With school closures happening around the country, public schools are varying widely in what they offer. School districts are required to provide equitable learning opportunities, and it can be challenging for some to guarantee access to necessary hardware, so some are confining themselves to handing out optional “enrichment” lessons.
If you’re now one of the many parents who are essentially homeschooling your children, here are some tips for keeping the kids engaged:
Know your child
While strong learners can do better independently, weaker learnings may struggle. Different children will do best in different learning environments, so be sure to accommodate. Don’t forget that resources will become available slowly for students who need them, and you may not have to do this all by yourself.
Engage in passion projects
This is a good time for kids to pursue interests they haven’t had time to focus on in the past. If it’s something they’re truly interested in, you won’t have to bug them to do it.
Free online resources are just the beginning
Don’t get bogged down by the flood of downloadable PDFs and lesson plans available online. Instead, find a couple of resources that work and build from there. Prioritize your child’s greatest need and then their biggest interest or passion. You’re not going to recreate school in one day, so start small.
Set up designated space and time
Kids may need to move around during the day, but consider having one or two designated areas for learning. Have your kids pack up materials into a basket so they can be put aside once finished.
Be forgiving
This is a stressful time, so if you need to put on a movie to get through the day, that’s absolutely fine. You don’t have to home school if it will cause severe emotional distress for everyone involved.
Source: NPR