There are thousands of parents who were thrown into the teacher role this past month.
This blog post is for you! Now you’re not only providers for your children, but you’re also their educators. You’ve been given the responsibility of teaching your child without any time to invest in a four year education degree. So what do you do? Where do you start?
Here are 7 Helpful Tips for those of you who are new to homeschooling & simply need a place to begin.
- Create a Schedule
Children thrive off of two things: structure and consistency. Having a schedule can provide both!
It’s really easy and very effective! Schedule your child’s core subjects during the time when you believe your child is most attentive/awake and feel free to give those subjects the most time because they usually take the most time to complete. Then include different times for family activities, crafts, and games.
2. Connect with their Teacher
Hopefully your child’s has an awesome teacher who has already reached out to you with a game plan for the rest of the year ahead. But if they haven’t, then make sure to connect with them! Ask them for help. Find out what your child needs to learn in order to be ready for the next school year. Ask for worksheets and games you can do at home.
Remember that the teachers know what struggles you’re going through. They know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. They know your child’s favorite subjects and their least favorite. They know what you’re going through and they’re there to help.
If your child’s teacher isn’t available, then feel free to ask a friend for help or you could even reach out to me via email. I’d be glad to come alongside you!
3. Come up with Incentives
What’s an incentive? It’s anything that motivates your child in a positive way.
Find something that motivates your child to want to learn/stay on task. Perhaps if they finish all of their school work by 2:00 they can play a video game. It could be if they complete all of their worksheets that Daddy plays with them outside or reads them a story. Maybe if they get all the answers right on a paper, they get to choose what the family has for dinner.
Your incentives don’t have to cost you any money, just some imagination.
4. Craft a Study Area
Give your child a space in your home to call “school.” Whether it’s an area to themselves or simply a desk in their room, give them a space away from distractions where they can focus.
5. Collect Supplies
This includes things like pipe cleaners, crayons, markers, etc. However, we all know that most of the stores are closed. So what do we do instead? We simply order things online or get creative!!
Go for a walk today and find sticks, leaves, and rocks that you can use to make a nature mural. Look around your home and use things like cotton balls, paper scraps, or empty cereal boxes in order to create something brand new.
6. Cultivate Fun
I bet there are a lot of kids out there who already enjoy learning at home simply because they get to wear their pajamas, but if your child isn’t enjoying being away from their class and teacher then find a way to make it fun!
Look up some educational videos for your child to watch. Create little songs or jingles to go with their lesson for that day. Make a craft that emphasizes a topic. Get messy! Have fun! Be creative!
7. Capture time for Yourself
Last tip is also one of the most important! This is completely necessary in order for you to be able to live this time of your life in a useful and purposeful way.
As crazy and hard as this sounds right now, it is possible. Find some time (either before everyone wakes up or after they all go to sleep) for yourself. Find time to read your Bible, to enjoy a movie, or invest in a hobby. Take care of you!
Remember: If you’re not taking care of yourself, you can’t take care of others.
As you take time for yourself, don’t stress if it’s not perfect and if your days at home look way different from education in the classroom. We’re all in the same boat and you’re probably doing way better than you think! So take a deep breath, put these tips into action, and use this time to keep teaching creativity!
Teaching Creativity 