By E K Wills
Unusual times call for a new approach to schooling.
During the lockdown, we are not officially obliged to keep our kids at home if we are essential workers, but many are deciding to keep kids out of school where they can.
(Please, teachers, be kind to those parents who do not have an option to do so if kids are too young to stay home alone: just as others need to consider you are also at the forefront of this crisis.)
If your children are old enough to stay home to learn, there are many things to consider.
a. Are your children independent learners?
b. Are they keen learners?
c. How organized are they?
d. How much help are they likely to need?
In any case, there are ways we can support them and encourage them while trying to learn while at home.
The following list can help to structure their week and yours.
1. This is not ‘home schooling’
2. Keep to a timetable
3. Exercise daily
4. Build in free time
5. Reward with screen time
6. Extra curricular activities need to change too
7. Find some family time
1. This is not ‘home schooling’
A friend of mine home schools her children and point out that it is a different system with a different approach that also involves outings and get togethers, which we currently are unable to do.
What we are aiming to do is maintain some structure for our kids to feel contained and supported but not rigidly focused on achieving study goals. However if your emerging adult is in Year 12 then you need to consider this is an important year, even though it is interrupted.
2. Keep to a timetable
If your children are used to attending school, then they know it has a time for learning and a time for breaks. Help facilitate structure by providing this at home.
School time does not need to be all day, in fact, much more can be achieved in less time due to the lack of distractions in socializing, as my kids have told me.
If your child has siblings, then they can come together like in a class to work together and to keep it separate from their relaxing space in their rooms. The NSW Education department (DeT) has some suggestions around setting up a learning environment here.
3. Exercise daily
At the same time each day, set aside time to walk the family pet (in our case, the ferret) or ride their bikes together.
It is not the same as hanging out with their friends but it creates more sibling bonding time while they crave socialization, too.
And remind them to keep their distance from those not in your household according to the current recommendations while out and about.
4. Build in free time
Once their structured part of the day is completed, they can look forward to relaxation time or doing things that interest them like reading books, shooting hoops if you have it at home or playing with the cat.
5. Reward with screen time
Screen time can be built into the day, too. While we don't want them glued to the screen all day, the benefit of screens is the wide range of activities available from the comfort of home.
Similarly, during periods of high stress and uncertainty, maybe now is not the time to be enforcing strict rules around how much screen time is utilized.
6. Extra curricular activities need to change too
Many kids are used to doing a range of extra curricular activities that are now not available such as music lessons, sporting activities and club gatherings.
Fortunately, many of them are adapting to the current distancing requirements by offering online options. Our son is enjoying the weekly Scouts Zoom get together online and has found an online option for his guitar tuition on Fender that works well.
Even Kung Fu has been filming madly to offer online tuition to complement their Zoom lessons.
In addition, there are many activities cropping up on social media such as the CoVid Time capsule, which encourages discussion and reflection on our situation as well as becoming a positive focus.
7. Find some family time
Everyone is stressed and unclear of what the future will bring but we can focus on the present by spending time with our immediate families.
Simple things like board games can be an easy way to engage. Dig up the ones at the back of the cupboard to rediscover or stick to old favourites. The kids can take turns in choosing their favourites. We just discovered a family edition of Cards Against Humanity that is downloadable.
With Easter coming, organize a mini Easter hunt in the backyard or do some chocolate making using moulds or just ice cube trays and cooking chocolate (pic).
Of course, screen time can be family time too. Good old movie nights work, even if everyone has to take turns in deciding what to watch because no one can agree!
While we are confided to our homes, we need to make lemonade from lemons and hopefully these help to make that more achievable.
How are you handling schooling from home?
Further advice from the NSW DeT here.
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