As the new year has begun, the COVID pandemic is causing parents to reconsider learning options for their children. One primary option that can keep kids safe and at home, without various restrictions, is homeschooling.
However, the problem is that many parents looking into homeschooling their kids are at a loss to understand precisely how that should be done. Mostly parents who don’t have formal teaching or training, while for others, the responsibility for their child’s education can be overwhelming.
Here are some of the primary skills that you can utilize to help you be more effective (and less stressed) in your homeschooling efforts.
Research
Many parents think that research is as easy as conducting a Google search or skimming through a Wikipedia page. However, when it comes to education, not all sources are equal and credible. It is vital to learn the research skills that will save you time.
Some of the best resources you can use to research are the scholarly articles such as publications from a professional organization and articles published in academic databases. Check about the author whom has written the article, if that person is fair and unbiased, and if the writer is qualified to write on a certain topic.
Be cautious of everything you find on the Internet. Certain sites are more reliable than others. Well-known institutions are more likely to be credible than organizations that you’ve never heard of.
You can take online courses or read authentic books or blogs on how to do conduct proper research for students. By strengthening your research skills, you will be able to find correct and factual information for your kids.
Scheduling
When it comes to scheduling, some parents are better at this than others. Some parents naturally have the ability to; juggle sports practices, playdates, music classes, and quality family time with ease, while others struggle even to remember what day it is.
However, if you are in the latter camp, like most of us, don’t despair: you can still enjoy a good homeschooling experience. It will be extremely valuable to you to develop a homeschooling schedule that would work for your family.
Here are a few tips for creating a schedule that works for your kids.
- Stop trying to recreate school at home. The full-time, in-class instruction works at school, but it doesn’t translate well into 1-on-1 learning of home school environment.
- Embracing flexibility. Another advantage about homeschooling is that it offers you and your family more flexibility than a traditional school. Make use of that flexibility to create a schedule that works better.
Creativity
Each of us has some degree of creativity. It’s not like you either have it or you don’t, rather, it’s more like if you use it or not. Our brain is a muscle, the more we exercise it, the more it will be strengthened. You may or may not be a creative parent; however, you just have to put a little extra effort into developing your creative side.
- Work with your kid. Children are naturally more curious and working alongside them and reassuring their curiosity and creativity will encourage them and their curious and creative side.
- Ask for inspiration. Build connections with parents who are in the same boat of homeschooling as you. They might have better teaching strategies that may help you too.
Homeschooling is not simple. However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot do it. Hundreds of thousands parents around the USA have chosen this option and are successfully driving their children towards quality learning. Learn the basic skills for homeschooling and make your experience more enjoyable and fruitful for everyone in your home.
