Schools here in Ohio have been closed for almost a month now due to the Coronavirus. It has been a transition for a lot of people and we are all trying to adjust. We are all out of our normal routines and schedules that we are used to following. I love being home and teaching my kids, but they are getting frustrated with me because that is not how their teachers have taught them. We are trying to find an equal balance between their teacher’s teaching skills and mine. I have come up with some tips and tricks on how to make homeschooling a lot easier.
Successful Homeschool Tips
Tip #1: Not every child is learning the same
I have three kids. They are in third grade, first grade, and kindergarten. They all learn differently. My third grader really needs me to slow down when I talk to her about what needs to be done. I need to write down a list that she can check off as she completes the task. My other two kids I can just tell them what they need to get done for the day and they do it. Just know that not every child is going to learn the same and you may have to do different approaches with them to be successful. There is no point in getting upset with your child and/or accuse them of not paying attention or not listening if that is just not their approach of learning style. There teachers have already gone through this at the beginning of the year and figured out each child’s learning approach. It is time that you do the same.
Tip #2: Provide a space for your child to learn
At school your child has a desk to sit at to learn all day. The same needs to apply when you homeschool your children. You need to provide the same space for your child at home. You can’t expect your child to learn the same way at school at home sitting on the couch in front of the tv. You just need to have a table and chair for your child sit at.
Tip #3: Free Online Learning Programs
Your child’s teacher should provide work for your child to learn from. There are tons of free online programs that you can find online as well. One of the big ones that is popular here is prodigy and there are tons of games on there for different age levels. Just google ones in your area to find more. There are also tons of read alouds for your child to hear if they aren’t experts with reading on their own. You can also youtube most things if you’re in need of help explaining math a certain way. Tons of free information online.
Tip #4: Use household items to count
If you are needing to help with math, find items around the house to help count. My kindergartner is learning how to add and subtract. Since I started to homeschool my kids we use cheerios to help solve math problems. You can also have your child stop and take a quick snack too! Go outside and collect rocks, sticks, flowers, etc. and use those to count and do math outdoors. You can do countless things indoors and outdoors that pertain to math. Make it fun.
Tip #5: Take a break!
It is important to remember to take a break while doing school work. Doing homeschool isn’t easy and a break is neccessary. Have your child complete an assignment or subject and go take a 15 minute break. It helps your child and yourself not get overwhelmed. I also will take a break between kids too. I work with one child and get them completed and then take a little mommy break before I start the next child. I also don’t want to be overwhelmed trying to help my first grader because I just sat down for an hour helping my third grader do her math homework.