If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. The standard subjects tend to include math, language arts, science, history or social studies, art, technology, health, physical education, and music. I was in the same situation as many of you, having to figure out what to do to keep the toddler busy while working with the preschooler. Harvard Business Review. The state, on the other hand, wants to have as much control and oversight as possible, in many cases. Organizing any extra items needed (for science experiments, for example) over the weekend for the entire week will also help make your work/homeschool days flow much smoother. It is important to remain aware (and equally appreciative for any help they provide) that the schools and school districts are not required to assist homeschooling families, and that submitting an intent to withdraw (and/or an intent to homeschool) does have a direct impact on their budget, as they are funded on a per-student basis. Many other options exist, just be sure that you are accessing them through sites that you trust. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. Other paid options exist for states which do not offer state virtual schools, like K12, ConnectionsAcademy, although many others exist, as well (Connections Academy, 2020; K12, 2020). A great list of them compiled by STEAMsational is accessible here: https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/. See below for our experience transitioning our kids from homeschooling to public school and considerations/lessons-learned that you might find helpful. Think about other ways that you can work to promote trust, constructive conflict, commitment, accountability, and attention to results as part of your students learning team and pick one item to focus on at a time. It will make your planning much easier and less stressful if you acknowledge right now that you are one person and cannot be an effective fulltime teacher for 8 hours and full time worker for 8 hours, nor do you need to be. As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. It is important to be fully informed of all legal and regulatory requirements prior to making your choice, so that you are making a fully-informed choice. As part of a successful, high-performing and well-functioning team, we have to work together as a team toward common goals, just like a sports team or a project team in an organization. Many of our kids had packed schedules of school, sports, and other activities, with barely enough time to grab a sandwich in the car for supper. What can your student do to promote these team functions also? When I started homeschooling and working from home, we had one preschooler and one toddler. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, STEAMsational. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. Others split them into pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-5 and grades 6+. Making it clear that it was a big kid privilege to sit at the table with us to work on schoolwork was also helpful in motivating (relatively) quiet focus. Montana requires a notice of intent to homeschool to be submitted to the local Superintendent of Schools, but does not require any other forms or portfolio review, etc. Roblox. Small wins go a long way. Patrick Lencioni wrote a book called, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which gives a simple, straightforward way to think about what is needed for teams to function well and to thrive. The two most commonly tested subjects in standardized testing tend to be math and language arts, so when we homeschooled, we put the most emphasis on these two subjects, integrating the others as appropriate and as possible. More details about the rating systems used for the Common Sense Media ratings can be found here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings. 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, Common Sense Media. You will need to determine the best balance and schedule for your family based on the ages you are teaching, the subjects you have selected, and the modes you have chosen to use to teach those subjects. Being completely clear on goals, roles, and contributions can promote commitment and team cohesion. You can use an existing bingo card, plenty of which are posted for free online. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input. Trust that everyone is working toward a common goal, for example, is one type of trust. You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. What we sometimes forget, though, is that our kids are, as well. Educators have never taught during a global pandemic, much less taught remotely or taught some students remotely and some in person at the same time. I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)! Its important to have an honest conversation with your family and make the decision that is best for you, and to communicate that through these surveys. Our girls were homeschooled since Kindergarten, and I chose materials for each individual subject for each girl, and planned the curriculum and lesson plans myself throughout this entire time. Focusonthefamily.com. The second consideration is the subjects you wish to teach. When you get stressed or overwhelmed, just remember that surviving is all you and your family need to do right now, and the rest will all work out eventually. How School Closures Can Strengthen Your Family. The traditional homeschooling community is extreme in their desire to be unregulated and to have full freedom to educate their children however they wish, with minimal or no governmental intervention or oversight. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.roblox.com/, Wiess, S. R. (2020a). While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions. There are a few things to consider. You dont have to wait until plans for the fall are released to figure out what you are comfortable (and not comfortable) with. ), Have your parent/guardian take a picture of your fort, with the list of equipment used and post it to Twitter using the hashtag #fortchallenge and tag @HomeschoolWork. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. Homeschool Organizations. These options are completed at a time and location of your convenience and have assigned teachers for all classes, as well as providing official transcripts and grades, just like on-ground/in-person school options. Either way, you will need to allocate time for schooling for your children and for your work. You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?. Retrieved March 16, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, Common Misconceptions about Working and Homeschooling, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/, https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers, https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_school_closures_can_strengthen_your_family, https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list.) For those that had more meetings than others, I allocated the time for the meetings first, and then figured out what schoolwork I could fit in. 100 Things to Teach Your Teen While Youre Stuck at Home. (n.d.). (n.d.). 4) *BONUS* You can also take an inventory of what you have for school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue, scizzors, stapler, tape, whole punch, etc.). There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, in general, but especially with working and homeschooling. With the quick pivot to distance learning in the spring, and the large disparities with technology access and related issues, the schools and districts are still working to get some students caught up on their work from the spring. SheKnows.com. If you have decided that you are not yet comfortable physically sending your kids back to a school building, thinking through some of the following questions might be helpful in deciding between distance learning (assuming this option is available/offered through your school) and homeschooling: 1) Do you want to choose your own curriculum, make your own lesson plans, etc., or do you want to assist your children in completing teacher-assigned activities? Making sure others respect your time is actually easier than it might seem at first. Your child or children will be perfectly fine with a couple or a few hours of school-related work and other fun, educational activities while you focus on work. (n.d.). There are many options for finding safe content online for kids. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.k12.com/. Homeschool Laws By State. The pause for them is a huge change and requires adjustment, but provides an opportunity for us, as parents, to teach them how to slow down and be ok with being bored or finding their own activities. When we homeschooled, for earlier years, where I had many conference calls, and the kids were younger, we used videos for most of the elective subjects and studied each subject almost every day. Common Sense Media. The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/. If you are teaching one child, you can skip this section. (n.d.). These extreme stances come with equally strong language, which can be misleading to the new or uninformed, so it is important to make sure you fully understand the true requirements before making decisions, finalizing your plans, and submitting any notices or documentation. The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. If yours has not done so, or you would like to supplement the work provided to your kids, there are many approaches to doing so. An example of this is a new kindergartener starting homeschool in the first year of school eligibility. (n.d.). Lets face it, we are all in survival mode right now, and trying to claim anything else would be misleading. Another point to consider is that you have every right to make the time spent educating your children as high a priority as any other meeting, so schedule it. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, Common Sense Media. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. Administrators need to be able to raise concerns when they see inactivity and absences, to agree or disagree with reasons behind them, and then for everyone to be able to constructively discuss options for solutions, and even test out different solutions (and yes, sometimes fail and try something else). If you plan to homeschool long-term or permanently, focusing on this alignment might not be quite as important or impactful. 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. How We Rate and Review. If any of you are like me, you started your working and homeschooling balancing act by trying to explain to your children how important work is, and how you have to focus (and they have to be quiet) while you are on work calls. Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. Given the current closure of public schools, many publishers are providing content online for free, as well. In my previous post, I noted that some schools and some districts are providing work for their students, which is great! For states who are planning in-person school options, many are still providing distance learning as an option, and homeschooling is always an additional option. (Remember to make the award something you can make, give or do with them at home, and that they can have or do after your conference call is over.). (Parents, dont be jealousyou can make forts, tooand even take your conference call from inside your fort, if you want to.). Retrieved March 19, 2020 from https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, Bestow. If you want more information prior to pursuing this option, your best bet is likely to reach out to the school or district directly for more information about what the portfolio review might look like, what kind of support and guidance you can expect from them, etc. The most effective approach I found was to create a basket of schoolwork for the toddler and let her choose her schoolwork from the basket. These are legally optional. Awake and Mindful. Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! Thats all any of us can do, and the only way we are going to figure out what will work is for everyone to be comfortable communicating and providing constructive feedback when things are not working. Best of luck with this years educational adventures. Before you start, identify an award they will earn if you get a bingo and/or if they black out the entire card by meeting the criteria of each bingo square on the entire bingo card. 2) Identify the subjects you would like to teach each of the children. For example, one was created by E. Gilliam, and is accessible here: https://www.conferencecallbingo.net/blog with the printable version accessible directly here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0. If you are unsure, Common Sense Media is a great place to start. There are actually more options than you would think, and you are your and your childrens best advocate. (n.d.). For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. Although Im not fully convinced that this is the best approach to managing your time, the concept of Timeboxing is similar to the approach Ive recommended above. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. (This is the option rated as highest risk by the CDC) (CDC, 2020). Connections Academy. If this was or is you, trust me, you are not alone. Some of the common misconceptions include: Lets attempt to address these one by one. If your remote/distance learning/homeschooling is only planned to be temporary, keeping as close to the curriculum their classmates are learning in school will make for the smoothest transition when the time comes for them to go to school and join their classmates again. 3) All members of the team should remember that discomfort leads to growth and work on being ok with being held accountable, with hearing feedback that they dont really want to hear, and with giving honest, constructive feedback to other members of the team when things arent working well. Scholastic Learn at Home. If you want to really make it fun and engaging with everyone involved, you or the meeting organizer can make up a bingo card and send it out to everyone on the call. Stay home and stay safe. Commitment is built on a foundation of trust and constructive conflict. (n.d.). schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. The CRHE and HSLDA do a great job of keeping up with the current state regulations and how they are implemented (along with your legal rights and options as a homeschooler) (CRHE, n.d.; HSLDA, n.d.). Free Printable Homeschool Planners. (n.d.). How might this impact your childs motivation to do their schoolwork? For example, Connecticut only requires a notice of withdrawal, legally, but does recommend (only a recommendation, not a legal requirement) a notice of intent to homeschool and portfolio review. One way to focus and be able to sift through all of the options is to decide what modes you wish to use to teach each of the subjects you selected, and limit your searches to the selected mode for each subject. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2020, from, Zao-Sanders, Marc. Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? To avoid things becoming disorganized, piling up, getting dirty during meals, etc., it is best to dedicate a shelf or whole bookshelf to the schoolwork, books and all related equipment. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/content/orgs/, K12.com. As homeschoolers, they worked at their own pace in different subjects, which was great for their education and learning, but made the transition to an age-based grade-level determination a challenging one. (n.d.). It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). (n.d.). To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. One combined list of these is accessible on EarthCam.com, here: https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/. Science and art took the most preparation because we conducted experiments and made a variety of art and craft projects, so we split these days, so that they were not back-to-to back, allowing for some planning and preparation time in between. In the middle of the fall, we collectively decided that it was time for the girls to attend public school. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. Many state and local education-related publications have language that indicates that the notice of intent to homeschool and the portfolio reviews are required. We have never parented (or helped our kids with remote learning) during a global pandemic. Coronavirus Closed Schools: 27 Activities to Keep Kids Busy During School Closures. (n.d.). Digital Passport. You can make, download and print your own bingo card at sites like BingoBaker, accessible here: https://bingobaker.com/ Yet another alternative is to keep your call off speaker, but let your kids mark off the square on the bingo, and you tell them when the criteria has been met. Age-Appropriate Chores. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, Common Sense Media (n.d.). (These are usually set at the state-level and enforced at the district or school-level. It is also very important to note, especially when you are reading and researching your options, that there are two extremes to the homeschooling debate or conversation, especially in Connecticut, but it is likely evident elsewhere, as well. As you wrap up the day, after allowing your kids to play and relax for the first day, take three deep breaths and smile, knowing that you completed some planning and organizing, and that you are on your way. KEY POINT: You do not have to replicate your full workday and the full school day, so give yourself a break and get rid of that expectation right away. A visual representation of the five dysfunctions Lencioni identifies is shown below. Administrators have never run schools, districts or boards of education during a global pandemic. ), 3) Do you think you might want to send your students back to school in person either some time this year or in future years? (2020). Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/legal, HSLDA. Welltrainedmind.com. While I worked and homeschooled, I had a variety of types of jobs, all technical/knowledge-working jobs, some with more flexibility than others. The ability to have an open and honest discussion with their teacher, administrator, or even boss, is a skill that will only help them in their future. The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. (n.d.). It is also an opportunity for us to find ways for our kids to help around the house and to teach them new life skills that are no longer taught in schools. When trying to decide what is best, there are always multiple considerations. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. (2020). Just take one step at a time and focus on one goal at a time. Common Core Resources: Textbook & Publisher Resources. However, with everything clearly defined and with trust, constructive conflict and commitment, holding each other accountable for their respective parts becomes much easier, and does not need to involve finger pointing or other negative non-constructive behaviors. Almost three years later, I can tell you that it was the right choice for both of them, without a doubt. Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. Remember that you have options and that considering the short term and the long term will help smooth any future transitions for you and your children. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. (2020). Best Kids Yoga Videos on YouTube. These are all considerations when building a foundation of trust in a remote or distance learning team with all parties involved. As parents, educators, and administrators, (and our children) we are all part of a team with a common goal of ensuring that our children are safe, cared for, and that their learning is promoted and supported in all ways possible. What is Montessori Education? Everything else is a bonus. For example, if you choose to homeschool or opt for distance learning to start with in the fall, will you want to send your children back to school (this year or in the future)? Greater Good Magazine. We homeschooled in many different locations, including a multifamily house where we had a full room dedicated to homeschooling, my parents house where we had an area in the basement, our family members kitchen counters, and even an RV, when we traveled around the US. 2) Develop open lines of communication between parents, educators and administrators. The first major hurdle for the transition was figuring out what grade they should be in. Without clearly defined roles and goals, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their contributions to the team and to the teams success. Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you and your children. Its important that parents, educators and administrators clearly define what the goals are and monitor progress toward those goals. that you will be bound by? (Dont forget to include what you used to keep your fort together tape, staples, clothes pins, etc. What Ill provide below is a brief overview of some of the options for planning the work, starting with four considerations for doing so. (n.d.). https://medium.com/taskworld-blog/lencionis-5-dysfunctions-of-a-team-330d58b2cd81. The truth is that our kids (or any of us, for that matter) have never learned or gone to school (in person, hybrid or online) during a global pandemic. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, Scholastic. Find a fort posted by someone else and draw a picture of their fort and estimate how many people you think could fit in their fort. There are so many options available to teach every subject, and many are free. Some organizations group activities in the following age groups, for example, Kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. You will need to decide, based on your family values and rules about electronics and screen time, your work schedule and flexibility, ages of your children, and learning preferences and styles, what modes are best for you for each student and each subject. There are so many different aspects and layers of trust, as well. With everyone rushing around trying to figure out what they are going to do for the fall, it is important to also pause, step back, and consider how the plans you make for the fall fit into your future educational plans. (Various factors played into our decision, but one major factor for us was for the girls to have the option to participate in sports, clubs and other activities, and we were living in a location where they were districted into good schools.). Yes, movies sometimes work, but how about something possibly more fun (for you and for them)? CommonSenseMedia.org. 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. Hopefully, you have found this content helpful, and are on your way to planning a (relativelythey are our awesome kids, after all) calm, fun and enjoyable adventure educating your children at home while working. This is not true, legally. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. On a sports team, each team member (player, coach, manager) has to understand their role in the teams success to be committed to being the best in that role that they possibly can, thus maximizing their contribution to the team and the teams progress toward that goal. Always be appreciative.). AnimalCams. Game Reviews. ), 4) If you choose homeschooling instead of distance learning, are you fully informed of any reporting requirements, regulations, etc. They had to tell us the recommended ages by Common Sense Media, parents and kids and were only allowed to watch movies, play games or download/use apps that were 2 years over the lowest age recommended out of the three. How Timeboxing Works and Why it Will Make You More Productive.