5 Tips to Homeschool Your Kids
Homeschooling is getting more attention than ever before. With a pandemic in full swing and schools across the country closing, many families have found themselves in a situation where they must manage their children’s virtual education – basically the same thing that homeschooling and online-schooling families have done for a long time. Other families are continuing to homeschool, having decided to do so long before the pandemic even started.
Whatever your situation, we’re here to help. Here are 5 great tips for homeschooling your kids.
1. Create a dedicated space for learning
Home is a wonderful place to be, but it’s also a place full of distractions. It might help to move your kid’s supplies and study materials into a special area where they can work away from toys and electronics. Even the kitchen table will likely work better for this purpose than their bedroom.
2. Make a clear schedule
Homeschooling brings flexibility that regular schooling doesn’t. That being said, a sense of structure is still very important. Just like adults, kids can benefit from routine to guide their day and keep them on track for success.
Sit down with your child and help them make a schedule. Clearly define when they should wake up, go to bed, eat lunch, and study specific subjects. Use visual techniques such as color-coding to streamline the schedule and make it easier for your kid to read.
Then, tape the schedule up near their workstation so they can stay on task and remember what activities they have planned for the week!
3. Use free online education resources
A number of companies are offering online education during this pandemic, including Scholastic and Khan Academy, the nonprofit organization that’s popular among homeschoolers worldwide. Khan Academy has prepared adaptable daily schedules for students in every grade from preschool to 12th, and Scholastic has a similar “Learn From Home” program for young children.
4. Make downtime
This trying time is a burden on all of us, even your kids. That’s why it’s important to have some electronic-free, active downtime away from school. Physical activity, reading, playing music, listening to music, drawing, painting, board games, and going outside are all great options.
Although routine and structure is important, giving your kids a good deal of unstructured free time throughout the day will help them use their imaginations and tackle boredom on their own in a healthy way.
You can even try Outschool.com, which allows your kids to socialize with other students while learning languages, instruments, coding, and other subjects online.
5. Make experiential learning opportunities
Being at home is a great opportunity to learn things that aren’t teachable at school. You can spend time with your kids and show them how to do the laundry, balance a checkbook, or build a bookshelf. Cooking and baking are two other fun and productive activities. Who doesn’t want to have meals taken care of?
Bottom line
While homeschooling can be tough, it’s also filled with perks that you can’t get in a regular classroom environment. Make your child’s homeschooling experience a fun and rigorous one, and don’t forget to give them the help they need to get the most out of it.