Either way, some people are going to be happy and some unhappy, regardless of the plan or approach that is taken. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions. 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. 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. Roblox. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/. 2) Identify the subjects you would like to teach each of the children. Best Kids Yoga Videos on YouTube. Welltrainedmind.com. For parents looking online for content for their children, who may not be familiar with different websites, movies or apps, or unsure how to tell what might be safe or age-appropriate, this post is for you. ), 3) Do you think you might want to send your students back to school in person either some time this year or in future years? ), So, with this conflicting guidance and information, what should you do? Many other options exist, just be sure that you are accessing them through sites that you trust. Organizing any extra items needed (for science experiments, for example) over the weekend for the entire week will also help make your work/homeschool days flow much smoother. 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. 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. (n.d.). The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input. Making sure others respect your time is actually easier than it might seem at first. (2019). SheKnows.com. Small wins go a long way. Almost three years later, I can tell you that it was the right choice for both of them, without a doubt. The third consideration is the mode you wish to use to teach the subjects you have selected. There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, in general, but especially with working and homeschooling. 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.). There are also many online tours of national parks, zoos, and aquariums. If you are teaching more than one child, you will need to decide, based on their ages, maturity levels and possibly reading levels, whether you need to plan separate work for each, or whether you can plan once and have them all working on the same work. Calling it schoolwork for the toddler made her feel like she was getting to do something cool that her big sister was doing, while really just doing what she would have been anyway. 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. You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. If your student is overloaded with work, have them work with their teachers and administrators to request extensions or accommodations where needed. It is nice to have a separate table, countertop, or other area that you could leave your work out on all the time, but in most cases, this is not an option. If you are teaching one child, you can skip this section. (n.d.). You can then try to save each others sanity by intermittently saying or doing the things you know are on the card, so that everyone has a chance to keep their kids engaged, but quiet (because shhhwe have to hear what is going on, so we dont miss out on a bingo square!). The first major hurdle for the transition was figuring out what grade they should be in. More details about the rating systems used for the Common Sense Media ratings can be found here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings. 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. (n.d.). Before you start, identify an award they will earn if you get a bingo and/or if they black out the entire card by meeting the criteria of each bingo square on the entire bingo card. (n.d.). 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. 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. Remember the CDC guidelines and be innovative in your organization and space planning. These are all considerations when building a foundation of trust in a remote or distance learning team with all parties involved. When we homeschooled, for earlier years, where I had many conference calls, and the kids were younger, we used videos for most of the elective subjects and studied each subject almost every day. Yes, movies sometimes work, but how about something possibly more fun (for you and for them)? When trying to decide what is best, there are always multiple considerations. ), As you think through the answers to these questions and others, I would like to share about our personal experience with the transition from homeschool to public school in Connecticut only a few years ago. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites. Making it clear that it was a big kid privilege to sit at the table with us to work on schoolwork was also helpful in motivating (relatively) quiet focus. No year, and no day, to be honest, looked the same for us, even when I tried to plan it to be the same, and my kids turned out just fine. (n.d.). Connections Academy. The second option is for grades 6-8, called Digital Compass, which is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass. For example, Connecticut only requires a notice of withdrawal, legally, but does recommend (only a recommendation, not a legal requirement) a notice of intent to homeschool and portfolio review. Trust that everyone is working toward a common goal, for example, is one type of trust. The first consideration is the age levels you are teaching. Greater Good Magazine. So, what options are there? It is also an opportunity for us to find ways for our kids to help around the house and to teach them new life skills that are no longer taught in schools. schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? The ability to have an open and honest discussion with their teacher, administrator, or even boss, is a skill that will only help them in their future. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?. Uncertainty and lack of direction and why can cause unnecessary stress and a lack of commitment. You dont have to wait until plans for the fall are released to figure out what you are comfortable (and not comfortable) with. 3) Clear out, setup and organize your dedicated storage area for your schoolwork and related supplies. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list.) Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. Common Sense Media. ), 2) Do you (and your student) want the ability or option to participate in after school activities? Why not act like the dedicated school time is just another meeting? For example, if you choose to homeschool or opt for distance learning to start with in the fall, will you want to send your children back to school (this year or in the future)? 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. While I worked and homeschooled, I had a variety of types of jobs, all technical/knowledge-working jobs, some with more flexibility than others. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/, CRHE. Either way, you will need to allocate time for schooling for your children and for your work. 2) Block off the appropriate time for schoolwork on your work calendar and communicate these expectations to your manager and coworkers. Common Sense Media provides two different options for digital citizenship education. 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 16, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, Common Misconceptions about Working and Homeschooling, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/, https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers, https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_school_closures_can_strengthen_your_family, https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive. 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. While you are working on a schedule more customized to you, your kids and your work schedule, two companies, Khan Academy and Scholastic, have recently provided lesson plans and activities free for children who are now staying home due to school closings. 4) *BONUS* You can also take an inventory of what you have for school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue, scizzors, stapler, tape, whole punch, etc.). (n.d.). (n.d.). Find a fort posted by someone else and draw a picture of their fort and estimate how many people you think could fit in their fort. 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. Its also important to understand what is and what is not likely to happen in the next year curriculum and academic-wise and how that might impact you and your children. A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time. Awake and Mindful. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, Digital Learning Collaborative. You can use an existing bingo card, plenty of which are posted for free online. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, Earthcam. Make a fort out of anything you like (Amazon boxes, sheets, blankets, etc.). While we await final proposals for opening of schools in the fall from states and local districts, we are all asking what if? What if schools open as usual in the fall at full capacity? 3) Identify the delivery mode you want to use for each subject and each child. Commitment is built on a foundation of trust and constructive conflict. When I started homeschooling and working from home, we had one preschooler and one toddler. Scholastic Learn at Home. They had to tell us the recommended ages by Common Sense Media, parents and kids and were only allowed to watch movies, play games or download/use apps that were 2 years over the lowest age recommended out of the three. You can ask the school about options for continuing distance learning (if they dont already include that as an option in their fall plans). (Dont forget to include what you used to keep your fort together tape, staples, clothes pins, etc. 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. Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. Attention to results is the top and smallest portion of the pyramid. With some states canceling in-person schooling for the rest of the academic year and others extending the closures for additional time periods or indefinitely, but messages coming from politicians that we need to re-open the country, we are in a state of wait and see. 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. 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. 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. Coronavirus (COVID-19). In fact, they have created a launch page for the current times, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, Common Sense Media. While the kids play, you can plan your day(s). Bauer, S. W. (2016). Many parents are waiting for the school or school district to provide the details of the lessons your children will be assigned while they are out of school. While you are on a conference call today, have your kids stand next to your whiteboard or sit next to you coloring or doing some additional activity, and work with them to complete a bingo card based on what is said or done on your conference call. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/content/orgs/, K12.com. It is also very important to note, especially when you are reading and researching your options, that there are two extremes to the homeschooling debate or conversation, especially in Connecticut, but it is likely evident elsewhere, as well. 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. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.roblox.com/, Wiess, S. R. (2020a). 4) Ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and identify how each will be held accountable and how opportunities for improvements will be identified, evaluated, and implemented. (n.d.). Everything else is a bonus. (2020). Lets face it, we are all in survival mode right now, and trying to claim anything else would be misleading. Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! The rule for our girls was that they had to look at all movies, games, and apps up on Common Sense Media and bring them to us prior to asking the question of whether they could play, watch or download something. 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. AnimalCams. In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. However, with everything clearly defined and with trust, constructive conflict and commitment, holding each other accountable for their respective parts becomes much easier, and does not need to involve finger pointing or other negative non-constructive behaviors. How We Rate and Review. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. 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. 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. Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Khan Academy. (2020). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, Common Sense Media. 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. Another point to consider is that you have every right to make the time spent educating your children as high a priority as any other meeting, so schedule it. (n.d.). 2) Develop open lines of communication between parents, educators and administrators. Considerations for Schools. Our children need to be able to disagree and question things when concepts or instructions arent clear to them. I will gather and post a list of the supplies I always kept on hand soon. 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. 3) All members of the team should remember that discomfort leads to growth and work on being ok with being held accountable, with hearing feedback that they dont really want to hear, and with giving honest, constructive feedback to other members of the team when things arent working well. (n.d.). 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. These are legally optional. Having a dedicated space will allow you to put everything away in a neat and orderly fashion after every day, so that it is available and easy to access the following day. 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. Patrick Lencioni wrote a book called, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which gives a simple, straightforward way to think about what is needed for teams to function well and to thrive. 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. (2020). CommonSenseMedia.org. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. State Virtual Schools. Are you comfortable sending your children to school in the fall if they are physically opened for attendance? You will need to decide, based on your family values and rules about electronics and screen time, your work schedule and flexibility, ages of your children, and learning preferences and styles, what modes are best for you for each student and each subject. Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sites. If you are homeschooling on your own, you and your children might be the only members of the team, but for others remotely schooling via distance learning options provided through their school or district, there are many other members of the team, as well. 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. Game Reviews. Marc Zao-Sanders (2018) wrote an informative article on TimeBoxing, accessible here: Organizing your space is another aspect of your current situation that you have total control over. 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. Yours will too. 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. How School Closures Can Strengthen Your Family. You will need to determine the best balance and schedule for your family based on the ages you are teaching, the subjects you have selected, and the modes you have chosen to use to teach those subjects. Minecraft Official Site. 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. On a sports team, each team member (player, coach, manager) has to understand their role in the teams success to be committed to being the best in that role that they possibly can, thus maximizing their contribution to the team and the teams progress toward that goal. 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.