Homeschooling During COVID

     

    

   Since the Covid 19 Pandemic many business operations halted, and establishments closed, therefore schools suspended face-to-face classes and transitioned to online learning. However, when schools reopened in September instead of enrolling their children in full time school, some parents opted to homeschool their children. Here, we will take a glimpse of the world of homeschooling to gain a better perception of what it is. There are many misconceptions when it comes to homeschooling.

 

                                  What is Homeschooling?

     Homeschooling is when you teach your child the lessons at home instead of enrolling them in a public or private school. However, it does not necessarily mean that a child will be confined to the four walls of their home while learning. It merely means that the parents have complete control over what their children can learn, how they can understand it and when they will learn it. Homeschooling format varies according to children’s needs or based on what the parent’s objectives are for their children.

 

      Regular Homeschooling vs. Parental Homeschooling during COVID

    In a Regular Homeschooling, the parents of the child can hire a tutor to teach their child the concepts. In Parental Homeschooling, on the other hand, the parents take the initiative to teach their children themselves according to the curriculum based on where they are located. With the advent of Covid, every parent around the world was thrust into online learning which resulted in homeschooling for many months.

Quite a few parents were unprepared to teach their children at home. They were forced to become full time teachers to their children. They were mandatory had to try and figure out curriculums and different subject materials. For some parents they may have taken this for granted prior to the virus. During Covid many parents on social media express their gratitude to parents as they finally had a true understanding of what it entails to teach children daily.

 

                           Pros and cons of Homeschooling

Just like anything else, Homeschooling also has its share of pros and cons. Here are some of them:

 

                        Pros of Homeschooling

• The parents can keep a constant watch on their children and ensure their safety. Children tend to not suffer from low self-esteem as they are not subject to the social pressures that comes with being in a regular school
• Parents can teach their children in the way they want them to learn a particular subject
• Lesser expenses for the family because if a child study from home, the parents need not pay for the tuition, uniform, books, fare, food allowance, and other school requirements
• It has been a fact that home school children tend to move ahead academically than their peers, simple because they have less distractions.
• Home school children at times tend to have a high IQ and they tend to be avid readers because the curriculum is structured around them.

 

                               Cons of Homeschooling

• The child may not get to have much interaction with other children in their age group, and this can influence their emotional wellbeing and social skills as they grow up if parents do not pay careful attention to creating a balance for social skills and social interactions this will result in long term effects.
• The child can acclimatize to being in their comfort zone, and when the time comes for social activities a child who is accustomed to being in a certain zone may find it hard to fit into certain social groups if they have not been exposed.
• For parents who take on regular home school duties, they have to plan school curriculum as well as administrative duties and this can be quite daunting. A child at the Elementary or high school level does several subjects. This will now have to be prepared and taught. Pending on the parent’s background or education level this can be over whelming.
• For parents who hire a tutor to homeschool this can also be expensive as more than one tutor may be required for different subject areas.
• Pending on your child ,homeschool at times may have less boundaries or structure which can be a disaster. Children need structure in order to be successful. They must have clear guidelines and specific time to complete tasks just as they would in a normal setting.

 

                          How to motivate kids who are homeschooling

       Homeschooling is not as easy as it sounds. Some homeschool children struggle with their social skills because they do not interact with other people other than their tutor of family members. To motivate children who are Homeschooling, you can set up a playdate between their friends and other trusted families in the neighborhood so that they can still enjoy being in the company of other kids. Remember that this is important because interacting with children their age while they are young will help them develop good emotional and social skills as they are growing up. 

 

      Homeschooling has come a long way and it is not as out lawed as it was in previous years. Many small schools teaching ten or less groups of children operate as a home school, where you have two or more families coming together to teach their children.

      It is also much easier for children who are homeschooled to be involved in extra curricula activities. Many even attend these activities during the day. Parents home school for many different reasons. For example, I have many children who wish to pursue a profession career in music or entertainment, therefore their parents homeschool them around their training.

 

                 Tips for homeschooling parents

       If you are homeschooling your child, always keep in mind that sooner or later, your child will have to face the realities of the world, and you must prepare them for that. Although it is every parent’s nature to protect their children from the negativities and evil of this world, homeschooling your child does not mean that you do not teach life skills or from the news or realities of what is happening in the world

    Homeschooling exposes children to more unique experiences, as children learn about life from an experiential hand on method instead of being stuck in a classroom all day. Children who are homeschooled have gone on to attend university or lived a normal life. With Covid 19 just as going back to work has changed some person’s mindset, they are a handful of parents who are thinking of continuing with letting their child learn remotely into the future.

 

    Homeschooling is a challenge to both parents and children, but it can be as simple as walking in the park if both parent and child cooperate well!

Parents who are homeschooling I would love to hear from you.

 

Home Work Blues 😭

             Home Work is described as extra set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside of class. Homework creates anxieties for students and it frustrates parents and it cuts into other activities that children could be doing. Often times it has been my experience as an educator that homework is rushed and children have not mastered or learn anything new from doing homework. It has been my experience in many instances that some parents even do their children’s homework just to avoid the constant back and forth with the children.

         I can say I absolutely hated homework as a child and I do not like giving homework as a teacher and have avoided doing so. I am from a Caribbean background and homework was mandatory and it was brutal. You sometimes would be given 100 hundred maths or English to complete at nights in grade 4 through 6. And this was not the only homework you had to do. This was rediculous. Anyone from the Caribbean knows exactly what I am talking about.

  As a child I spent many hours after school trying to complete my homework. I was into competitive dancing from 4 so I had to get my homework done. Why do we need homework? And where did  it all started anyway? What does it really prove? As a teacher I have decided that piling on homework is really not the answer. There are many creative ways to get children to review what has been taught during the class, instead of giving busy work. At least that is what I call it. I found that when I worked in a Private school some of the parents wanted homework because they claimEd the children had nothing to do. Normally these are the children who may not have after school activities and parents need something to distract and keep them busy hence as I said before busy work.

       I am not saying that homework is all bad. I do believe that at the high school up to college level having assignments is important. But I really do not think that at the Elementary level children need not to be saddled with tons of  homework. I run a tutoring site and many parents have been reaching out to me because their Kindergartens and grade ones have homework which is really just too much. So some of my little ones are already frustrated with school. Oh come on now! The early years are supposed to be fun🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️🙇 not stressful.

   Homework at the Elementary level should be fun and light if it is going to be given and quite frankly I refuse to call it homework as it turns many children off from just the mention of the word. I totally get that practicing times tables or even a musical piece or a poem makes sense. Also with large class sizes it becomes very hard for teachers to complete modules of their curriculum therefore giving extra practice to take home enables them to complete the syllabus. Not having to mark a lot of homework also benefits teachers. I got carpal tunnel when I worked in the private school because I spent many hours in the nights and weekends from marking homework and correcting students work. It was time wasting.

  The problem with the school system is that too much time is spent on wrote learning instead of developing skills. Too much time is spent on theory instead of applicable experience. If homework has to be given why not make it experiential for students. During the week keep it short and creative as there are limited hours after school before bed time. Also bear in mind that many students have after school activities and some parents work long hours.

      Create practical learning activities for various subjects. For example they can write a poem or a song as it pertains to the topic of whatever the subject is. For Math they can use groups of numbers of items in their. kitchen cupboard or objects at home for multiplication. If it’s Science for example they can read a food label etc. LanguageArts they can look for nouns  around the house and list them etc. If it’s Adjectives they could taste different items in their kitchen( this all with the help of an adult of course)

     The point I am trying to make here is that homework does not have to be sitting around a table for many hours as this frustrates young children and there are many ways that we can still get them to connect to learning. As a matter of fact this method will even be better because young children like to learn through different experiences and here we also appeal to different senses. We now live in a digital world and this generation does not like to keep still so we must get creative in Our methods in how we teach them. 

They are way many more creative ways now to give young children homework so there is no need to stick to the old ways that we grow up with. I will definitely do a follow up part 2 for more in depth ideas but let us not turn our kids off from learning. Home work proves nothing. School should be remembered as fun and enlightening not dreading homework.

Send me your thoughts or ideas about homework if you can relate.🖍

Homework Blues

( I do not own this video)

    

    

   

School, Students and Washing Hands

                                    How to Wash Your Hands Song

                                     (To the tune of Frere  Jacques)

                                                                                                     

                                            Scrub your palms.                                 

                                             Between the fingers

                                             Wash the back

                                             Twirl the tips around 

                                              Twirl the tips around

                                              Thumb attack

                                              Thumb attack

      Who would have thought that washing your hands would come to be so crucial. Of course this use to be a no brainer. You are expected to wash your hand after using the bathroom, before eating. As teachers, parents and caregivers we expected this from our children as we tell them to wash their hands all the time.

   But with Covid 19 washing hands has taken on a new meaning and is emphatically emphasized as being crucial to keep Covid away. Children must now be closely monitored both at school and home to make sure that they are not just washing their hands, but they are washing their hands rigorously. Therefore they are told to sing or count in order to make sure they are washing their hands correctly.

   Teachers and school administrative boards are already over worked and under paid but in these times their work load has tripled. In order to keep both themselves safe and their students safe they must go beyond and above to perform ritually cleaning of the classroom and school environment.Parents are also stressed out with children returning to school and they must also pay critical attention to symptoms as well as washing routines. While this takes a toll it is obviously necessary. But as I have said before we are stronger together.

    I have found that in the few weeks that school has opened I have been running around like a chicken without a head. Getting the children at school to wash hands, to follow up with going to bathroom, keeping the masks on, to stay in their group.To use the sanitizer after each activity, School life has a different look this calendar year and definitely a different routine. As educators we must do all that we can in oder to survive.

   Children learn repetition, rhymes and rhythm. Therefore as I started the blog with singing a song, it is about getting children to do what we need them to do during this time. Singing and dancing gets children moving and this works at any age. Adding music to your daily class room tasks will get your students moving. They will be happy to go and wash their hands, use the sanitizer etc. They will not see it as a chore but more as a game or an activity.

To fight Covid we definitely need the children we are trying to protect involved. So how do we get them involved? 

1. Teachers as many of you have done already I am sure. Get your children involve to help with keeping on their masks and social distancing, as well as washing hands etc. children are very good at keeping each other accountable

2.Let children be a part of the cleaning process within their classroom to an extent.Tasks can be delegated based on their age.

3.Give them wipes to wipe down certain ares as assigned, eg books, toys etc. Children like to feel as if they are apart of something. Getting them involved makes them feel grown up. Telling them that even though they are small they are doing their part in contributing to prevent Covid. This makes them feel special.

4.Place them in groups and assign each group a leadership roles or goals. Example one set of students can be in charge of sanitizing the books and wipe them down, or one group 0f students each day get to demonstrate  to the class how to wear masks correctly, or how to social distance during school etc

5.Get children to write and make up their own songs and poems for washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks. The songs can be to the tune of other songs from different genre. These can be displayed in the classroom and they can also be presented to the class and the class take turns to learn the song or recite the poem to the class. Children are naturally creative and by getting them to create their own songs to the very activities they must now perform daily. It gets them into the present stage of acting upon what is expected therefore it becomes a part of them. So having a song in their mind or singing while washing your their hands. This gets into them in forming a habit while having fun at the same time.

   During this school year as teachers we have had to program an entire different existence inside the classroom, and learning has taking on a different narrative.These are some of the activities I have used during the learning process this year.If you have different creative ideas that you are using inside your classrooms I would love to hear from you. These ideas can also be used by parents at home on a different scale as you can challenge children to pen their own songs or poems for the family to follow for Covid 19 guidelines.

Have a great week and let us continue to care for each other and most of all be safe.

   

                                                                                                                                                               

                                              

                                          

 

     

Parents and Teachers become one Team to fight Covid

   

           School has been in full swing as the school year has started with many anxieties and fears regarding Covid 19. School administration and teachers are left in a chaotic humbug as they try to work around health guidelines as it pertains to the virus. Many schools are already reporting cases of teachers and children in North America who have contracted the virus since the reopening of schools.Despite school boards best intentions in trying to get classes ready and internal spaces for social distancing , it will be an uphill battle. Many schools are over crowded, also many schools are already underfunded and their budgets cut in half.

      Let us face the realities that Covid will be with us for some time. Schools are always the last to receive any assistance and this is apparent right across the globe.It is a sad admission but one that rings true and if you an educator like myself you will know exactly what I am talking about. Therefore teachers, parents and school administrations will need to join forces in order to keep our children safe. Let us be operation Covid as we can and will come through this if we work together.

  Parents form a committee with your class teachers and find out what is it that they need.Choose a class leader and get that parent to reach out to other parents, delegating things needed for the class or anything that needs to be done. If the school allows it and parents or guardians who can volunteer, then they should bearing in mind social distancing protocols.In a class that is large having a volunteer who is able to come in on certain days can be of great help. With extra help a class can be divided into groups for certain lessons or activities.

   Parents and teachers can also brain storm together how to get donations from community groups, or even athletes or corporation who are willing to help with resources to keep children safe in and out of class at school. Take an inventory of what is needed in the class or school to keep children safe. I believe that many persons are willing to help and they will if when asked. Both parents and teachers make a note of what is needed for a successful year, for example do you need partitions, sanitizers, wipes etc. How will the classroom be cleaned  each and by this I am not talking about a deep cleaning. I mean the things teachers would do at the end of their class like putting books away, toys and mobiles or learning instruments. These will now need to be sanitized at the end of each school day.

 The target should be more rigorous for the younger children from grades 3 to Kindergarten. It is especially harder for them to social distance as somethings are abstract to them. Trying to explain Covid to younger children can be daunting at times. Try to take it to their level. Talk about their stuffy or favourite toy and what would happen if their toy got sick. Build on different scenarios.Incorporate and simplify what is happening in the news about Covid, and speak to children about it. Ask them to tell you how they are feeling. Let them share as a class what they are doing to help stop the virus.Parents and teachers can work together so that children hear the same thing as it pertains to the virus.

  Have daily classroom routines of children sanitizing and washing their hands. Even using a Stuffy or doll each day as a class mascot.Let the class give the mascot a name and check in at certain times of the day to make sure the mascot is following all Covid protocols. Repetition works best with young children therefore do not stop repeating all the guidelines of what is needed when they have to use the bathroom, or to wear their mask and so on.

 We can do this. Yes we can and will, but it is going to get really bad before it gets good. My fellow teachers and educators, this can be a thankless profession, but we never chose this career for fame or money. It was to serve and guide young minds. Like many of our students that have passed through our hands, we will get another generation through this. Later on they will reminisce about school life during this invisible enemy that have claimed so many. They will be grateful whether or not you are around for them to personally express it to you. We are at war with this virus but with proper strategies and armed with Science we can combat this.

 Parents be good to your teachers. Remember they are carrying a heavy load just like all our frontline workers, and like wise teachers be gentle to your parents, as they also under stress and are fearful. Let's build bridges and not walls. We will need to work together and not rely on our political leaders. Reach out and support each other. Also feel free to reach out to me through this blog for support or even just to share ideas.

 Together we are stronger and we will overcome. Let us keep our children safe as they are our future.👊

  

  

Schools Are Opening!!!

 

    Parents! Get set, Get ready and we are off to the races... ok not exactly we are off to school. Normally this time of the year brings excitement as well as anxiety.Kids are excited to see their friends to learn all the things they experienced over the summer. Those moving on from one level, like from middle school to high school, or from high school to college may have anxieties.

Parents are very stressed and confused and this is very understandable.One group of students that I haven't heard mentioned are the Junior Kindergartens going out to school for the first time.It is going to be very hard on these little ones going out for the first time. For some of them it will be the first time leaving their caregivers or parents for a more structured environment. It has been my experience as an educator that some of these precious little ones take a while to adjust, and some cry for the first few weeks. With Covid this will even more unsettling.

No doubt trying to explain Covid to infants has been quite emotional both for them as well as adults.Their normal routine and life has been disrupted as we know it.This has not been a normal summer by any stress of the imagination and if we are going to be honest, things will not be returning to normal any time soon. How can parents navigate during these stressful times knowing they have to send the children out to school. Many parents do not have the support or resources to keep children at home as they need to return to work themselves.

Here are a few tips for parents:

1.Have an open honest conversations with children about what school will look like

2.For younger kids talk about bathroom drills with them and tell them to ask for help. Have this talk with them everyday.

3.Show children how to ear their masks

4.Have a supply of masks on hand as children will lose them, but also try their masks each day as children will lose them. Also masks need to be washed and changed each day.

5.Give older children sanitizers but be careful with younger children as you do not want them ingesting it or getting it their food.

6.Keep on top of what the school is doing in terms of cleaning and social distancing. Keep constantly in touch with your child/ren's teacher.

7.Find out from your kids what goes on at school. Constantly check your child's temperature as well as finding out how they are feeling.The moment your child indicates that he or she isn't feeling well you should keep them home just to be safe. Also if it persists parents should get their child/ren tested.

8.Find parents in the class or school and form a support group.This is very important as parents can be a strong support for each other.Parents can arrange to pick each other's child, and look after each other's child on alternate days. This will help parents in getting a break which can help to reduce stress. It also helps children in maintaining some normalcy with hanging out with their friends.

9.Do not feel that as parents you must go through this alone, especially for single parents with no support or little resources.Find groups to join or listen to your local counsellors  as well as scientists and doctors. Covid 19 is an invincible enemy therefore we must be informed on how to managed it. Let's all do our part. Until a vaccine is found the virus will be us for a while. We must protect our precious gems which are our children.

If you someone struggling, please reach out. We all need each other at this time. The virus does not discriminate. Check up and check in on others and be kind to each other.Let us take care of each other.

Parent, teachers, and everyone let us have the best school year possible in 2020 for our children. One love, and be safe.