Whether we embraced the idea of home-schooling our children when lockdown was announced or felt completely daunted by the prospect, it’s probable that hurdles will arise along the way – however good our intentions.
Challenges are likely to include keeping the children focussed, particularly when they are surrounded by the distractions of home instead of the usual classroom environment.
Create a Schedule
Creating a daily schedule which incorporates variety will help maintain motivation but it’s important to avoid cramming too much in – this could result in your child feeling overwhelmed. Sessions of an appropriate length, according to the child’s age, will also lead to optimum productivity; make the sessions too long and they’ll quickly lose interest!
Include your Children
Of course, if you have more than one child, it will be necessary to devise and co-ordinate different schedules according to their educational requirements. Remember, the advantage of being able to organise a daily plan for home-learning is that it can be flexible. Get your child involved in putting it together-what topics do they feel they needs more practice with? Does he or she work best starting promptly at 9am or slightly later in the morning? Where teenagers are concerned, beginning later will probably work better!
Rewards for All
Rewarding effort, as opposed to high marks, will teach your child the value of a conscientious attitude. Stickers, books and small toys given out at suitable intervals are good choices-it’s worth keeping treats like sweets and screen-time to a minimum as far as possible.
Don’t forget that parents need a reward for their achievements every so often too!
