As the pandemic continues, parents are finding themselves wearing the teacher hat again this fall whether they are full blown homeschooling or assisting their child in virtual online learning through their child’s school. As a working mom with multiple jobs I know how much of a challenge this is and how many parents are dreading it. And I know it’s not going to be easy. I know there is going to be some trial and error and a learning curve, but I also know this is a temporary opportunity for me to spend more time with my children at home while they are still young and honestly I am looking forward to it. I know I am in the minority of many moms, but I am excited about homeschooling my children. As an educator, I love to teach and am trying to think of the positives of this predicament. I don’t have much control over the situation so I am just trying to make the most of it.
So from plenty of personal and professional experience, my first and most important recommendation is to be prepared. Please don’t try and wing it and figure out what you are doing each day. It’s more work to front load, but plan as much as you can in advance and try to stay on a schedule. Prep your academics, prep your crafts, and prep your meals, etc. in advance. Trust me, this will make everything more seamless and less stressful overall. If you need a planner, get one, but make sure to write it all down somewhere. This way you won’t forget and you’ll have all your supplies laid out so there is no last minute panic or rush. My other suggestion is to make sure you give yourself some grace. This is a new journey for many of us and there is no right way to do any of it, so forgive yourself for a bad day or not getting it all done, and move on to the next day. You and your children will survive and its all going to be ok. Just do your best and everything will fall into place. Take it a day at a time and try to have some fun with it!
Create A Dedicated Space
Make sure to have a dedicated space for your homeschooling and or for your children to do their online learning and homework. Some people simply use their dining room or kitchen table or possibly an extra bedroom in their home. We have been fortunate to have created a space in our home that is technically an extra large closet for a classroom. It’s big enough for a small table and chairs, a cubby area for their backpacks, lunchboxes, etc, and a library, etc. I also decorated it with the alphabet, numbers, and some geography posters. No need to go overboard or break the bank, but the goal is to have a special spot for them to learn and do their work. I suggest a quiet place that has limited distractions. Also make sure this space has everything they need to be a successful student like water, snacks, supplies, paper, a plug for their computer or tablet, something to write on, and something to write with, etc.
Make a Lunch Menu
One of the things my daughter really loved was buying a hot lunch at school. She didn’t do it everyday, but about a few times a month. We bought her a new lunchbox this year so most days she will be packing her lunch in the morning even though we will be home. It will help structure the day and she really enjoys that part of school. And we decided on Mondays and Fridays I will make her a hot lunch! And since we are home and have more flexibility, we decided we wanted to go out to lunch once a week on Wednesday after her minimum day. You can do as much or as little as you’d like, but even if you just do it once a week and make a menu that you can print out and put it on the fridge or in the school room, it will be something you children will get excited about and make your life easier since it’s all planned out.
Create a School Library
Reading is a pretty big priority in our home and one of our favorite things to do before the pandemic was to go to the library and pick out books. My daughter learned to read last year so I set aside a bunch of Level 1,2 and 3 books into a special library that she can use during dedicated reading time as well as “check out” to read before bed or on her own time later in the day. My son is starting preschool this year and so I have a separate library for him with books that are at his level that I can read to him during dedicated reading time as well as before bed!
Invest in Educational Workbooks
Invest in some age level workbooks for your children to do math, spelling, writing, and practicing site words and other skills in a tangible way. This is especially useful when you are homeschooling but as also as a supplemental educational tool for those of you who are assisting your local school with online virtual learning. You can also buy some math and site word flashcards, too! Last year when the pandemic first started, my daughter’s school only had lessons on the computer, and although valuable, there was something missing from her skill bank without being able to write a math problem from pen to paper or trace site words to learn new spelling words. There are so many benefits to learning workbooks and they are a good investment. Plus, they aren’t that expensive!
Make a “Take A Break” Area
Create some break cards for your children to use if necessary throughout the day. Then set up a cool down area or self regulation station for them to go to if they need a break. I suggest a quiet area of the house or in their room that is not the same room as they do school. This area should not be a reward or a punitive area and should have a time limit. Most children need about 5-10 minutes to calm down and take a break. In this area, put things like a blanket, pillow, music, art supplies, sensory bin, etc. in it. They can also get a glass of water, a snack, or take a few minutes to themselves outside in the fresh air to reset!
Stay on a Schedule
Children thrive on structure and schedules, and that is what they are used to in a traditional school setting. There is no need to make yourself crazy over it, so since we are all at home trying to do our best, there should still be room for error and flexibility, but for the most part, children like to know in advance what to expect and what their schedule is going to be on the daily. They will also behave better when things are the same day after day. They don’t need to do school at home in any capacity from 8-3. A few hours a day, spread out, should be more than sufficient. But depending on your children’s age and attention span, take as many breaks as needed. This will help you and your children. I suggest taking a snack or stretch break every half hour to every hour and when necessary. We transition between subjects every 15-30 minutes depending on the activity. The work will get done, and taking breaks will help you get it all done without pressure, stress, and meltdowns!
Use a Reward System
Create a raffle ticket or sticker chart reward system when your child is on task and behaving well. Children like to repeat the behaviors that their parents pay attention to the most. So when they do their work without protest or get a good grade on a test, or you can see them focusing and trying the best they can, praise them and make sure they know how proud you are of them!
Create a Cubby with Supplies
Children love their own space! I found an inexpensive organizer and created a cubby for each of my children to put their backpack, lunch box, and workbooks inside so they each have their own space. This also helped make the school room look cleaner and more organized, too! Its a win, win!
Schedule Field Trips
As a homeschooler or virtual online learner, having experiential ways to experience the world is crucial to the educational experience! Not a lot is open yet due to the pandemic, but taking a trip to the tide pools at the beach, going on a bug scavenger hunt in the neighborhood, going to the zoo, or taking a virtual trip to an aquarium or museum, is important to their learning process, not to mention fun! And it breaks up having to be at home everyday!
Make time for Recess!
Yes, the academics are extremely important, but I am also a strong believer in having a well rounded education that includes “hands on” kinesthetic learning, the arts, play, recess, and social emotional relationships! I could go on and on about the benefits of including these elements into your children’s lives, but you’ve heard it from me time and time again, so I’ll spare you the speech again. But arts and crafts, music, time for play, and making weekly virtual play dates or safe, socially distant in person play dates are crucial to you child’s development and mental health! And always make time for recess and free play outside throughout the day so you both stay sane!!
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