Education is Important in All Circumstances — Teacher Tips for Homeschool
In the time of the coronavirus and multiple countries in lockdown there has been one thing on most people’s minds. Education. We saw governments debating if and when schools should close or open, university professors who normally can’t pause auto play on their YouTube videos suddenly having to provide online classes, and parents realising they would have to educate their children at home for an indefinite amount of time.
Here at We Encourage education is always at the forefront of our minds. Having secondary, if not higher, education has been shown to reduce the rate at which girls are forced into marriage. Education and access to knowledge is such a valuable gift to have.
As well as interning at We Encourage as a content writer, I also teach as a fulltime job so I wanted to share a few tips with people who may need it. Especially for the many people who are working fulltime from home and having to teach their children or at least keep them occupied at the same time. I want to reassure you that you are doing your best and that’s enough. There is a reason we don’t take children to work with us all the time. (DISCLAIMER: Every child is different so these will not work for everyone!)
7 Teacher tips for home schooling
1. Have a study space
Children need somewhere to study that is separate from where they play. Somewhere they know they can work everyday and only work. This could be an end of the dining room table or moving their desk somewhere new. It is important for them to separate play time and work time and having a special space for that should help. Equally try not to keep toys in sight, or they might be distracted.
2. Routine and timetables
Establishing routine is important With no school, playdates or afterschool activities structure has flown out the window. You need to bring it back.
You are likely to have been given material by your child’s school. Schedule the week so your child knows what is happening, maybe even ask them for their weekly schedule so it can match. Try to mix harder and easier work, and subjects they do or do not like so that they can enjoy their day. Older children are more likely to prioritise work so let them help make the schedule. Give your child choices to make them feel involved. As long as they do all the work on time it doesn’t matter what the order is.
Also breaks and snacks are important. Just make sure they rest in a different space to their study station. You can even coordinate with other parents to video call their friends over lunch times, so that they can still see their friends.
3. Get Dressed
It can be tempting to stay in lounge clothes all day. But much like working from home, getting ready for school can make a child feel as if they are going to school. You can even make them pack a backpack and they can take it to wherever their schooling station is.
4. Be Your Best Teacher
Everyone has teachers they remember. Even if you have never taught before draw from the teachers you liked. When I first started teaching I relied on those memories. Don’t be afraid to give them rewards and tweak things if it is not working. Adaptability is key, your child may behave differently every subject or every day. That’s okay too. Just keep doing your best.
5. YouTube and Internet Resources
Don’t be afraid of the internet. If college professors can whip out a YouTube video then you can too. Especially if your child is having trouble understanding something you are not well versed in- it is okay if you don’t know the answer. Even if this means looking up things before your next class. There are plenty of resources online, from games to worksheets that will make your life easier. Don’t overload your child with them but have a look and see which ones might be best.
6. Work Together
Children feel important when they are working with their parents, pretending to be an adult. Many children will study quietly after you explain the work and you can set up your own workstation near them. They can see you doing work, and this can be motivating. It may work better with older children, but a lot of teaching is waiting for children to do the work, so that teachers can go and check it. Let your children know you are there if they need help or when they are done with a task and use this time to do yours if you can.
7. You are doing great!
You are likely not a trained teacher. That’s okay. Keep going and start every day afresh. You know your child well, adapt to them. But most importantly if you take one thing from this article, it’s that you can do it!
Text by: Emily Stamp who works as a English teacher in South Korea
Visuals by: Kristina Mancheva
