4 Tips for Moms Pursuing an Online Education
In the past, a working or stay-at-home mom who wanted to go back to school faced a dilemma. Going back to school meant abandoning her duties at home or at work while giving up on her education meant abandoning her dreams. Fortunately, this is no longer the case.
Today, we have online programs that are not only flexible and convenient but also affordable and attainable even for busy moms. For this reason, over half of all online students now are female, according to US News. So if you are a mom who wishes to go back to school, here are tips for moms pursuing an online education.
1. Do Not Take on Too Much Too Soon
So, you have decided to pursue a master of education in adult and continuing education from Rutgers Online. What next? Well, after enrolling for your program, your first instinct will be to sign up for every class. This is a rookie mistake. If you make it, school work will overwhelm you.
A better approach is to sign up only for entry level courses in the first semester. This gives you time to get a feel for the program. Once you know what your course entails, you can add more courses in the coming semesters.
2. Ask Your Family for Help
According to Jennifer Fraone of Boston College, a working mom does more housework than her spouse. So, when she goes back to school, she has to first do the housework before she can study. This compromises her chances of success in school.
Fraone recommends that before getting started on your online degree, you should talk to the people around you about how they can be of help. First, get your partner or to take more responsibility for the kids and household chores. Then explain to the kids how they too can help around the house.
3. Create a Private Space for Learning
The distractions within your home can prevent you from studying effectively. Kids, the TV, and guests among others can intrude into your time and space if left unchecked. So, to ensure that you study in peace, set aside a room in your house for your school work.
Then take all your learning materials and put them there. The last thing you want to do is waste your time looking for a book, document, pen, or computer.
4. Use Your Time Wisely
When you are juggling a career, education, and family, time is short. You need to study several hours a week to finish your degree in time. Keep in mind that online courses are as tough as those in a campus university and require as much effort and time. So, to make the best of your time break your study time into 30-minute blocks.
Squeeze in as much studying as you can within this period of time and then take a break. By studying in short bursts, you will not get tired. In addition, study early in the morning and late at night when everyone else is in bed.
Because of online education programs, stay-at-home or working moms can now go back to school.
These are great tips! I’ve taken a few courses online and creating a private space was the most important for me. I found it so much easier to be able to concentrate and devote the time I needed to the classes without the noise of the rest of the family.