Homeschooling & Home-Classrooms During Isolation

Homeschooling & Home Classrooms

Learning at Home During Isolation

We want to take this opportunity to give a little shout out to the parents who are now wearing the hat of ‘teacher’ as well as mum or dad. Hang in there, you are doing an amazing job!

In these unprecedented times, our regular day-to-day routine has been turned on its head. As we adjust to the ‘new normal’ for the time being, we are all finding new ways to achieve our daily goals and thinking outside of the box to do it.

Homeschooling has been on the rise for a number of years now, with more and more parents making the decision to take ownership of their children’s education. But recently, homeschooling hasn’t been a decision – it has been a requirement. For everyone that has been thrown in the deep end without much warning, just know – you are not alone!

Over the past few weeks, we have had a surge in requests for our garden offices to be installed as home classrooms – and it makes sense why. Our homes are generally our children’s sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of school, being a distinctly different space where the rules and expectations are slightly different. A dedicated home classroom is a great way to strike a balance.

Stay Happy, Safe and Healthy

The priority for learning at home right now is that our children are happy, safe and healthy. By staying at home and following the government guidelines, you have already done everything you need to do.
Remember, your health and happiness are of paramount importance too! As far as the school work and schedule go, as long as we are all doing what we can, we shouldn’t worry about it too much and let is become another source of stress. Our family’s health and wellbeing are the absolute focus – stay well and stay busy.

Create a Routine

The general recommendation from schools is to create a routine and try to stick to it (easier said than done, we know!)

Many children will struggle at first with the change in routine, and find it confusing that this is not just a long holiday from school.
Many children like to know the plan for the day, so it might be an idea to write out your plan and put it somewhere for everyone to see. Remember to schedule in regular breaks such as walks and playtime.

It is not realistic that the routine will be stuck to at all times, so don’t worry about it. Use it as a reference and adjust it as time goes on and you get into the flow of things.

Get Creative

A lot of schools are doing what they can to provide as many great ideas to help parents achieve the curriculum during isolation. A lot of the ideas are great to pick and choose from too, you aren’t expected to achieve everything.
Some of our favourite tasks set for children are:

• Go on a long walk and find as many different animals as possible. Or try some of these nature walk games…
• Create a PE lesson for your family and give them feedback. Or try the Joe Wicks one together!
• Make a collage out of recycled materials.
• Cook something new with a family member.
• Read a book with a loved one.

Set time away to be creative and think outside of the box. Now is a great time to bond with your children in a way that time doesn’t normally allow for us to do.

Use Your Own Skills and Teach Those Too!

There is no reason why you can’t teach something you are passionate about as one of your lessons. Maybe you have a hobby that would be relevant, or what you do for a living can be adapted to be a learning topic.

Painting, building, gardening, graphic design, cooking, cleaning, music, crafting, jewellery making, photography, dancing, DJing – anything!

By the time we come out of this, we should have some real individual characters and thinkers coming out and that is an amazing thing.

Remember what day of the week it is

Another helpful bit of advice is to not lose track of the week. Easier said than done right now! The weekends have started to feel like the weekdays, and it’s not just the kids who are struggling to keep up!
Try to clear everything away over the weekend to create a distinction between days on and days off.

Create a Dedicated Home Classroom Space

An easy way to create a distinction between school and home during isolation is to create a dedicated ‘classroom’ space. This could be a spare room or even a spare corner of a room for now. Much like working from a desk than working from the sofa – having the right set-up and tools around you really helps focus your mind for work.

---

Well done. You are doing a brilliant job

It is tiring and busy work to be at home and homeschooling right now, but you are doing a brilliant job. No doubt, our children will look back happily at the time when their parents were at home spending time with them and playing with them all day. We will get through it and come out stronger on the other side.