Pandemic crisis homeschooling is what we are doing right now. It is not the same as homeschooling really, but you are still wanting to make sure your children are learning.
Today I am excited to have a guest post from Jen at History At Home. She has a wealth of knowledge and fabulous resources at her blog and Teachers Pay Teachers. I am so grateful she has come to share some practical tips about crisis learning.
Crisis learning – the 2020 version of homeschooling
Crisis learning – I think that is where we are as a nation. Whether you homeschooled before Covid-19 and quarantine, or if you were basically forced into schooling at home because of it, it all adds up to living in a “crisis” situation.
We have homeschooled for the last 13 years (this is my last year doing it). My baby is a senior and graduates next month. Because she is only taking dual enrolment classes at the community college this semester, the only thing that has really changed is the classes are online.
She still gets to finish her schooling and hopefully gets to have a graduation ceremony when things open back up. We are definitely having a family celebration and will plan a bigger one with friends and extended family once it’s safe.
All that to say – this hasn’t affected our homeschool situation. But what about you? Have you, like so many others, suddenly become a home educator? Do you like it? Is it hard?
Educating at home can be hard
I would guess it’s hard. Not because you aren’t capable but because this is not what you signed up for! If your kids went to public or private school before the coronavirus, you probably never thought a whole lot about schooling them at home. I’m not being judgmental – I have been where you are. My oldest two went through the public school system K-12th, and my 3rd and 4th kiddo came home in 6th grade. We brought our youngest home in 4th grade.
When my son came home in 6th grade, we took him out at Thanksgiving break. So I had a little prep time, but not much of it. I learned a lot on the fly.
You, however, had zero to very little time to prepare for this huge life change. Quite possibly you have several kids at home, you may be working from home, and you are having to coordinate their learning, Zoom time, etc. I cannot even imagine! My heart goes out to you, and I hope you give yourself a big pat on the back. Especially if you (a) fed them today, (b) kept them alive, and (c) gave them a hug or kiss.
Maybe you’ve been put in the situation where you haven’t been given any resources, and you are scared they will fall behind. What do you do? Where do you turn?
Homeschoolers love to help (and we aren’t all weird)
In my experience, homeschoolers love to help! So please, ask questions. Even if you just want to finish the school year out and keep your child on track, just ask! We would be happy to give you our advice and insight. Don’t be afraid to tell us what you’re looking for, or that you just need resource ideas for right now. If anyone tries to tell you that you should commit to homeschooling, and you don’t want to, then let them know. You can always tell them I said it’s okay! 😉 Because we are in crisis mode, and the world is just weird.
You may be seeing a whole different side of us homeschoolers now! I fully embrace my nerdiness, but I am still not a “typical” homeschooler. The funny thing is I see so many different types of homeschoolers. So, as my daughter’s BFF says, “You be you.” Weird or not, it is alright to plod through this strange time and do what you can.
**Some links on this page are affiliate links.
Concrete ideas
I have some ideas that I hope will help you as you find your way:
· If you’re looking for free or paid resources – check out Pinterest, Google the subject, or take a look at TeachersPayTeachers.
· If you need to know what to teach your kiddo(s) at this stage, there is a series you can get called What Your _______ Grader Needs to Know. You can check out the one for 1st grade here.
· Let your child pick some fun things to do. Scavenger hunts, games, puzzles, explore museums and zoos online, and even watching child-friendly documentaries are all ways to learn but have fun at the same time.
· If you have been considering homeschooling before Covid-19, you might want to do more research on learning styles and how to homeschool.
· In case you are confused if you’re supposed to be doing school all day with your kids, no you aren’t! Older students may need more schoolwork time, but typically younger kids spend anywhere from 1-3 hours per day on their work. Now, I can’t say they won’t drag their feet and draw that time out!
The important stuff
I think it is important to remember a few things. One, like I said, we are living in weird, crisis times. Two, school is almost over (in the U.S.) and some people just want to make this time into the longest summer ever, and that is fine. Three, your situation varies from everyone else, and you can only do so much in a day. Four, I truly doubt your child will be behind when school starts back. The teachers and students are all in the same boat, and I am sure that provisions will be made in the schools to get everyone back on track.
And lastly, whether you are a long-time homeschooler or a possible homeschooler or a no-I-will-never-do-this-again homeschooler, we are all in this together. We have to be kind to each other and work to make this time the best we can for our kids. We can all use this time to learn too – learn more about our kids and their education!
About the Author
Hi, I’m Jen! I’m a homeschool mom (almost an “empty-nester!), and I love to help homeschoolers and educators of all kinds find great curriculum and learn more about educating our kids! I have 13 years of homeschooling under my belt. I teach Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor, I’m a freelance writer, and I write curriculum under History at Home on TeachersPayTeachers. When I’m not working, I’m spending time with my kids and adorable granddaughters!
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