How to create an in-home classroom for remote learning

One local family explains how they converted a room into a distraction-free learning zone

DETROIT – In the spring, parents and students were thrown into remote learning and had to do the best they could to adjust quickly.

As many families prepare to keep working in their at-home classrooms, there are some parents trying to reorganize for the long-haul.

Read more: Kids at Home

“Both of our kids had desks in their rooms. And then we also use the kitchen table for their Zoom meetings, and all of their supplies were in a different area of the house,” said Jenna Bell. “The whole entire time I was running room from room, helping them do school pages, setting up Zoom classmates and it was just so much running around the house that I was exhausted by the end of the night.”

Tired and disorganized, Jenna Bell knew she needed to make some changes for remote learning. When she learned the 2020-21 school year would start virtually, she knew she had more time to prepare. Jenna, Maya and Lucas Bell cleaned out their old playroom full of toys they had outgrown and turned it into a school room with a lounge area. By selling all their old toys, they had more money to give the room a makeover.

“The kids really wanted a Hangout room,” Jenna Bell said. “And so this was kind of our combination where we came together and came up with ideas of like stuff they wanted and stuff I knew we needed.”

Maya and Lucas said they’re looking forward to working in their new organized room away from distractions and disruptions.

Jenna, Lucas and Maya said they had fun designing the room together as a family.

The first lesson in the new classroom? Learning how to make the best out of a tough situation.

READ MORE: Return to School


About the Authors:

Dane is a producer and media enthusiast. He previously worked freelance video production and writing jobs in Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts. Dane graduated from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.