes things more challenging for their brain to understand what to focus on ("hmm, we're in bed... are we supposed to sleep, browse social media, or do schoolwork?") The research experiences of students may have a strong effect on their attitude and enthusiasm, so putting up a separate study room where they can concentrate on schoolwork can help students create a clearer downside.

9. Not Managing their Energy Level 

Students are used to worrying about how to control their time, but they are not quite as mindful about how their energy is handled. This is an essential difference now that they're working from home.

Typically, during the day, students switch classes and take a lunch break, giving them the ability to get up, walkabout, socialize with peers, and re-engage their minds. Students who work from home may not automatically have this practice integrated into the day, and can end up sitting for long stretches of time in front of computers, which will leave them feeling sluggish and tired.

It is, therefore, necessary for students attending online classes to find ways to keep their level of energy high during the day.

"This could include taking "brain rests" to get up and move their body after each task they complete, building healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, making time for consistent exercise, getting plenty of sleep, and taking time after "school" to engage in productive hobbies and fun activities that leave them feeling happy and satisfied rather than tired and drained at the end of the day.

10. Not Asking for Help 

Students have a tough time accepting that they need support, sometimes. This is also based on the false belief that doing stuff on their own would demonstrate that they are smarter or healthier than people reaching out for assistance.

But the fact is that it takes a lot of bravery to ask for advice and get the guidance, and displays a lot of moral intelligence than stubbornly struggling to tough things out on your own. And while they will never encounter a shutdown like this before, regularly, they may experience different learning experiences... if they take their first very difficult high school AP course, start their college freshmen year, start their first internship, or walk into their first full-time work.

Any time they step into a new area, they can fast-track their learning and adapt more rapidly and comfortably by reaching out for advice and feedback from others who can assist them with the change. So, now is a perfect time to motivate learners to get into the habit of finding guidance and assistance.

We know many students are struggling right now with the move to online tutoring, but it is achievable to continue to excel in online classes! And it will go a long way to help make that happen by preventing these errors.

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