Preparing your child for online classes, a practical checklist

Online classes can be as good as being in the same room, sometimes better, because the teacher and child work on the same screen and nothing is lost to a crowded classroom. But a lot depends on small practical things: a device that works, headphones, a quiet space and a routine. When these are in place, the whole class goes on learning. When they are not, ten minutes are lost every time to “can you hear me?” This guide is a checklist you can work through in an evening.

The quick checklist

• A laptop or tablet, charged or plugged in
• Headphones with a microphone
• A stable internet connection in the study spot
• A quiet, well-lit space with a table and a proper chair
• Notebook, pencils, eraser, ruler, calculator if needed
• The class link saved where your child can find it
• Notifications and other apps closed
• Water bottle, and a toilet break before class
• Ready five minutes early

Choosing the device

Device	Good for	Watch out for
Laptop or desktop	All ages, especially Grade 6 and up; typing, sharing files, larger screen	Writing on a whiteboard with a mouse or trackpad is slow; a cheap drawing tablet can help
Tablet with stylus	Maths, science and language writing; younger children	Needs a stand so it is not held; check apps work well in the browser
Tablet without stylus	Younger children, reading and talking	Finger writing is imprecise
Phone	Emergencies only	Small screen, notifications, hard to write on

A few tips:

• Use the same device for every class. Children get faster when they know where everything is.
• Keep it plugged in. Batteries die at the worst moment.
• Update in advance. Software updates often start right before a class. Run them the night before.
• Use a browser the class platform supports. Chrome or Edge on a laptop usually work best for video and whiteboards.

Headphones and sound

Sound problems cause more trouble than video problems. Children talk quietly, siblings shout in the background, and echo makes speech hard to follow.

• Use headphones with a microphone. Wired ones are simplest. Earbuds work for older children.
• Check the microphone before class. Record a voice note or make a quick test call.
• Mute other devices in the room. A television in the next room can be surprisingly loud through a laptop microphone.
• Teach your child the mute button, and when to use it. Most of the time in a one-to-one class, they should stay unmuted so the conversation flows.

Camera and lighting

• Face the light. Sit facing a window or lamp, not with a window behind.
• Camera at eye level. Put the laptop on a few books if needed.
• Show the face and the notebook. Some teachers will ask your child to hold up their written work, so the notebook should be within reach.
• Plain background if possible, but do not worry about it. A tidy corner is enough.

The study space

The space does not need to be a separate room. It needs to be:

• The same place each time, so sitting down becomes a signal to focus
• Quiet enough that your child is not distracted by others
• At a table, not a bed or sofa, with feet on the floor and the screen at a comfortable distance
• Away from the television and toys
• Visible to an adult for younger children, for safety and the occasional tech fix

In small flats with several children, try staggering classes, or use a corner of a bedroom with the door closed.

Internet

• Test from the exact spot your child will use.
• If the video freezes, move closer to the router, use a wired connection, or ask others at home to pause big downloads during class time.
• Keep a phone hotspot as a backup.
• If the connection drops, your child should know to rejoin from the same link and not panic.

Building a routine around classes

Before class

• Toilet, water, a small snack if needed
• Phone away, unless it is the class device
• Notebook open, last week’s homework ready
• Join two or three minutes early

During class

• Your child should speak up when they do not understand. Practise this at home: “Can you show me that again?” is a perfectly good sentence.
• Encourage them to do the writing on the shared board or in the notebook, not just watch.

After class

• Ask one question: “What did you learn today?” or “What was hard?”
• Note any homework in a fixed place.
• Book a short practice slot during the week for that homework.

Our guide to building a weekly study routine shows how to fit classes into a school week.

By age group

KG to Grade 2

• Shorter classes and a parent close by, at least at first
• Help with logging in, then step back
• Keep crayons, paper and simple objects for counting nearby
• Expect wriggling. Movement breaks are normal at this age

Grades 3 to 7

• Children can log in themselves with a little practice
• Teach them basic tools: mute, chat, how to write on the whiteboard
• Check homework is noted down after class

Grades 8 to 12

• Let them manage their own setup and timings
• Agree on rules about phones and other tabs
• Encourage them to message the teacher with questions between classes

Safety and good habits online

Online classes are a good moment to teach children some basic habits that will serve them well.

• Use only the official link sent by the school or tutor, not links shared by others.
• Keep personal details private. Children should not share addresses, passwords or photos in a class chat.
• Know who is teaching. Parents should know the teacher’s name and how to reach the provider.
• Keep messages visible. Communication between the teacher and your child should happen in places a parent can see, such as a family chat or the provider’s app.
• Speak up. Tell your child that if anything in a class makes them uncomfortable, they should leave the call and tell you, and they will not be in trouble.
• Screen breaks. After a class, encourage some time away from screens, especially for younger children.

Common problems and quick fixes

Problem	Try this
Teacher cannot hear clearly	Headphones with a mic, close windows, mute the television
Video freezes	Turn off other devices’ video streaming, move nearer the router, rejoin
Child distracted by other tabs	Close everything except the class, use full-screen mode
Child is shy and does not speak	Give them a question to ask at the start, and reassure them that mistakes are expected
Child is tired	Check class timing against school and meals; move it if needed

How Qlive classes run

Qlive classes are live and one-to-one, on Google Meet together with Qlive Space, Qlive’s AI-powered, activity-based learning platform, where your child works through activities, study materials and a board for writing and drawing, while the conversation with the teacher runs on Google Meet. Reminders arrive in the Qlive Learn app 15 and 5 minutes before each class, with a button to join, and the app shows the week’s classes in your own timezone. If you are new to online tutoring, a free assessment is also a good low-pressure way to test your setup.