Contents
- Make it fun
- Establish a routine
- Offer rewards
- 25 minute intervals
- Screen free time
- Realistic expectations
- Use helpful tools
Though parents and children can struggle with learning from home, there are some great tips and techniques you can use to ensure your child stays motivated. In this article, we’ll share some top tips that’ll help you support your kids in the best way while they’re homeschooling.
In the past, parents could choose to homeschool their children, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the whole world suddenly went online.💻
It goes without saying that online homeschooling was an adjustment for both parents and children. With schools suddenly shut, parents had to scramble to give their kids a great learning environment at home, and it’s safe to say that this has been a challenging time for both adults and children. 👪 This can be especially challenging if your child has additional needs for learning difficulties such as autism or dyslexia.
But there’s actually a lot you can do to make the transition to at-home learning as fun and carefree as possible for your child. I have put together a few motivating tips to help both parents and kids during their homeschooling experience, so keep reading for some great insights!
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Make it fun!
School can be fun, even homeschooling! Dress up to explain history, colour maps to explain geography 🌎, and try hands-on experiments to explain science!🌋 It’s easier to learn when you make it fun because this creates the inspiration and intrigue that makes the learning experience less daunting.
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Establish a routine
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Offer rewards
Offering rewards is a great incentive for both parents and kids. Remember to maintain your focus when sitting down for a lesson, and be mindful that both you and your child are perfectly able to accomplish the goal of getting through the lesson. During the session, keep your child engaged by reminding them they’ll achieve a reward when their task is complete — and don't forget to reward yourself as well for your parenting achievements! 🍦
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25 minute intervals
This is also known as the “Pomodoro Method” — setting 25-minute blocks of time to be productive with 5-10 minute breaks provides structure and keeps all parties engaged in learning. Having anyone try to work on a task for longer periods of time can create procrastination and burnout 😕 When we look at a big task, it can be overwhelming, but if we break it up into little pieces – anything is possible!
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Screen-free time
Take a screen break! Although the world is connected through screens on phones, tablets, and computers you need to give yourselves a break, scheduling some screen-free time for the kids and yourself is a great way to prevent yourselves from burning out.
Try these things:
🌳 Take a walk
🖼 Draw
🧩 Do a puzzle
There are many different things to do that can keep you and your children engaged without a screen.
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Realistic expectations
We need to navigate our homeschooling expectations based on our kids' strengths and weaknesses — not to mention our own! If a concept or lesson isn’t working out well, it might be best to move on and circle back to it another time. Likewise, if you have more than one child you might find that some days they are playing off of each other - sibling rivalry can either help or hinder your online learning depending on the day.
It’s important that you don’t get stuck in an unrealistic expectation you’ve created for your child and for yourself. If your strengths are maths and writing, maybe you shouldn’t attempt to teach your child a music lesson 🎵 The same applies to your child – play to their strengths and try to make sure they enjoy learning!
When it comes to topics your kid isn’t as comfortable with, be flexible and solution oriented. For example, if your child is feeling overwhelmed with maths and this is not your strong suit either, you might consider getting a tutor involved. Remember, we all learn differently. You and your child are doing a fantastic job, so give yourselves some recognition! 💯
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Use helpful tools
There are so many different tools that are available on the internet that make it easier for you and your child to learn new concepts and develop skills. There are maths games, word games, coding games, reading games, mindfulness apps, exercise videos and techniques like Pomodoro that can help you with your at home learning...the list goes on.
You do not have to reinvent the wheel – just use the tools that best serve you and your child. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not try learning skills simultaneously with your child? For example, coding is a new and common subject that is being used in our digital world. Why not try to learn the basics together? 💻
Throughout the work you’re doing to support your child who is currently learning from home, you should maintain a positive attitude. ✨ The joy of homeschooling is inexhaustible – it can be challenging, but is also incredibly rewarding for many parents! It is important to remind yourself and your child that you are both doing a great job. 🙌 If you think that some tutoring could benefit your child in your journey with homeschooling, why not book a free trial class with one of our great tutors?
