6 Realistic Ideas For Homeschooling Your Kids And NOT CRYING, According To An Actual Teacher
by Vanessa Kass
I have a Masters in Education. I have taught all three of the grades my children are currently in. I do not say this to show off. Because you know who doesn’t care that I am a teacher and have a graduate degree in Education? My kids. My kids do not care about this.
Because I am not their teacher.
I am their mother.
But for now (deep breath) I am both. I have taught them things before. Like how to swim or ride a bike. So I know that I CAN teach them. On sunny days with less pressure and more joy. But this is not that. This is spontaneously skydiving while making your parachute on the way down. With no warning, but still real expectations and homework and accountability and shit. It may feel impossible. It may BE impossible. But it is our current state for what feels like foreverrrrrrrr. So here are 6 ways I try to keep it together while homeschooling our kids in our [one room school]house.
1. Create a designated school space.
Have one consistent space set up for teaching and schoolwork. But, it doesn’t need to be set up at all times. You don’t need to semi-permanently lose your kitchen table to a Covid classroom. But have schooling occur in this same place each day. This consistency sets up expectations and routines. When your child is sitting there, school happens. Done.
2. Use a timer to set work periods.
If your child is struggling to focus, start small. Ten minutes or so. Then add on five each time. We do 20 at a time. I find it helpful to compare the time to something they know. You will read for 25 minutes, about as long as X show. They also like to see the countdown. It’s a reminder that this academic task won’t last forever. Give them breaks between these timed work periods, so they have something to look forward to. If they know that they just need to spend 25 minutes reading or they have to finish a chapter before they can take 15 minutes to play, it helps maintain their focus and motivation for that duration. These kitchen timers from Amazon are the ones we love.
3. A few hours a day is enough.
Cap the schoolwork at 2 hours. There are many homeschooling sites that break down a reasonable time spent per grade. Those who, before Covid, chose to be their child’s teacher know what works. And they know an eight-hour school day is not it. Time in does not equal work out. Take that pressure off of your shoulders. Plus, you know your child best. If they are done at ninety minutes, let them be done. No learning happens once the brain takes off and exhaustion steps in.
4. School time should be factored into family time, not the other way around.
Allow the schooling to fit into the family schedule. Family life looks more different now than it ever has. Your reality probably doesn’t allow you to sit next to your child for hours to keep them on task. Maybe you can’t meet the 9am online meeting and 3pm assignment deadline. This is understandable and not unusual. Many districts are now allowing assignments to be considered complete if they are submitted by 9pm or before class the next morning. Even if it is not district-wide, your child’s teacher may be willing to work with you. They want your child to be successful, too. This “extended” deadline allows school to fit into family and not the other way around. Use it.
5. Try a meeting-free Friday.
Get clearance from the teacher for a day to complete unfinished work without zoom calls or google meets. This has happened for all three of my children and has made a huge difference in stress levels and fights. That mental break from staring at a screen AND the opportunity to complete unfinished work has been a sanity saver. This may also be a day where independent reading can happen in a comfy spot like a bed or couch. A little reward for a week well done. Just don’t forget the timer.
6. When in doubt, call a pro.
Some kids have a special bond with their teacher. So on the days my kids are struggling, I set up a call with their teacher. Thankfully, some (saint-like) teachers are offering this on their own. Those one-on-one moments are special. After a quick hello from me, I leave the room, giving my kids privacy but still remaining within earshot. My kids have positively beamed after these calls; my kids seem revitalized and reassured. And you know what they talk about? NOT school. They talk about what’s been going on, how they are feeling, what they enjoy and what they miss. It’s a moment of normalcy and calm and love from someone they miss. I cannot recommend it enough. On my worst days when I knew I missed the mark, I reached out to the teachers. They invariably showed up and gave us all the strength to do it all again. As they do themselves, every day.
Bonus: here’s a list of resources for fun, subject-based, educational content to occupy your kids, but to also give them some space to just learn and explore without looming assignments.
Science & Math:
Explore.org app: This free app offers live cams of different habitats from around the world.
National Park Tours: Tons of national parks are offering free virtual tours to discover different habitats.
California Science Center: The California Science Center has this convenient list of easy-to-do, at-home science activities, and even offers a livestream video schedule.
Art:
You can take free, virtual tours of all of these different museums.
This free Youtube channel is a great resource for teaching kids art.
Languages
Duolingo Kids: the popular app for learning a new language has a kids version. Currently, the kids version only teaches Spanish, French, or English, but it provides a fun, gamified way to learn.
Reading & Writing
PBS: PBS Learning Media has a robust collection of early-reading resources, like videos to teach vocabulary, comprehension, and phonics. The content is free, albeit occasionally a tad dated.
ABC Mouse: Though this online learning portal also covers subject like math and science, parents particularly love their step-by-step learning paths for reading.
Harry Potter Reading Club: There’s never been a better time for kids to dive into the world of Harry Potter, so why not make it fun and educational with these reading club resources?
All subjects:
The BrainPop website has free educational videos with a short voluntary quiz at the end.
IXL: This website has all sorts of learning tools, especially for families right now. They break down their tools by subjects, skills, and grade levels, too.
Khan Academy Kids App: Made for kids ages 2-6, the Khan Academy app for kids has a bunch of fun, free educational activities for subjects like reading and math.
Vanessa Kass is a writer, teacher and mindset mentor. She lives in Connecticut with her three children, husband, and menagerie of animals. You can find more of her articles here.
