Homeschooling for all. But not all of the students like it. Some are more active and independent, some not. But for all of them there are the same online school obligations, with the same intensity and the same duration. Some teachers have a perception of what is happening right now in the world, some do not.
There are teachers who clutter the students with materials, assignments and vocabularies, plus make video conferences and expect one10-year-old to be top in computer science, while forgetting that for all those responsibilities to be completed, the students needs someone to help them – their parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters. There are families where both parents are at work, families where there are sick family members, some of them with a special care, families with more children and so on. Not to be outdone, I think that the online system is overcrowded and the kids need some fresh air.
The scale of the challenge, and the work that will need to be done to catch children up academically and socially, is “huge,” said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, a network of urban education systems. He called the prospect of “unfinished learning” from this time “a serious issue that could have implications for years.”
What we can do in this situation? Not much, but what we can do is to help our kids do the best they can and motivate them continuing working on that. I hope this ideas will help you a little bit so you can make all this home-learning more easy and acceptable for you and your kid.
Take a break to smile with your kid/s.
I know that sometimes there is not enough time for all the exercises to be finished in time manner but no matter how hard it looks you should take a breathe and tell your kid to put the books away for a while. Tell your kid/s you all need a little bit break to do something different this day…because its all on you! This is homeschooling – doing whatever you want to, just because you can. Put the phone away as well. Smile with your kids. Hug them when they’re really pissing you off. I have kid as well and believe me it gets better, not just for your kid but for you as well. I’m always saying that when one kid smiles, smiles all the world :).
Treat an online study like a real one.
When the kids have distance learning, the parents are taking on a lot of responsibility. You are the principal, the teacher, the guidance counselor, the lunch lady etc. You prepare all of the lessons. So choose one subject what you are interesting for and discuss with your kid about the lesson. It can be interesting for you and your kid will be motivate from you.
Practice time management with your kid/s.
You are helping your kids send all those photos with homework in Geography, English, History, Math etc. You come up with an overall plan of what your kids will and won’t learn during their schooling career. You are in charge! If you are free, take time to organize your kids and learn them how to do all that staff alone. You can click here to see different time organizing tools and books that can help your kid learning how to do all the staff in a time manner.
The school stuff is everywhere!
If the class were meeting in real life, they’d be in a classroom or lecture hall. Having a dedicated study space will help the students stay focused when it’s time to study and disconnect when it isn’t. Its called homeschooling, y the way, so let them do their job, you should be happy if your kids are learning from all that books around them.
You have kids. Your house is supposed to be messy.
Fortunately, there’s a fix for this one as well. Our kids are home all day long so we can put them to work. Train your kids to help out with the chores. Initially, this takes longer than doing them yourself. However, it won’t be long and your kids will be able to help out immensely with the housework. And that kind of training is extremely useful for them when they’re on their own as well.
Create a regular study space
My only word of warning is to avoid somewhere that’s too comfortable or distracting. Look that your kid don’t study sitting in bed or next to its game system. Find a place that signals “it’s time to work” so a kid can make the work done.
It’s hard to find good friends for your home-schooled kids.
The teachers really get energized by the classroom, the students too. The current limitations left both teachers and students “slightly depressed.”
Why? Students can not exercise online as in a physical education class, do not have lunch breaks like at school with the other kids, do not have extra classes where they can show their talents. Everything what is their hobby and pleasure is suddenly lost, disappears. Watching that especially hurts you, knowing that the emotional aspect of this crisis may be reflected in some children later in life.
What they can do? Sport?
Walk is not forbidden! Even in small spaces, walking around or walking on the spot, can help them remain active. Kids will be more motivated to exercise if the entire family participates. Family walks, bike rides, dance parties at home, living-room yoga sessions, or backyard soccer games.
Whenever possible, encourage your kids to get outside, even for a quick stroll around the block or to take the dog outside for a while. Several 10-15 minute outdoor exercise sessions can quickly add up to a full workout.
It’s hard to focus on the material
Few tips for you: In this case is better to set a timer for 20 minutes, to let the kid work only on one task, and then let the kid take a short break before repeating the process until the work is done.
Show your kid how to take notes. The real benefit of taking notes is that it helps the students engage with the material and put it in their own words.
At the start of the video conference, they should read through the syllabus and find all deadlines for assignments. Put this information on calendar, and consult that calendar with your kid regularly. Also, look out for changes to deadlines so that your kid can update the calendar accordingly.
The kids are hungry again?
First ask yourself if they are in the right mind-set. Did they get a good night’s sleep? Are they hungry? Is there something else that could be bothering them or distracting them? Hungry again. Good, they can make a break as well and help you make something to eat. A lot of kids will do that, so they can take a break from all that homework what they have. Some kids love baking, so I want to recommend you this baking book for young chefs.
It’s hard to find a daily rhythm that works for everyone.
A lot of the students have siblings they have to take care of and their parents are still going out and working. Mr. Marquez said “It makes it very difficult to log on at the same time as feeding breakfast to their siblings or helping with chores.”
Often we let the stress get to us, we push hard because we want what is best for our kids. Sometimes what is best is to realize that we are our children’s biggest motivation. If we are calm and happy they are happy as well. Think two times before you said something to your kid.
I told you at the beginning, not all children are the same. Some will get annoyed but continue to play games and immediately forget what you have said, while others withdraw emotionally into themselves, thinking that they are not good enough at what they are doing and are discouraged in the same time. Do not let that happen. Encourage your child, tell him that he is the smartest child in the world and that you appreciate what is he doing. We want our children to have a reservoir of confidence they can tap to bring them through hardship well. There is nothing more important than that!
