At-Home Learning Resources for the COVID-19 Outbreak
Looking for helpful and practical strategies to ensure
children maintain a focus on learning during COVID-19 school closures?
TeacherVision and FamilyEducation have you covered. Julie Mason - mom of 3,
former classroom teacher, and Head of Content and Curriculum at TeacherVision
outlines a daily plan to keep you and your kids focused, productive, and
positive in this unprecedented scenario.
Every working parent has time management challenges. Most of
us have systems that we rely on to manage our family and work responsibilities
(thank you Google Calendar and Wunderlist!). One of those systems is our
schools.
Thousands of those schools have closed their doors due to
COVID-19. Many parents are working remotely, and many of us are wondering how
to structure our days. Teachers have been tasked with developing remote
learning plans and using them to keep students on track. The organizational
challenges we are facing at home and in our schools are unprecedented.
As a former teacher and mom of three who is now the Head of
Content and Curriculum for TeacherVision, I am right there with you in
wondering how it is possible to work, care for my family, and teach during such
a confusing and fearful time. Below you will find:
A sample daily schedule for at-home learning during
Daily checklists
Free learning resources and materials
Emotional support and stress management resources
Daily movement and activity exercises
Reflection resources
Creating a Schedule For Kids Home During the COVID-19
Outbreak
Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you are undoubtedly
thinking about how to help kids learn and thrive despite these challenging
circumstances.
TeacherVision and FamilyEducation have partnered to bring
you resources we hope will make scheduling children’s days less daunting. We
designed this schedule and share these resources with the hope that you can
develop temporary systems that create a positive routine for you and best
support kids in the weeks to come.
Set Clear Expectations and Review Them Each Morning
Anytime you introduce children to a new structure or
routine, it is helpful to set clear expectations and discuss what success will
look like. Use the Daily Tasks Checklist to chart out a schedule that everyone can buy into and
understand.
For busy parents who are juggling work and supervising their
children while school is closed, there is a box for students to check off the
task when it is completed. Most importantly, there is a self-assessment. When
you first start creating a daily schedule, you need feedback on how it is
going. If a child circles the frown face that is an indication that they either
didn’t have enough support to complete the task or it wasn’t engaging enough.
Use the self-assessment as a conversation starter as you troubleshoot your
schedule and tools, and be prepared to make adjustments.
Support Kids In Making Good Choices
If you are working from home and caring for your children,
you will need to schedule some self-guided activities. It can be challenging
for children to manage their own time, maintain focus, and complete tasks
without adult support and supervision. Use the Behavior Checklist to set clear
expectations. Write out behavior goals using empowering “I can…” statements.
Some examples include “I can follow my schedule” and “I can ask for help when I
need it.” There is a place for kids to
check if they met the expectation or not, and there is a place to reflect on
how it went.
10 AM: Academic Time
With so much going on in your own life, setting your kids
down with the iPad or TV might seem like an easy way to occupy them while you
get other things done. However, it’s
important to maintain learning while at home.
Balance Academics and Play
Some schools are putting distance learning into place, while
others are not providing materials for parents. Depending on how much support
you receive from your child’s school, you will need to plan a learning/play
schedule. As you plan, think of activities
that combine learning and fun. One of our favorites is to ask kids to read a
book and then watch the movie.
Build In Opportunities For Choice
While it is helpful to provide structure for children, it is
also important to give them choices. Choice Boards provide nine different
activities for the same topic, support academic skill-building practice, and
build in opportunities for choice.
Resources to Use:
Learning at Home Reading and Writing Choice Board
Learning at Home Math Choice Board
Graphic Organizers & Choice Boards
10 Everyday Ways to Keep Your Child Reading While Having Fun
Eureka! 5 Easy Ways to Grow Kids' STEM Skills at Home
Top 10 Math & Science Apps for Your Whiz Kid
Ten Tips for Homeschooling Kindergarten
Homeschooling has so much to do with things other than
teaching but here are ten tips for getting started with homeschooling your
Kindergartener.
01-
Resist the temptation to compare your
homeschooling methods or your child’s progress with other homeschoolers. In
fact, one of the brightest benefits of homeschooling is finding a learning path
that is unique to your family.
02-
Don’t expect your kindergarten homeschooler to
work independently for very long at a time. At this level, students need
ongoing guidance and feedback.
03-
While convenient, there is no reason that
families have to have a dedicated “homeschool room.” Families living in smaller
spaces often find that as long as they have a dedicated area of their home to
store their supplies, they can learn equally well in any room and even outside!
04-
Even homeschool parents need down-time during
the day, so don’t forget to schedule in some time for you to take a break from
homeschooling and rejuvenate with something you enjoy.
05-
Remember that at this age, some children will be
ready to read, and others won’t. Some children will be ready to write, and
others won’t. This is normal whether your children are enrolled in public
school, private school, or homeschooling.
06-
Children who have a hard time concentrating for
long periods might be helped by breaking homeschool study periods into
15-minute chunks. Between chunks, the child can play outside, have fun with an
educational computer game, or relax for a few minutes.
07-
Homeschooled kids and homeschooling parents both
benefit from regular outings with other families. Find out if your area has a
local homeschool support group and get involved with field trips, clubs, and
community service activities they offer.
08-
Planning lessons for kindergarten can be as
involved or as simple as you want it to be. Some homeschool parents find that
they need to plan out almost every detail of their homeschool day or week,
while other parents are fine with jotting down some general things they want to
cover and let the flow of the day dictate how they get lessons
accomplished.
09-
Many parents feel nervous about teaching their
children to read. Just remember that your child learned to walk and talk and that
in time they will learn to readjust as well!
110-
Don’t get so focused on the academic goals of
your homeschool year that you forget to enjoy just learning together.
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