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For other jobs, like when I administered analytics servers, I had more flexibility to design my work day around the desired school schedule. These can be accessed here: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. Khan Academy Schedules for School Closures. This is a great time to have the conversation with your manager about the priorities of the work currently assigned to you, the hours they expect, or require, you to be available, and where flexibility does (and does not) exist in your schedule, workload and work-related responsibilities. When trying to decide what is best, there are always multiple considerations. ), 4) If you choose homeschooling instead of distance learning, are you fully informed of any reporting requirements, regulations, etc. Uncertainty and lack of direction and why can cause unnecessary stress and a lack of commitment. Yours will too. It is important to remain aware (and equally appreciative for any help they provide) that the schools and school districts are not required to assist homeschooling families, and that submitting an intent to withdraw (and/or an intent to homeschool) does have a direct impact on their budget, as they are funded on a per-student basis. KEY POINT: You do not have to replicate your full workday and the full school day, so give yourself a break and get rid of that expectation right away. The reality is that we need to accept that nothing is going to be perfect in this imperfect situation, so for the perfectionists out there (like myself), if we are surviving and our families are surviving, we are doing the best we can, and that is good enough. Although Im not fully convinced that this is the best approach to managing your time, the concept of Timeboxing is similar to the approach Ive recommended above. (n.d.). Homeschool Laws By State. The fourth consideration is the schedule of the subjects you have selected to teach. In my classroom, I start my classes off by having my students volunteer to Tell me something good. The good things could literally be anything, and they have ranged from I had a good breakfast this morning, to My football team won last night. If you want to add variety or switch things up a bit, the Bestow Team created a list of 30 gratitude games and activities for kids, accessible here: https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/. 5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. You can ask the school about options for continuing distance learning (if they dont already include that as an option in their fall plans). Grownandflown.com. K12. SheKnows.com. Best Kids Yoga Videos on YouTube. Without clearly defined roles and goals, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their contributions to the team and to the teams success. At those times, my kids were at the ages where they needed more hands-on help and their school workload was higher, so it worked well for us. The options are so abundant that it can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to educating their children at home. at the schools themselves, but something to be aware of when asking them for assistance of any kind. At this point, state and local boards of education are doing the best they can with the little information they have to plan for something none of us have ever had to deal with before. Accountability involves all levels, including our children consistently being held responsible for their work. We also chose to provide our girls with education regarding proper behavior online, rather than feeling the need to constantly police them and their online activities. Commitment is built on a foundation of trust and constructive conflict. What can your student do to promote these team functions also? Retrieved March 16, 2020, from, Zao-Sanders, Marc. Bauer, S. W. (2016). Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. The standard subjects tend to include math, language arts, science, history or social studies, art, technology, health, physical education, and music. Our girls were homeschooled since Kindergarten, and I chose materials for each individual subject for each girl, and planned the curriculum and lesson plans myself throughout this entire time. Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic. The shoulder bag features a matching handle and a gold top zipper that opens to a compact beige interior. that you will be bound by? Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. They already do for other meetings and for lunch, right? You can choose to homeschool your children with you being the primary teacher (as opposed to distance-learning where you are assisting your children with work assigned by their teacher). Smoothing the transition in our new reality. A great list of them compiled by STEAMsational is accessible here: https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/. Instead of trying to convince your kids why they should be quiet and calm during your conference calls and hoping for the best, you might try giving them specific activities to keep them busy during these times. There are a few things to consider. For example, one was created by E. Gilliam, and is accessible here: https://www.conferencecallbingo.net/blog with the printable version accessible directly here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0. Its important that parents, educators and administrators clearly define what the goals are and monitor progress toward those goals. The key is not to be happy or unhappy about the approaches, but to be informed. Hopefully, you have found this content helpful, and are on your way to planning a (relativelythey are our awesome kids, after all) calm, fun and enjoyable adventure educating your children at home while working. To step back and take a look at what this truly means, it is helpful to have a lens through which to view this team and the relationships and responsibilities of the members of the team. The most effective approach I found was to create a basket of schoolwork for the toddler and let her choose her schoolwork from the basket. Thats all any of us can do, and the only way we are going to figure out what will work is for everyone to be comfortable communicating and providing constructive feedback when things are not working. We cannot control what this pandemic has become or is about to become or the ripple effects it may cause. Hardware: Protective plastic sticker(s) intact. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input. Greater Good Magazine. All movies, for example, have ratings from Common Sense Media, as well as a kids rating and a parents rating, but even more helpful are the details provided by Common Sense Media behind their specific rating. (n.d.2). In sports psychology, life coaching and other venues recently, youve likely heard the term locus of control or phrases like control the controllables. Situations like the pandemic we are currently experiencing bring to light the true meaning of these phrases, as there is so much that is truly out of our control. For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. Scholastic Learn at Home. Harvard Business Review. Coronavirus Closed Schools: 27 Activities to Keep Kids Busy During School Closures. No one knows what the right answer is to any question or problem right now, BUT, we can all try things, fail, get back up, and try something else. This includes finding appropriate websites, movies, games, and applications, teaching your children about online safety and digital citizenship, and knowing how to distinguish between free, safe content and free, unsafe content. There are so many options available to teach every subject, and many are free. It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). When I started homeschooling and working from home, we had one preschooler and one toddler. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, Common Sense Media (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, Connectiond Academy. You are the parent, and you know what is best for your children. You can research options for full-time online schooling, which some states offer for free (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2018). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, Common Sense Media. With the quick pivot to distance learning in the spring, and the large disparities with technology access and related issues, the schools and districts are still working to get some students caught up on their work from the spring. For gratitude, an easy option to start your day would be to talk about three good or positive things. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list.) You can make, download and print your own bingo card at sites like BingoBaker, accessible here: https://bingobaker.com/ Yet another alternative is to keep your call off speaker, but let your kids mark off the square on the bingo, and you tell them when the criteria has been met. State Virtual Schools. (2020). (The first is required if choosing homeschooling and not purchasing a pre-packaged curriculum or enrolling your children in a full-time online school. Your next steps are: 1) Identify the age groups of the children you are educating and whether they need to be planned separately or if the plan and content can be the same. RETURNS: Yes! With everyone rushing around trying to figure out what they are going to do for the fall, it is important to also pause, step back, and consider how the plans you make for the fall fit into your future educational plans. (n.d.). The second option is for grades 6-8, called Digital Compass, which is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. You will need to determine, based on the number and ages of children, your work schedule, and any other constraints, what subjects you want to teach and can manage to do so with minimal stress. Almost three years later, I can tell you that it was the right choice for both of them, without a doubt. (n.d.). I was in the same situation as many of you, having to figure out what to do to keep the toddler busy while working with the preschooler. There are actually more options than you would think, and you are your and your childrens best advocate. Item(s) must be postmarked within thirty (30) days of the purchase date. Just take one step at a time and focus on one goal at a time. To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/, CRHE. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals. An alternative is to make your own bingo card that might be more age-appropriate, like one with silly words or um and uh, for example, that might be easy for little ones to pick up on during the call. SheKnows.com. If yours has not done so, or you would like to supplement the work provided to your kids, there are many approaches to doing so. How might this impact your childs motivation to do their schoolwork? The first consideration is the age levels you are teaching. Just take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time you have with your kids, because they really do grow up so fast, and this pandemic and chaos will eventually pass. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. Roblox. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, Common Sense Media. Florida is more strict, but does have umbrella schools that allow for smoother navigation of the requirements. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. How Timeboxing Works and Why it Will Make You More Productive. This is not true, legally. If you want to really make it fun and engaging with everyone involved, you or the meeting organizer can make up a bingo card and send it out to everyone on the call. These options are completed at a time and location of your convenience and have assigned teachers for all classes, as well as providing official transcripts and grades, just like on-ground/in-person school options. It is important to be fully informed of all legal and regulatory requirements prior to making your choice, so that you are making a fully-informed choice. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, The new challenge to keep the kids occupied during conference calls is: FORT MAKING!!! Common Sense Media provides two different options for digital citizenship education. Considerations for Schools. What is Montessori Education? Carter, Christine. (Parents, dont be jealousyou can make forts, tooand even take your conference call from inside your fort, if you want to.). 2) Identify the subjects you would like to teach each of the children. This is when choosing distance learning through the school, working with the school on curriculum or even taking advantage of optional portfolio reviews, or employing a certified teacher in a pandemic pod could work out better than doing what we did with creating a custom curriculum. (2020). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Khan Academy. Also, be sure that you are fully informed about what activities are offered or not offered for any who opt into remote or distance learning through the school, as this likely differs on a district by district or school by school basis. There are many options for finding safe content online for kids. (These are usually set at the state-level and enforced at the district or school-level. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. (n.d.). Parents need to be able to bring concerns to educators and administrators when things arent working for them and their children. There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, in general, but especially with working and homeschooling. The third consideration is the mode you wish to use to teach the subjects you have selected. (n.d.). As parents, educators, and administrators, (and our children) we are all part of a team with a common goal of ensuring that our children are safe, cared for, and that their learning is promoted and supported in all ways possible. (2019). The CRHE and HSLDA do a great job of keeping up with the current state regulations and how they are implemented (along with your legal rights and options as a homeschooler) (CRHE, n.d.; HSLDA, n.d.). For those that had more meetings than others, I allocated the time for the meetings first, and then figured out what schoolwork I could fit in. (2020). What Ill provide below is a brief overview of some of the options for planning the work, starting with four considerations for doing so. The two most commonly tested subjects in standardized testing tend to be math and language arts, so when we homeschooled, we put the most emphasis on these two subjects, integrating the others as appropriate and as possible. Express & International shipping prices are determined by item size & destination so please add this to your cart and refer to our shipping page for a specific price quote. The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. For states who are planning in-person school options, many are still providing distance learning as an option, and homeschooling is always an additional option. (n.d.). ), 2) Do you (and your student) want the ability or option to participate in after school activities? Weathering the Storm. Common Sense Media. How We Rate and Review. A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time. What if schools are opened in a virtual-only format to start the school year and transition to blended or alternating schedule formats, or even full capacity later in the school year? Shipping includes: Insurance, signature confirmation, and top quality packaging. Literally blocking it off on your calendar and communicating your schedule with your bosses and colleagues will make sure you are all on the same page and that everyone will respect that time. In all honesty, because we got sick of answering the question of Can we watch? questions, we came up with a specific rule to guide their choices. In these times, I found educational videos that could fill the spaces, where my children could still be learning, but I was able to focus on the meetings and my work. You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. A big lesson learned in this transition is that no matter what homeschool curriculum you choose, there will be differences in what they learn there and what is covered in the public school curriculum, thus, some material will be repeated and there will be gaps to be filled in other places. FASHIONPHILE is not affiliated with 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. Looking at these from a more positive lens, as opposed to negatively identifying them as dysfunctions, the list of what teams need to thrive include: The foundation of working together as a group, especially in a stressful, unclear, unpredictable situation like remote learning during a global pandemic, is trust. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/content/orgs/, K12.com. Think about other ways that you can work to promote trust, constructive conflict, commitment, accountability, and attention to results as part of your students learning team and pick one item to focus on at a time. If this was or is you, trust me, you are not alone. A visual representation of the five dysfunctions Lencioni identifies is shown below. Focusonthefamily.com. What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? How might it impact their learning? Or, are you not comfortable sending your children to school at all until there is a vaccine, for example? I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)! If you are teaching one child, you can skip this section. Why not act like the dedicated school time is just another meeting? The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, Bestow. Below, I will provide a few options and considerations for finding content for your children that is age-appropriate and safe for them, as well as being safe for you and your computer. Trust that everyone is working toward a common goal, for example, is one type of trust. Its important to have an honest conversation with your family and make the decision that is best for you, and to communicate that through these surveys. (This is in no way intended to imply that they wont help you, since we have always experienced the exact opposite, especially when in direct contact with teachers, administrators, etc. Welltrainedmind.com. One way to focus and be able to sift through all of the options is to decide what modes you wish to use to teach each of the subjects you selected, and limit your searches to the selected mode for each subject. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). This stylish shoulder bag is beautifully crafted of soft woven lambskin leather in beige. To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues.