By Brenda1. Decide what you would like your homeschool to look like. Do you want to do a "school at home” model, online only, or do you want to guide it yourself? There are many ways for students to learn at home. There is no one right or wrong way to homeschool. Every home is different, and every homeschool is different.
2. All education and learning take place in the presence of relationships, whether in the classroom or in the home. If you have to decide between completing a certain task in a way that harms your working relationship or not completing the task yet keeping a good working relationship with your student, choose the relationship every time. 3. The curriculum used is just a tool to accomplish a task. Some tools work better than others, but they all help guide a student in what they need to learn. When homeschooling, don’t let the curriculum or task come between you and your student. Think of yourself as the coach that is guiding your student toward the learning goal. Coaches and players are on the same team. Don’t let the curriculum or assignment come between you. Maintain the relationship (see #2). 4. Take the time get to know how your child learns best. Everyone has a way that they learn best. Some students are visual learners and need much visual stimulation. Others are more auditory learners and need to hear the spoken words in order to learn better. Some are more tactile learners and need to touch everything. Most are a combination of these learning styles. One thing you can be certain is rarely will your student learn the way that you learn best. Find out what works best for each of your students. It will make everything go much smoother. 5. Include PE and “brain breaks.” The body needs oxygen, and that includes the brain! Students learn best with fresh oxygen to their brain. A task that would take an hour or more when a student is tired can be learned or accomplished in only twenty minutes or less with the student is refreshed(1). There is much data coming out about the need for movement in children during the school day. This is easy to accommodate in a home education setting, but difficult in a classroom with many students. 6. Learning takes place when students understand how concepts relate to real life. This can happen anywhere, but especially on “field trips.” Homeschooling does not have to be done at a desk. It can happen in pajamas on a sofa, laying on the floor, or exploring the great outdoors. Do what works best for your family, especially during challenging times. 7. The truth is that you won’t know everything your child may need to or want to know, particularly as they grow older. Network with others to outsource the things you need help with. This may include online classes, hiring tutors/teachers, finding mentors and various other avenues. You are still the primary educator of your child, but you are simply finding resources to fulfill a need. 8. We are social beings, so be sure to add social activities. It may need to look different during these times. Think of social distancing as physical distancing instead. Those social relationships are vital to every person’s well-being. The social/emotional learning is imperative for later in life and makes for a better brother, sister, friend, parent, and employee. You may need to get creative on how to maintain these social relationships, but it is worth the effort. 9. Cultivate a reading culture within your family by often reading aloud together. Parents can read to children, or siblings read to one another. If you struggle to read aloud, use audio books. Provide books for your children to read independently and encourage them to read regularly. Model reading by letting them see you read. S how your children that literature is valued as part of your family culture. The benefits are many; language skills, literacy skills, a rich imagination, and, most of all, close family connections. Your library is here to assist with book choices! 10. Look at homeschooling as an adventure! Enjoy the journey as you search for the treasure of nuggets of knowledge that are combined with wonderful memories that will last a lifetime! Brenda is a Coeur d'Alene Library circulation clerk, a former teacher with 25 years of classroom experience, and a mom with 18 years of homeschooling experience.
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