Help! I'm homeschooling (and not by choice)
With many schools closed and not all schools being able to offer online education (and even if they do), many parents are currently in the role of a home educator and not by choice.
May I offer some help? I'm a retired homeschool mom. We (because it truly is a job for both husband and wife, although I did most of the academic teaching) homeschooled our sons from kindergaren until they headed off to college. I learned so much during those years (I'm actually not sure who gained the most benefit, them or me.)
Here are some things that I found very helpful. Some were learned the hard way. Hopefully you can benefit from what I had to learn.
1. Establish good routines. Decide what time is time to get up and stick with it. Require your children to get up, get dressed, have breakfast, do a few chores and then start your "school day" at a regular time. Of course, this is not rigid. You're not a military institution, but routines help everyone! And your routine can be as much an order-based as a time-based system. A wise friend once told me that the more children you have, the more your routine is important.
These routines apply to more than just your mornings. Determine a time for outdoor play (if at all possible! Especially when we can't go other place, some time for outdoor activity, weather and space permitting is critical!). We had a break mid-morning, a break after lunch and then a break when we had completed our school work for the day. Determine when and what chores your children will be responsible for each day (Oh moms, this is much harder than just doing them yourselves! But it is so critical for each child to learn!) Some great daily things include a time of reading together, a time of silent reading (if you have children that are independent readers), a craft of hobby time, outdoor time, etc. Your children's interest and ages will dictate much of this.
2. A little bit everyday is MUCH better than inconsistency. At least do some math, some reading, some writing. A little bit every day is much better than large time periods one day and none on other days.
3. This is my MOST important tip: Realize some of the best learning occurs that is not planned. One of my favorite memories from the days I homeschooled is when the boys and I noticed a spider spinning her web outside the window near where we were sitting. We stopped whatever we were doing and watched for an hour. We learned so much!! One of the best gifts you can give your children is a love of learning. If you help them to learn to love learning and give them the necessary tools to do so, nothing can stop them. (No matter how long you "homeschool," you could never fill your child with all the knowledge they need in life. So just make sure they can learn on their own and that they desire to do so.)
4. In that same vein, realize that you don't always need "curriculum" to teach. You taught your child many things before they got to school age!
A child could write letters to friends and family, as you teach handwritiing, writing, grammar, etc! Help them with ways to minister to others. Since we are all isolated, think how much it would mean, especially to those who are quarantined to get a note in the mail about some fun fact your child learned that day.
Math can be done by applying it to real life situations. Doubling a recipe (yes, we are all cooking more, might as well make twice as much one time!) is great opportunity to teach fractions and multiplication. Measuring for a project? Teach your child how to measure (please, this math teacher begs you, introduce them to metric measurement!!)
Weeding in the yard creates many opportunites to discuss how roots function, why some are hard to pull out while others are easy. With the beginning of spring, there are so many interesting things to learn outside. Plants, flowers, and birds would all be great sources of learning right now.
If you are "stuck" at home, what a wonderful time to spend time learning to cook. My first full meal that I cooked by myself included strawberry shortcake, in which I learned that baking soda and baking powder are in fact different ingredients and not interchangeble. My gracious father ate an entire piece, thanking me for my labor. I couldn't even choke down a couple bites! But I never forgot the difference between those two again.
Teach them how to do the laundry. Teach them how to use age-appropriate yard equipment (no chainsaws, Grandpa!). Learn a skill. Research an animal or a country. Be creative! You've got quite a bit of freedom, take advantage of it.
5. Make use of this time as a family. If you as parents are Christ-followers, what a wonderful time to spend more time in the Word. Maybe you now have time to read and pray together in the morning. Maybe you can all learn a verse a week. Maybe you can use a world map to pray for missionaries your church supports. Or maybe the Lord has focused your attention on something you have wanted to do as a family that now is doable. Whatever it is, use your time.
Since other activities are curtailed, how about having activities on different evenings? You are only limited by your creativity. Music night? Puzzle night? Game night? Scavenger hunt night? You get the idea.
6. Do you need some other help? There are currently many homeschooling families around the area. There might even be a retired homeschool mom who would be glad to offer some suggestions or encouragement. Do you know a homeschooling family with many children and now you are home with a houseful of kids? Why don't you ask that mom for some tips? I'm sure she would be glad to share what she has learned.
This is a unique time in our lives and the lives of our children. Let's endeavor to use it for their benefit. They and you will be glad you did.
May I offer some help? I'm a retired homeschool mom. We (because it truly is a job for both husband and wife, although I did most of the academic teaching) homeschooled our sons from kindergaren until they headed off to college. I learned so much during those years (I'm actually not sure who gained the most benefit, them or me.)
Here are some things that I found very helpful. Some were learned the hard way. Hopefully you can benefit from what I had to learn.
1. Establish good routines. Decide what time is time to get up and stick with it. Require your children to get up, get dressed, have breakfast, do a few chores and then start your "school day" at a regular time. Of course, this is not rigid. You're not a military institution, but routines help everyone! And your routine can be as much an order-based as a time-based system. A wise friend once told me that the more children you have, the more your routine is important.
These routines apply to more than just your mornings. Determine a time for outdoor play (if at all possible! Especially when we can't go other place, some time for outdoor activity, weather and space permitting is critical!). We had a break mid-morning, a break after lunch and then a break when we had completed our school work for the day. Determine when and what chores your children will be responsible for each day (Oh moms, this is much harder than just doing them yourselves! But it is so critical for each child to learn!) Some great daily things include a time of reading together, a time of silent reading (if you have children that are independent readers), a craft of hobby time, outdoor time, etc. Your children's interest and ages will dictate much of this.
2. A little bit everyday is MUCH better than inconsistency. At least do some math, some reading, some writing. A little bit every day is much better than large time periods one day and none on other days.
3. This is my MOST important tip: Realize some of the best learning occurs that is not planned. One of my favorite memories from the days I homeschooled is when the boys and I noticed a spider spinning her web outside the window near where we were sitting. We stopped whatever we were doing and watched for an hour. We learned so much!! One of the best gifts you can give your children is a love of learning. If you help them to learn to love learning and give them the necessary tools to do so, nothing can stop them. (No matter how long you "homeschool," you could never fill your child with all the knowledge they need in life. So just make sure they can learn on their own and that they desire to do so.)
4. In that same vein, realize that you don't always need "curriculum" to teach. You taught your child many things before they got to school age!
A child could write letters to friends and family, as you teach handwritiing, writing, grammar, etc! Help them with ways to minister to others. Since we are all isolated, think how much it would mean, especially to those who are quarantined to get a note in the mail about some fun fact your child learned that day.
Math can be done by applying it to real life situations. Doubling a recipe (yes, we are all cooking more, might as well make twice as much one time!) is great opportunity to teach fractions and multiplication. Measuring for a project? Teach your child how to measure (please, this math teacher begs you, introduce them to metric measurement!!)
Weeding in the yard creates many opportunites to discuss how roots function, why some are hard to pull out while others are easy. With the beginning of spring, there are so many interesting things to learn outside. Plants, flowers, and birds would all be great sources of learning right now.
If you are "stuck" at home, what a wonderful time to spend time learning to cook. My first full meal that I cooked by myself included strawberry shortcake, in which I learned that baking soda and baking powder are in fact different ingredients and not interchangeble. My gracious father ate an entire piece, thanking me for my labor. I couldn't even choke down a couple bites! But I never forgot the difference between those two again.
Teach them how to do the laundry. Teach them how to use age-appropriate yard equipment (no chainsaws, Grandpa!). Learn a skill. Research an animal or a country. Be creative! You've got quite a bit of freedom, take advantage of it.
5. Make use of this time as a family. If you as parents are Christ-followers, what a wonderful time to spend more time in the Word. Maybe you now have time to read and pray together in the morning. Maybe you can all learn a verse a week. Maybe you can use a world map to pray for missionaries your church supports. Or maybe the Lord has focused your attention on something you have wanted to do as a family that now is doable. Whatever it is, use your time.
Since other activities are curtailed, how about having activities on different evenings? You are only limited by your creativity. Music night? Puzzle night? Game night? Scavenger hunt night? You get the idea.
6. Do you need some other help? There are currently many homeschooling families around the area. There might even be a retired homeschool mom who would be glad to offer some suggestions or encouragement. Do you know a homeschooling family with many children and now you are home with a houseful of kids? Why don't you ask that mom for some tips? I'm sure she would be glad to share what she has learned.
This is a unique time in our lives and the lives of our children. Let's endeavor to use it for their benefit. They and you will be glad you did.
Comments