In 2020, many parents were forced to take on the role of teachers. With schools shut down, they were the ones to teach and control homework throughout the day on top of working a full-time job. It’s no easy task, but there are few ways to make it easier for your kids to learn at home. Below, you’ll find three foolproof ways to help your kids learn at home and give suggestions on how to keep things engaging and fun. But remember – no tips are needed when I can pay someone to do my online exam.
Golden Rules of Teaching at Home
When it comes to teaching at home, there is one crucial thing that you should keep in mind; that is to have patience. Remember that your children are also adjusting to these strange times, and they may not be able to focus or engage as they could before. So, with just a little patience and organization, you can help your children become successful.
1. Create a Dedicated Space
The first thing to consider is clearing out space and making it a learning zone. Children do better when they are organized and have a separate space for work and play. Try and find a room in the house or an area with plenty of light, plenty of room, and a few colors to keep their brain active. You can think about doing homework and learning at the kitchen table or setting up a room as an office to learn. Whatever the case, make sure that your children know that that area is for school work and that they should be working when they’re in that spot.
2. Add Some Structure
Experts say that adding structure is an essential part of teaching at home. Children, just like parents, do better when they’re on a set schedule. Think about adding breaks within the day of 10 to 15 minutes, giving your kids some time to move and stretch.
Try and break up lessons into 45 minutes and teach them different subjects at the same time every day. Then, once they’re finished with learning, schedule lunch around the same time, snack time, and of course, the end of the day for play.
3. Keep in Contact with Your Child’s Teacher
One powerful resource that you don’t want to miss out on is your child’s teacher. They not only have experience with your child but are also qualified in teaching other children. Thus, they can help you if you run into any hurdles and guide you whenever you’re unsure of what to do.
Also, as your kids will be going back to school soon, it’s good to keep your teachers updated on changes or reactions that your children are dealing with when learning from home. It’s a mutual relationship, and it will help you both grow teachers for your child.
Keeping Students Engaged When Learning Online
With the need for children to learn online, distractions are everywhere. It’s simple to click and have windows open on the side while teachers are trying to teach. Plus, there’s no way to manage that unless a parent is in the room. However, if students are engaged in their lessons, they’re more than likely to stay focused and get their work done.
Role Reversal
Writers swear by this trick when it comes to teaching their children at home. All you have to do is have your children take on the role of the teacher and teach you something new and exciting. It helps them put things into perspective and allows you to check their overall understanding. You could even have them prepare a short PowerPoint presentation, making it fun and interactive for you and your family.
Get Social
Children love to play most of the time; so, they work better in social environments. Just because they are learning at home doesn’t mean they should miss out on updates with their friends, and a group chat is a perfect way to use learning and socializing online. You could have your child and a few friends log on together to discuss a lesson or do a fun online activity. In that way, they’re not only getting a bit of social and fun time, but they’re also seeing their friends which they surely miss.
Add Some Action
Though this one might take a little bit of preparation beforehand, you can make fun materials that make lessons come alive. Instead of sitting at the computer all day, give your children a fun lesson that they can do inside the house in different rooms, perhaps building some scavenger hunt or a timeline that your children have to find and connect. It’s all about combining lessons with a bit of action, keeping them engage in interactive activities to learn faster.
Take It Day by Day
Like we said above, the most important thing is to not put too much pressure on yourself. Things will slowly go back to normal, and your children will be back in a classroom setting just like before. However, you should keep some of your methods in mind to help your children with homework time or if you want them to keep up with things over summer or Christmas Vacation. Be patient, and don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t work out as planned every day. Your children, just like you, are adjusting to these different times, and it’s better to take it day by day.