So you are homeschooling suddenly? Scared and confused?
Here’s some advice, facts, tips and resources so this doesn’t stress you out in addition to everything else that’s going on right now.
First: you do NOT have to attempt 6 hours of ‘school at home’ a day. Not at all. At home you have no classes to walk to, no announcements over the speaker, no assemblies, no ‘open your books to’ no breaks, no down time. Most homeschoolers can do a full day of work in 2-3 hours. This isn’t counting free reading time, which if you have a reader is great. If you don’t have a reader, there are so many other things to get them learning voluntarily. Yes, again, that’s 2-3 hours of work entirely, not ‘homework’.
Second: Do not feel lost or overwhelmed. You do NOT need an education degree to teach your own child. You’ve been doing it since they were born. You do not need a degree at all to teach your child. And there are tons of resources to help you out. One of the best parts about homeschooling is that you get to learn a new thing along with your kids!
Third: There are already a ton of free resources on line and around you. This will not cost you anything. Of course, if you have access to your child’s school books, use those. I am going to list a bunch of sites at the bottom of this so keep scrolling to get to them. If you do not have internet access, if your library is still open, hit it for books and videos. If you have nothing, grab anything. And it doesn’t have to be boring to be educational.
Fourth: what do you need to do every day? There are some skills that get lost if they aren’t practiced all the time. All kids should try to get some math in daily. Kids who play music should practice daily. Same with a foreign language. Exercise is good daily, even if gym in their school has been dropped to once every 10 days. Do art every day. Draw, paint, carve a mound of instant mashed potatoes. Use MSPaint. But do some art every day. If your student (or you) are a certain age, do some SAT prep every day.
There is school work you don’t have to do every day. English Language Arts, history, sciences can all be once or twice a week.
Ok, so your students’ day will probably look something like this:
Wake up late. Enjoy it, you might as well. Learn life skills of cleaning and cooking.
Math (30 minutes)
Foreign language (30 minutes)
Music and art (30-45 minutes).
Be active. Learn a new word. (30 minutes)
Pick English Language Arts, Science or History (30 minutes+).
You don’t have to do only one a day. But don’t force yourself. Do some reading or listening or viewing. Think about it, and talk about it. Maybe write about it. Our kid has a blog where his thoughts go.
That’s 2 hours and 45 minutes so far.
Spend the rest of the time reading, listening, or enjoying things. Playing a game with family, watching a movie and talking about it, having fun. All of that is educational as well.
Resources and hints are below, but I hope that helps if you need a schedule.
Lastly- there is a type of homeschooling called ‘afterschooling’, when you keep educating your child after the bell has rung. Some of you may be thinking ‘what? Everyone doesn’t do that?’And the answer is no. Everyone doesn’t do that. I hope you have enjoyed your time with your children, and that when schools start up, if you send them back, you continue to be an afterschooler.
If your kids do this— maybe for 2 hours a day— they will advance over this time, instead of falling behind.
Of course, if they have access to their own books, use those. Most importantly, everyone else is in the same boat. Don’t be scared.
Resources and how to use them. I am assuming you have internet access.
This is no where near an exhaustive list. There are games, resources, and very exciting things out there fro students. This is just a list of things so you can get started. Everything here is free.
ELA, history: If you have a subscription to something like Netflix, Hulu, Prime, etc use it. Find those movies based on true events, historical movies, retelling of great novels, etc. Find documentaries and cool events. These things do not have to be dry. Use over drive and Libby to download books. Get those novels you need to read on audiobook and just listen to it. Find biographies of people you are interested in during the time period you are studying in school. Find something like Guns Germs and Steel or something on the 1918 Flu epidemic for fun. You can also do some SAT prep work with Kahn Academy. Download the PBS app and watch all their amazing shows for free. Watch all the Ken Burns history, to start.
If you are having trouble understanding a work of literature, hit up the cliff notes and read the why’s about the book.
A favorite here is Crash Course History on YouTube. Once you start finding cool and interesting things to watch, you will find more things and your school day may expand.
https://www.overdrive.com/
https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/
https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/
https://www.khanacademy.org/
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/
Math: If you do a search for Algebra on YouTube, you will find multiple channels dedicated to teaching algebra for free. Type any math in, and you will get results. You can pick and choose what teachers you like!
Daily life has math in it as well. Think about cooking, and splitting meals, and how long the isolation will last, and anything.
Odds are your student will recognize where they are in math, and a resource like Khan Academy will let them jump right in where they are comfortable with a video or a lesson.
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.khanacademy.org/
Languages other than English: Download Duolingo or Mango (from the library) to continue learning. Or to pick one up. Duolingo even has Klingon.
LifePrint offers classes in American Sign Language as well.
Go to YouTube and watch videos in the language you are learning, as well.
If you have Netflix, download Dioco’s app that is designed to help you learn another language while watching movies.
https://www.duolingo.com/
https://www.lifeprint.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/language-learning-with-ne/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm
Science: Again, Kahn Academy has classes in all the sciences. YouTube will also get you lessons in anything you want. Again, your library card will get you access to audio books and texts in any subject you are interested in. You don’t have to stick with what you would have done in class, you can explore whatever you want! And again, that PBS app- all the Novas and science shows PBS offers, at your fingertips.
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.khanacademy.org/
https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/
Finally, CK-12 is a series of textbooks and classes you can access for free in any subject for any grade (K-12!). Just leap in where you are at, or try out something new.
https://www.ck12.org/student/
This is hardly an exhaustive list. There are so many resources available. There has never been a better time to school at home. There is that list going around with an ever growing list of resources, and I am including it here. But with what I have listed, you ought to be fine for 5 weeks or more.
You may even decide that going back to school is no longer the goal.
http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com/
You can do it!