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Teaching your child at home


8 Tips From an Elementary School Teacher on Teaching Your Kids at Home

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Rachel Beaton

2020-03-31T13:15:00Z

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Rachel Beaton and her husband. Courtesy of Rachel Beaton
  • Rachel Beaton is a third grade elementary school teacher, and after having her third child in June 2019, she began a full year of maternity leave.
  • The coronavirus outbreak has caused schools across the country to shut down, and Beaton has developed tips to be productive and have fun while teaching her kids at home.
  • As a teacher, Beaton stresses the importance of having a schedule, setting daily expectations, and being understanding to your children's emotions.
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My husband and I had our third child last June.  The wonderful school where I teach third grade granted me a full year of maternity leave. Our two older children are 7 and 5, so they had been at school while I was enjoying a leisurely home stay with the baby.  People had been saying to me all year, "Three kids! I don't know how you do it." Every time I replied, "I'm very lucky; there's no way I could do this if they were all home."

Cue: Foreboding music. Enter stage left: COVID-19.

To be clear, we're privileged even in the current circumstances. My husband has a secure job, we're all currently healthy, we have food and a place to live. Sure, we have to take care of three children in our apartment for an undetermined amount of time, but who's here to take care of them? Their parent, who has two education degrees, an impressive history of being able to corral children in various situations, and just happens to be on maternity leave. Not to mention, her sister (a beloved librarian) is also staying with them. Windfall!

Since we have the luxury of not having to worry about necessities, I've had more time to think (stress) about other things. When it became apparent that I was really going to be caring for three children within a confined space for possibly months, I went with my first instinct honed from years of teaching: I made a schedule.

I've been planning, prepping, and instructing. We've read books, written letters, and played math games. We've had socially distant morning walks and drawn with chalk on the roof. We've had video chats with family, and ample amounts of screen time. This has all been possible because I'm not currently working, and we just started distance learning with their teachers, which means we have even more support.

This all sounds pretty rosy, and, in many ways, it is. I've gotten to know my kids as learners. I've been able to spend some much needed quality time with them, and they have had more time with each other. We have yet to have more than three major quarrels in a day, thanks to bribery! So you may be surprised that the other day when a friend asked how I was doing, I said, "It's like I've been training my whole life for this. And then someone asked me to do it while holding a baby."

I am sure that there are people who are reading this thinking, "Why doesn't she just let it go? Just relax without worrying about a schedule!" I wish that I could do that — I wish that it worked for me and for my kids. But it doesn't. It is better for our family to have an imperfect day attempting to follow a schedule than no schedule at all, and that's okay.

Flexibility and differentiation are key in the classroom, and they're also key at home. There's room for us all to parent the way that works for our nuclear unit to prevent things from going … well … nuclear.

These are my top tips for how to manage your kids at home.

1. Make a schedule

A schedule creates expectations throughout the day. Maskot/Getty

It doesn't matter if your schedule is all academics all the time or barely glances at a book. Kids benefit from knowing what to expect throughout the day.

2. Have a morning meeting

Get the whole family on the same page. Alena Ozerova/Shutterstock

Morning meeting is a staple of classrooms across the country and is a great time to go over the schedule of the day, discuss the weather, talk about how the day before went, and remind kids of any behavior management plan you've created. Which brings me to my next point ...

3. Create a behavior management plan

Have a system that your children can follow. Ariel Skelley/Getty Images

It can be logical consequences that enforce themselves, positive praise, a points system, or really any system that allows kids to reflect on positive and negative behaviors.

4. Provide a model

Schedule time to work on school assignments. Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images

Whether or not your kids are working on math or working on sharing the couch while watching a movie, I have found that success is much more likely if you show kids what you expect from them.  Show them how to play a board game without arguing. Write an example of what a paragraph should look like. 

5. Reach out to teacher friends or use the internet

Don't be afraid to reach out to your children's teachers. djile/Shutterstock

If you need help understanding the academics that your kid is working on, reach out to their school or find online resources. 

6.

Feed and water your kids often

Make time to cook together. Dreet Production/Getty Images

Kids are infinitely better able to self regulate when their blood sugar is level and they are hydrated.  We're keeping water within reach at all times and granola bars on standby.

 

7. Honor kids' feelings

Understand that your kids are going through a challenging time as well. GagliardiImages/Shutterstock

This is a time of immense change and they are going to struggle. We instituted a new family rule — anyone can ask for a hug at any time and it will be delivered post-haste by as many people as are in the vicinity.

 

8. Be kind to yourself

Not everything will go smoothly, and that's okay. Justin Sullivan / Staff / Getty Images

There is no other job besides teaching where you receive performance feedback on a constant basis. It's okay to decamp to the bathroom for phone time or to plop the kids in front of the TV for however long you need to reboot.  Are the kids relatively happy, safe, and fed? You're doing a great job, and they're lucky to have you!

This has been an incredibly difficult time for so many. I'm worried about our healthcare system and what this means for the national economy and the  individuals who've lost their jobs. I mourn for the people who have gotten sick and those who have lost their lives. I worry about my family members who are high risk.  I am fortunate to have someplace productive to channel my energy into — nurturing my children's academic and emotional growth — and the time to do this. It is an opportunity for me, both as a teacher and as a parent.  How can I strengthen my bond with my kids while also practicing self-care? How can I use my knowledge as an educator to continue to foster my kids' love of learning during this challenging time? How can I find time to go to the bathroom and eat lunch without all three children winding up in a pileup with the baby on the bottom? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I do know snack time is at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. 

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Features coronavirus home school

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Teaching your kids from home offers opportunities

May 05, 2020

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — As a parent you likely never planned to be a teacher, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, you are teaching your children at home. And even with the help and materials provided by teachers and schools, homeschooling can sometimes seem overwhelming.

Christie McIntyre, associate professor in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Education wants to reassure parents to relax and know you’re probably doing a lot better job than you think.

 “Enjoy this time with your children,” she said. “Often, we take the time we spend with our children for granted. Just by being engaged in life and talking to your children and explaining things to them, you’re teaching them. ”

McIntyre offers some tips to help finish out the school year and for summer months, too.

Learning doesn’t always mean pen and paper

“Use your everyday moments as teachable moments,” McIntyre said. “Why not take the opportunity to point out the sounds, colors, shapes and sights around us and engage about them? There are learning opportunities all around us if we look for them. Be intentional.”

She offers a few ideas:

  • Have a home scavenger hunt, asking the kids to find items of different shapes or colors.
  • Let them help with the cooking or cook as is age appropriate. As they do, talk with them about measuring, nutrition, chemical reactions involved in the cooking process and other things that are happening right then. Even seeing cubes of ice melting in a glass offers the chance to discuss the three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas.
  • Get the kids involved in everyday life. Have them help make the shopping list. They can learn about cooking, work on their reading and math skills and maybe even do some price comparison shopping, too.
  • With all that’s happening now, kids are hearing at least bits and pieces about the virus, so make their learning experience relevant and meaningful. It’s a great time to find age-appropriate ways to teach them about germs and the respiratory system and how to stay healthy without making them fearful. For instance, they can create a model of working lungs with straws and balloons. Even young children can have fun and learn by making a human body with cotton swab bones and felt or playdough body parts. Older kids can recreate a DNA model with licorice, mini-marshmallows and toothpicks. Pinterest is a great resource for educational models and ideas.

Keep a routine

Even with the world being upside down now, structure is still important, McIntyre said. Set up a schedule for each day’s “home school.”

Research has shown people tend to be more focused and productive in the morning hours, so if possible, plan more sit-down school work during the morning hours. And remember to keep in mind the attention spans that children based on their ages. Even adults have a hard time staying focused and attentive for more than 45 minutes at a time, she notes. The younger the child, the shorter the attention span.

McIntyre has been having online learning sessions with her nephew, age 4, and niece, age 7, in Ireland. After a few minutes, they take a fun break; it assures everyone stays engaged and challenged.

While a schedule and consistency is important, so is flexibility, she said.

Take advantage of resources

There are a multitude of resources available to help, McIntyre said. She said the Library of Congress is a virtual treasure trove of information, and the Smithsonian Institution offers online podcasts, events, exhibitions, tours, animal webcams and other things. SIU’s Morris Library provides access to help and resources through Ask a Librarian, too.

Numerous other companies are offering free online educational activities and resources, as well, especially at this time.

McIntyre also said she finds the Khan Academy helpful, particularly for those who need assistance or a refresher when assisting older children with math and science.

“Don’t be embarrassed to reach out to teachers and ask for help, too,” McIntyre said. “They have resources and information to help.”

Involve your circle

If you can, get other people – grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and other relatives – involved in your children’s learning circle. McIntyre has two young grandchildren in Denver, and she and her husband are part of a group of family and friends who take turns reading stories to them. Some of the readers even get in character and dress up for their roles.

It’s easy to let children grab their computer, tablet or phone and while the day away but McIntyre suggests that parents limit screen time and be aware of what their children are seeing and doing.

“Not everything they are reading or seeing is educational,” she said. “Be a consumer with your child.”

Making learning fun

Children are used to active learning, even in the classroom, McIntyre said, so asking them to sit still for hours simply isn’t natural. Don’t fight their attention spans. Make learning fun. Build in songs and games. She offers other tips:

  • Be aware of the language you use with kids and use plenty of adjectives, especially with younger children.
  • Children love the unexpected. It doesn’t have to be huge and exciting. Read to them or listen to them read. Wear a different hat every day. Walk like an animal. Create free cycle/recycled art. Take a nature walk.
  • Be sure to build in time for children to play within the day, too. Schedule Zoom, Skype or Facetime with their friends.

How to organize home schooling for a child

How to teach a child at home

Home schooling or family education is one of the forms of education in the Russian Federation established by law, in which a student receives knowledge in a family and is attached to a school only for the period of certification .

Homeschooling should not be confused with homeschooling, a way of organizing the learning process for children who cannot attend school for health reasons.

How to start homeschooling

To start teaching your child at home instead of school, you need:

  1. Notify the local education authorities. You can apply to transfer to homeschooling in person, by mail, or online.
  2. Drop out of school. Bring an application to the school about the transition to a family form of education and pick up the child's documents: a personal file, certificates of education and certification. They will be needed to attach to another school for passing intermediate certifications.
  3. Select a school for assessments. She must have a license for educational activities and state accreditation, and the charter necessarily fixes the possibility of enrolling external students. For your convenience, it would be better to choose a school with the possibility of remote certification. It is also recommended to conclude an attestation agreement with the school that regulates the dates, form and procedure for passing attestations in each subject.

For a detailed guide to transitioning to family education with samples of required documents, see here

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How to organize homeschooling

After all the formalities are settled, the most important thing remains: to decide how to organize the learning process at home. There are several models of organizing family education, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, which can be combined with each other:

  • Parent-teacher. Teaching a child on your own, you are free to choose any program and teaching method, besides, you do not have to pay for the work of specialists. However, teaching a child at home requires a lot of time from parents, competence in all school subjects and developed pedagogical skills.
  • Tutoring services. Qualified teachers in individual lessons are able to give the child a quality education. The downside is that the services of good tutors are not cheap.
  • Online school. Distance learning allows you to solve a whole range of problems. Studying in an online school, the child receives systematic school knowledge in all school subjects with minimal participation of parents. In addition, you can study on the Web at any time and from anywhere in the world - you only need access to the Internet. Education in online schools is paid, but it is cheaper than hiring tutors for each subject.

Whichever way you choose to teach your child at home, try to adhere to the following guidelines.

Tip 1. Keep your child's interest

Home education requires parents to be responsible for their children's knowledge. Mom and dad should be ready to answer questions and understand complex topics. You can’t blame tutors or send your child to Google. At the same time, to teach a child at home, it is not necessary to be an expert in all areas. All that is needed is a broad outlook and a willingness to deepen knowledge as necessary.

Try to stimulate your child's natural curiosity.

Refresh your school curriculum as you transition to homeschooling. To do this, you may have to leave your comfort zone, overcome boredom and fear of unloved objects. To make it easier, refer not to textbooks, but to popular science books and films.

Sergei Didyk, father of two children in family education, shares his experience: “You can adjust the educational process to the abilities, opportunities, interests of the child, and even the current situation in the family. You can adjust the depth and speed of mastering the subject: what the child is most interested in is studied in detail;

Tip 2. Don't try to be a multi-subject

The thought of teaching a child at home causes some adults to panic. Sophia Pascal, the mother of a student at Foxford Home School, admitted this in an interview: “Despite the fact that I had a living example of homeschooling before my eyes (the children of my friend were at family school), I was still scared. What if I can’t explain something, and my daughter will have a gap in knowledge?

But a parent who decides to organize homeschooling does not have to turn into a multi-subject teacher. Professionals should explain and work out new material. For example, at the Foxford home online school, classes according to the school curriculum are taught by strong teachers, and the courses are aimed at obtaining systemic knowledge.

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The mission of parents is to guide and stir up interest in learning. Take your child to a museum or workshop to visualize the theory learned in class. Visit the performance and look at the read work in a new way. Conduct a science experiment if the topic is difficult.

Tip 3. Teach your children to be independent

Home schooling is impossible without the child's readiness for self-education. A younger student can be helped to enter the learning rhythm, sit in online lessons to show how to write notes, or sometimes help with homework.

The older the student, the more he has to study himself. In primary grades, the share of independent work can be about 60%, but by the eighth grade it should approach one hundred percent. From grades 7-8, it is worth connecting only when force majeure occurs. Adolescents are quite capable of independently mastering the material and passing certification. And to make it easier for him, teach your child to complete tasks according to the planned plan and focus on one type of activity for 30-40 minutes, followed by breaks for 5-10 minutes. Help him develop a note-taking system and show him the basic ways of remembering information.

Foxford student Platon Biryukov shared his ways of self-organization in an interview: “In order to organize everything, I write a plan for the week and for every day. I set a bunch of alarms a day - they call for every lesson. It helps to keep yourself in working condition. Here you have an hour, and you spend it completely on your studies, and then do what you want.

Tip 4. Don't go overboard

It's natural for children to be drawn to knowledge. Usually parents do not need to do anything special - it is enough to stimulate interest in the sciences from time to time.

Children cannot sit idle, but this does not mean that any activity should be educational. Do not get hung up on the benefits (if the game, then developing, if the film, then cognitive). In the life of a child there should be a place for "stupid" games and short-term idleness. After the rest, he is more willing to return to his studies.

If the desire to learn has already been undermined, then the reasons should be looked for, first of all, in intra-family relations.

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Tip 5. Focus on quality

The point system is designed for collaborative classroom learning. With an individual approach, assessments, as a rule, do not work.

At the initial stages of homeschooling, it is important that the child seeks to understand the topic, and not to get an A. In high school, when the exam looms on the horizon, the teenager himself will begin to work on the numbers. Foxford graduate Ilya Bakurov argues that cramming is a waste of time: “You should not perceive study as exhausting work or some kind of duty. Actually, it's fun. You just need to realize what you are working for. Bringing a “five” to mom and dad is a so-so motivator. There must be a personal serious goal.

Measure success at home with quality indicators. The criteria can be reading fluency, accuracy of mathematical operations, writing literacy, and so on. Such a rating system focuses the child on the real result, and not its imitation.

A truly fruitful study never stops. If your child is constantly returning to their activities throughout the day - talking to their parents, playing or creating - then your homeschooling experience is going well and you are doing everything right.

Types of family education, how to organize a child's education at home

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What is home education

Home education is education in which the child does not go to school, but studies at home. According to the law, two forms of education are possible in Russia: in educational institutions and in the family.

In the latter case, the responsibility for the quality of knowledge and the successful completion of intermediate assessments lies with the parents. The child independently masters the general education program using textbooks, with the help of parents and tutors, or studying in online schools. Since most of the learning process takes place at home, family education has become synonymous with home education.

Home schooling should not be confused with home schooling. The latter is a forced measure when, due to serious illnesses, children cannot attend school. A home-schooled child stays at the same school that he went to before: he studies according to the same program and adheres to the certification schedule. Lessons are taught by teachers who come home, and if the child has the opportunity and desire, he can attend part of the lessons at school.

The reasons for switching to family education can be different: low quality of schooling, tense psychological atmosphere in the classroom, the desire to preserve the health of the child and avoid excessive stress, the ability to combine schooling and, for example, a sports or music career, and others.

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How to organize homeschooling

Method #1. Teach your child yourself

Many parents live by the principle “If you want to do something well, do it yourself”. And having taken the child from the traditional public school, mom and dad begin to teach the child of science themselves.

Advantages of this type of education
  • An opportunity to get to know your child better. Parents themselves are engaged in the education of the child, constantly analyze his progress and know what he is interested in and what he is good at. This may be useful in choosing a future profession.
  • Opportunity for self-development. Remembering the school curriculum, the parent not only trains memory, but can also discover a lot of new things.
  • Economy. There is no need to spend money on “school fees”, only funds are required to purchase some educational materials. Also in a number of regions compensation for family education is provided.
Cons
  • Difficulties in explaining all school subjects. If the basics of mathematics and the Russian language are available to every parent, then what about the more complex curriculum of middle and high school? Chemistry, physics, computer science - some topics are difficult even to understand for yourself, not to mention explaining to a child.
  • Difficulties with intermediate certifications. Any exam is a format. A parent, unlike a professional teacher, may not know the nuances of preparing for certain screening tests.
  • Risk of conflict. Constant supervision can undermine trust between you and the child.
  • It will take a long time . Preparing for several subjects, selecting teaching materials, checking homework - all this requires a lot of time. Organizing homeschooling on your own is a difficult and troublesome business that can lead to emotional burnout.

Option 2. Tutors

Tutoring at home is usually organized in the child's or teacher's home. But in recent years, online lessons via videoconferencing have been increasingly practiced.

Advantages of this type of training
  • Individual approach. The tutor can adapt to the personal characteristics of the student and offer the appropriate material.
  • There is no judgment from classmates. Even if a student does not succeed in something, it will not become a tragedy for him and a reason for neurosis.
  • Solving specific educational problems. For example, a tutor can help prepare for the Olympiad or the OGE and the Unified State Examination.
Cons
  • Lack of strong teachers. The market for tutoring services is saturated, but finding a really good subject teacher is difficult.
  • Cost . The services of a good specialist are in demand and are expensive. Hiring tutors for even a few core subjects can have a big impact on the family budget.
  • The need to adapt to the schedule of teachers. Good professionals are very popular. Finding a “window” can be difficult, and activities during the day can be distributed inconveniently.

Method #3: Online learning

Online education allows you to study from anywhere in the world using a computer or even a smartphone. Let's consider how this happens on the example of Foxford's home online school. Online classes are held on a special platform: students connect to the site from their homes, and the teacher is in the classroom. During the lesson, you can ask questions - there is a special chat for this. You can review any lesson again.

Pluses
  • Quality of education. The teachers of the Foxford home online school are representatives of the best Russian universities, members of the jury of competitions, authors of textbooks, experts of the OGE and the Unified State Examination.
  • Individual approach. Foxford home online school students can develop in the chosen direction, six individual educational routes have been developed for this: mathematical, physical and mathematical, humanitarian and linguistic, technological, natural sciences, social and humanitarian.
  • Free time for parents. By entrusting the education of the child to professionals, mom and dad will not be able to immerse themselves in the study of educational programs, features of certification and testing.
  • Help with student progress. This function in Foxford's home online school is assisted by mentors who monitor the progress of students and give advice on how to improve the effectiveness of learning.
  • Convenient schedule. At Foxford Home School, classes start no earlier than 10 am, which allows even avid night owls to get enough sleep. A video with classes can be watched not only at the time of the event, but at any time of the day.
  • Possibility to combine school with extracurricular activities. Online learning enables young athletes and artists to combine school and hobbies. At Foxford Home Online School, the workload is almost half that of a regular school, since the classes are very informative and there are no unnecessary electives.
  • Socialization. A convenient schedule allows the child to see friends at any time. The circle of acquaintances expands during face-to-face and online events that Foxford Home School holds for students.
Cons
  • Opinion of others. Online school is a young format for Russia. For many people, it causes fear and is associated with the thoughtless viewing of videos on the Internet. It is worth having patience and a set of arguments in favor of home distance learning.
  • Cost. Online education, like tutors and private schools, is paid. But sometimes it can help save money. For example, on the purchase of textbooks - in the Foxford home online school, electronic manuals are issued free of charge.
  • Responsibility. The child will have to move from external motivation to internal, based on the desire to learn new things. Taking responsibility for the educational process can be difficult not only for children, but also for adults.

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Which method of homeschooling to choose

When choosing a form of homeschooling, it is necessary to take into account the reasons that made you think about leaving school, as well as the characteristics of the child. Here are the main pros and cons of all types and ways of studying at home.

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