Many parents have been struggling to homeschool their children since the beginning of quarantine when schools closed due to COVID-19. Luckily, there are many organizations giving parents guidance on how to continue their kids’ education.
Leading education columnists, the United Nations, governments, universities and special learning and teaching groups have all come up with e-learning programs. So, you don’t have to struggle with your child’s education. Read on for 8 expert tips to help your kid’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Establish a Routine
The most important tip to ensure that your kids make the most of their time during the pandemic is to create a daily routine. Work together with your child to come up with a timetable that works for them while factoring in the best time for getting up and going to bed. Apart from the school curriculum, allow some time for your child to pursue their interests as well as time to play.
Time management is a crucial life skill so take this unique opportunity to teach it to your children. Without a routine, children may procrastinate daily and think they have a lot of time to lounge. By the time schools reopen they will fall behind their peers who made better use of their time.
2. Work Your Way Up to Longer Study Sessions
Don’t start your homeschooling sessions expecting your child to sit and concentrate for an hour’s lesson. The pandemic has created a lot of tension and anxiety and even children are experiencing stress. too So, it is okay to go a bit easy on your expectations for them.
Start by having study sessions of about 10 minutes each before taking a break. As your child gets used to the new routine you can keep building up the times. Eventually, your children will be able to do an activity for at most 45 minutes before taking a break.
Shorter study sessions allow your child to be fully engaged in the activity at hand without getting bored or losing patience. Allowing your kids to have independent study time will also give you some time to do your work. Some children are better at working alone than others.
You may need to train kids that aren’t self-starters on how to manage their time and how to study independently. This is a valuable skill for them to learn as most successful people are self-driven and can work without supervision.
3. Encourage Your Children to Express Their Feelings and Concerns
Children typically learn best when they feel safe and relaxed. Unfortunately, the pandemic is creating a lot of fear amongst adults and this trickles down to the children. Create a safe environment at home where your children can express their feelings without judgment.
Guide your child on how they can deal healthily with negative emotions. Emotional intelligence and emotional hygiene are also skills that will serve your children for the rest of their lives. There is no better time than this uncertain period to teach your children how to navigate and manage their emotions.
4. Concentrate on Teaching Life Skills
Parents rarely have the time to teach their children important life skills due to hectic work schedules and general life responsibilities. These include financial management, vehicle maintenance, gardening, cooking, etc.
There is value in different types of education. Take the opportunity while you are at home with your children to teach them all they will need to thrive in the world.
5. Teach Cybersecurity and Online Etiquette
Remote learning has greatly increased the amount of time your child will be spending online. This increases their risk of accessing inappropriate content or being the target of online bullies, human traffickers or pedophiles. You must protect your child by giving them lessons on cybersecurity and the dangers posed by the internet.
They should know what information is safe to share online and how to communicate with their friends or strangers. Install applications on all your devices that will prevent your children from accessing adult content. You can find age-appropriate and educational apps both from the Apple education store and the Google Play store.
6. Stay Connected With Your Child’s School and Teachers
Your child’s school and teachers are probably willing to work with you to ensure your kid’s education continues. If the school and education board have social media pages, follow them to receive updates about your child’s education. They may also post tips and information that they may have for your homeschooling.
Don’t be the uptight parent that calls teachers every half an hour or they’ll end up frustrated. Instead, find out how often you need to check in with them to submit schoolwork and adhere to that schedule. If your child has a favorite teacher find out if it would be okay to send them a message occasionally to update them on their study progress.
7. Maintain Community Support for Your Child
Social distancing and staying at home can lead your child to feel isolated and depressed. This is especially true for extroverted children that took part in team activities or kids that need special education. To keep your child happy and engaged, find a way to create a community around them during the pandemic.
Sign them up for online classes where they can interact with other children and teachers. You could find such community classes through your child’s school, your board of education or through the Discovery or Frontline education and other helpful resources here. Additionally, you can organize regular one on one interactions with your child’s teachers, friends and family members through video calls.
8. Watch Your Child’s Mental and Physical Health
The most important thing to be aware of during the Covid-19 pandemic is your child’s mental and physical health. Not only are they at risk of getting COVID but the situation is also stressful for them mentally and emotionally.
This can manifest in physical or mental ailments. Keep regular relationships with your child’s pediatrician and therapist so that you can get advice and help if you notice anything abnormal with your child.
Take the Lead on Your Kid’s Education During COVID-19
COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of everyone around the world but it shouldn’t destroy your kid’s education. There is a lot of support available online for parents to homeschool their children.
Additionally, the pandemic gives parents a rare opportunity to teach their children important life skills like time management and emotional intelligence. For more tips on kids’ education, read the rest of our blog.
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