Due to recent events regarding an epidemic and spread of COVID-19 we are all witnesses of our changed daily routine. Some of us had to quickly adapt to working from home.
With these new circumstances, there are also some additional tasks such as homeschooling your kids.
If your kids are obliged to stay at home or required to attend classes online this article will definitely help you with some tips on how to do it properly.
Let's jump into how to provide proper homeschooling.
Set The Tone
I know that your world has just tumbled upside down and that you're under a lot of stress. Nevertheless, our children are looking at us for reassurance that everything is under control.
If you're projecting stress or uncertainty your child will most definitely feel it. Making an effort to be happy, calm and positive, your family is as well.
Create a Routine
Doing actual schoolwork doesn't require an entire day. There are things such as recess, lunches and transition times that take up most of the time a child is in school. During homeschooling, you may need just about three hours to achieve your plan for the day.
It's also okay to let your child sleep a bit later than usual. Some research suggests that most of the teenagers and kids are sleep deprived, and brains function better after 10 in the morning.
Most teachers are working on ways to provide instructions online. If this is not the case for your child's school, you should step in. Fortunately, there's plenty of resources for you to find and use. The most important thing is to stay organized and follow the routine. In order to do that, you should create a checklist for each day - planners and mid-year diaries can help with that.
So just take a breather and keep it simple! You can also experiment with just a few different things and see how your child reacts to them. This is also an amazing opportunity to know more about your children's preferred learning method.
Free Online resources for a good start
Free online educational material is abundant and doesn't equal free education. Don't get overwhelmed by the flood of downloadable PDF documents and lesson plans that are available online.
Instead, look for several resources that work and start from there. Place a priority on your kid's greatest need and their biggest passion or interest. Search for resources that will keep them linked to their community. Some examples are piano lessons, Sunday school and dance classes are all expanding online.
Grandparents and family friends are offering to guide activities like crafting sessions or storytime.
Unfortunately, you are not going to recreate school in a single day, so starting small is often preferable.
Designate a learning space
Kids usually want to move around during the day, having at least one or two designated areas for learning is an excellent way to provide more focused experience. You can motivate your child with interesting tools like educational videos, and so on.
Also, having bike rides, yard playing and having your child use its imagination for a prolonged period of time are super good for them and you!
There are numerous studies that prove the benefits of children playing outside.
Also when everything is finished, you can have your child pack up all the essential material into a basket so they can always put them aside. This creates a cleanup routine that will come in handy.
Be Forgiving
This is a stressful time that everyone is experiencing. If you need to turn on Netflix to get through the day, that's absolutely okay. You don't have to homeschool if you believe that everything will get to you and that you will experience a heavy burden. This could backfire on everyone involved.
Have some quiet time, it doesn't matter how old your kids are, we all need it. For older kids, it can be working on hobbies, some reading time, or simply music listening. Younger children can doodle or just play alone.
This can give you time to get some of the work done without major interruption. And believe me, it's a secret for keeping your sanity.
