On March 15, the lives of thousands of families turned upside down. Already experiencing fear of illness, parents were hired for a new job – teacher. A few weeks into this, you may still be struggling to figure out the how-tos of your new role. Perhaps you are feeling a bit overwhelmed.
I thought maybe as a teacher turned tutor, I could offer some tips to make school at home a little easier. All of these ideas are adapted from the way we approach helping students and families find success.
S- START with a meeting- Many of your little kiddos have a morning meeting. They say the pledge, talk about the day and discuss their feelings before they ever get started. Rest assured they have lots of feelings right now! If you are still working just let it happen before school starts.
U- UTILIZE the experts- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Stay in contact with your child’s teachers. Seek out a tutor. Check out some of the free offerings ( just a few, it can become overwhelming) or ask a homeschool parent for advice.
C- CHUNKS– Do the hard stuff in small bites. If your kid hits a wall switch subjects, take a break and then come back to it.
C- CHOICE– Give the kids a choice of something they want to do. Remember a lot of learning (most actually) comes from discussion, exploration, and doing. We can’t go anywhere, but we can make the most of where we are. If you have more than one child let each one have a day to choose something to do – make a birdhouse, take a walk, play a game, or take a virtual field trip.
E – EXPECTATIONS – As mentioned earlier, kids thrive in routine. They also find success in expectations. Tell them what you expect to accomplish, guide them, and cheer them on as they reach their goals.
S- SUPPORT – There is power in numbers. Some of you are missing your play dates, Mom & Me Classes, or conversations with your co-workers. Find a way to connect with those folks. Grab your coffee or glass of wine, and set up a chat and share a win from the day or share a loss, or just talk about everything but homeschooling and COVID-19 for a minute.
S- SHAKE if off – If Monday was a bad day, shake it off. Tomorrow is a new day. Take it from a 30-year teacher, we have bad days too. Give yourself and your kids some grace and start again tomorrow.
Alicia Dickerson, M.Ed, is a retired school teacher with more than 30 years of classroom experience. Alicia is the director of The Success Center- a tutoring center located in South Carolina specializing in one to one tutoring including an online option.
