Stay at home! This is the plight that many governments globally are echoing to keep citizens safe from the COVID-19 virus. The recent Coronavirus pandemic has certainly changed the way we live in the new normal, and education has not been spared.
Children in countries badly affected by the virus outbreak find themselves stuck at home as schools are closed. As they rejoice over the unexpected windfall in holidays, parents are most probably concerned about their kid’s education. Stuck in the same house and being concerned, parents might be drawn to the idea of home schooling their kids while waiting for school to reopen.
However, ambitious parents may find themselves stressed out or anxious over this “new normal” way of teaching their kids. Home schooling may suddenly seem like venturing into space, where boundless possibilities exist, but getting lost along the way. So how do you make sure you and your kids can safely explore this educational space together safely and happily? Here’s some tips that we would like to share.
1. Be flexible and explore different models for your child
In terms of practicality, it would seem convenient and tempting to follow the original syllabus back in school, while replicating similar teaching styles and routines practiced by the traditional school system. This is actually a home schooling method in itself, known as School-at-home. But be aware that home schooling can extend beyond familiarity. In fact, various home-schooling methods exist which could be customised to suit your child’s personality.
If your child loves to read, you may consider taking a look at classical methods or Charlotte Mason methods of teaching. If you would like to immerse your child in a stimulating environment which emphasizes experiential learning and fostering creativity, check out Montesori teaching methods. Unit studies approaches learning in a unit based way, integrating various subjects together while learning on a particular unit or area (e.g. learning the history of Egypt while studying the Pythagoras theorem). Eclectic education offers flexibility by mixing and matching different types of home schooling methods to fit the learning style of a child. It leverages on the advantages of other teaching methods, which makes it one of the most popular methods available.
So be brave and explore. Who knows, you might discover the perfect match to educate and bring out the best in your child during this period.
2. Don’t be over ambitious
With the liberties associated with home schooling, there may be tendencies to believe that more study hours equals smarter kids. Such perceptions can lead to stressful experiences for both child and parent. Understand that not everything needs to be completed in the syllabus that you set out to tackle during this lock down period. Go in with a plan, but aim to cover essentials first. Set milestones and priorities. Keep in mind to always gauge your child’s individual capability.
Also remember to take enough breaks in between lessons. If a child is struggling to understand or comprehend a topic, you can always revisit it later. Let the child’s subconscious mind work things through. Don’t over push them. A stressed parent that is trying too hard to teach can exude negative emotions that can easily stress a child. A stressed child is an unhappy child. An unhappy child is a disinterested and dispassionate student.
3. Conducive space
It may be convenient to just conduct lessons right on your kitchen table or dining room. Although practical, it would help tremendously if there was a space in your home where teaching and learning can be conducive. This could be a space where you can place a whiteboard to teach, cabinets to store books, a computer that is plugged in to the internet, and maybe some posters or family photos that spread positive vibes. Furniture used should be of appropriate height for your child to ensure they do not strain themselves while studying. Chairs and tables should be strategically placed for your child’s comfort when seated.
Lighting is also equally important to avoid eyes getting strained. Try to get as much natural light as you can to light up the space as natural light tends to bring warmness and vitality to the space and user. Additionally, ensure that the space is free from noise or disruptive activities that may distract your child (e.g. cooking, traffic, television, etc.). Having all these arrangements would help keep a child’s mind calmer to boost concentration and absorb learned materials effectively.
4. Create a schedule
Although a child at home is no longer bounded by a proper class schedule, it would be helpful to maintain a schedule at home to promote good study habits and a regular routine. The only difference is this schedule can be tailored. Tailored here means you have the liberty to decide when does your child start studying, take breaks, and end classes. This should be customised to suit a child’s natural circadian rhythm. For instance, if your child is a night owl, it would be good to start classes later in the day, as opposed to a child who is a morning lark.
Schedules should also be flexible to give your child some choices to decide what they would like to study at different times of the day. Your child may want non-academic tasks or subjects which require less critical thinking in the morning, but desire mentally challenging subjects in the afternoon. Having such customised schedules gives an edge to a child’s daily learning capability.
5. Network and be resourceful
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you are isolated. If there are subjects which are tough to handle, there is always useful educational resources online that you can tap on to help your child. Networking with your local home school groups online is also a practical way to seek help and guidance. Educating your child at home should never be a lonely journey.
Conclusion
We hope you find all these tips helpful for you and your child. It is definitely a challenging period at this moment in time. However, humans have always been adaptive and resilient towards adverse situations, and this is definitely reflected when educating our kids in the new normal. Learning doesn't have to stop, it only changes and evolves to be even better. Stay safe everyone!
HappiNest Family is the blogging arm of HappiNest Games, a tabletop game publisher dedicated to family and educational games. Curious to find out about what games you can pick up for your family? Then head on over and follow our Facebook page by clicking on the logo below!
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