Due to Covid-19, all children were homeschooled because schools were closed. Primary schools in certain countries will (partially) open in May. Not all children will go to full school right away. For example, elementary schools have the size of the group in the classroom. About 50 percent Children go to school all the time. The other half of the time they attend homeschooling. The schools are now deciding how best to organize it, and parents will be informed about this after that.
Tip 1. Keep it reachable
Learning at home should also be fun, so that it can be sustained for the children, but especially for you as a parent. It does this by keeping you relaxed and not increasing your pressure.
fixed pace
A steady pace helps make it fun for everyone. You can divide school work throughout the day and alternate it with moments of relaxation, eating or drinking and playing outside. Don’t drive the schedule too tight. When children wander or become restless, it may be good to start doing another activity.
The relationship between parents and children, as teacher and student, can create tension.
Be aware of the changed relationship. As a parent you are not qualified as a home teacher and you have to balance this with work. If it doesn’t work at first, try to find relaxation in other activities together.
Tip 2. Alternate work and exercise
It is important that all children exercise during the day. Some children have a great need for exercise and sports. It is good to stimulate movement.
Fortunately, many sports clubs are open where you can exercise in the fresh air. This means that many children will pick up the pace in their weekly (sports) activities.
There are all kinds of fitness videos on YouTube for children and young people. In ten minutes, these videos offer a little training. Of course, running or cycling is also an option.
Tip 3. Use teaching materials from school and beyond
A large amount of digital teaching material is already available. Elementary and secondary teachers often give homework online. The work that the children have to do is ready for them. That provides support and structure.
The teachers, of course, make sure that the material matches the level of the child. If you also use teaching material from outside the school, it is important to be careful with this.
Tip 4. Talk to others about how things are going
Make sure there is space for everyone to say how things are going and ask questions. Everyone is doing the best they can and trying things out to find out what works. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. It helps to share these experiences with others. Seek advice if things are not going well.
It’s nice for children to talk after a few hours of work. For example, ask what they learned. Not to control them, but to show that you take school work seriously and that you finish it well together.
Tip 5. Organize help on time
If homeschooling or homeschooling isn’t going well, it’s important to get help. Sometimes distance education is not successful, because there are tensions at home, or because there are no resources, such as a computer or internet.
Even now that education is partly reviving, it can be difficult to organize activities during the week. Younger children may already be able to go to school and older children may not yet. Some of the children may be educated at school and some may still need home schooling. Contact the teacher or someone else at school if there are difficulties.
