Either way, you will need to allocate time for schooling for your children and for your work. They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. (n.d.). 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. Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. SheKnows.com. Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites. 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. (n.d.). Enjoy! 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. We have never parented (or helped our kids with remote learning) during a global pandemic. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/content/orgs/, K12.com. that you will be bound by? There are also many online tours of national parks, zoos, and aquariums. 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. 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. In my classroom, I start my classes off by having my students volunteer to Tell me something good. The good things could literally be anything, and they have ranged from I had a good breakfast this morning, to My football team won last night. If you want to add variety or switch things up a bit, the Bestow Team created a list of 30 gratitude games and activities for kids, accessible here: https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. There are many options for finding safe content online for kids. We also chose to provide our girls with education regarding proper behavior online, rather than feeling the need to constantly police them and their online activities. (This is the option rated as highest risk by the CDC) (CDC, 2020). 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. Some states and districts are surveying parents to find out their comfort level with the options listed above (or others, depending on the state and district). 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)? Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. 3) Identify the delivery mode you want to use for each subject and each child. While the kids play, you can plan your day(s). The state, on the other hand, wants to have as much control and oversight as possible, in many cases. 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. (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.). (Note that this is an unpopular opinion and not promoted or frequently supported in the traditional, long-term homeschooling community, though, so questions about this option in these traditional groups or distribution lists may not be met with the most positive reactions.) 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. 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. (n.d.). Why not act like the dedicated school time is just another meeting? (n.d.). Uncertainty and lack of direction and why can cause unnecessary stress and a lack of commitment. The best resource we have found for determining age-appropriateness of movies, games, applications and some websites is Common Sense Media, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sites. While you are on a conference call today, have your kids stand next to your whiteboard or sit next to you coloring or doing some additional activity, and work with them to complete a bingo card based on what is said or done on your conference call. Connections Academy. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/. For gratitude, an easy option to start your day would be to talk about three good or positive things. Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! 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. In my personal opinion, consistency in accountability, especially for online learners, is fundamental to their success, I believe, but it takes everyone involved being on the same page to maintain an appropriate level of accountability. This is a great time to have the conversation with your manager about the priorities of the work currently assigned to you, the hours they expect, or require, you to be available, and where flexibility does (and does not) exist in your schedule, workload and work-related responsibilities. The third consideration is the mode you wish to use to teach the subjects you have selected. Also, be sure that you are fully informed about what activities are offered or not offered for any who opt into remote or distance learning through the school, as this likely differs on a district by district or school by school basis. (Dont forget to include what you used to keep your fort together tape, staples, clothes pins, etc. Remember the CDC guidelines and be innovative in your organization and space planning. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, Connectiond Academy. (2020). (The first is required if choosing homeschooling and not purchasing a pre-packaged curriculum or enrolling your children in a full-time online school. 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. Write a list of the equipment you used to make your fort. (n.d.). The options are so abundant that it can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to educating their children at home. 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. Or, are you not comfortable sending your children to school at all until there is a vaccine, for example? 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. How Timeboxing Works and Why it Will Make You More Productive. 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. 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). CommonSenseMedia.org. What can your student do to promote these team functions also? 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.). So, what options are there? Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. (2020). Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you and your children. The first major hurdle for the transition was figuring out what grade they should be in. If you are teaching one child, you can skip this section. 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? 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. Minecraft Official Site. The second is what is being referred to as remote or distance learning, or, in our district, cooperative distance learning, which I think describes this option very well. (These are usually set at the state-level and enforced at the district or school-level. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. How might this impact your childs motivation to do their schoolwork? We cannot control what this pandemic has become or is about to become or the ripple effects it may cause. 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. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?. Greater Good Magazine. 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. 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. Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. 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. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list.) You can choose to homeschool your children with you being the primary teacher (as opposed to distance-learning where you are assisting your children with work assigned by their teacher). If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? How We Rate and Review. K12. The first consideration is the age levels you are teaching. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/, CRHE. ), 4) If you choose homeschooling instead of distance learning, are you fully informed of any reporting requirements, regulations, etc. 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. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. (Parents, dont be jealousyou can make forts, tooand even take your conference call from inside your fort, if you want to.). What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? If you are unsure, Common Sense Media is a great place to start. Others split them into pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-5 and grades 6+. These are legally optional. Welltrainedmind.com. 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. What is Montessori Education? 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. 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. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, Common Sense Media (n.d.). You will need to determine, based on the number and ages of children, your work schedule, and any other constraints, what subjects you want to teach and can manage to do so with minimal stress. The activities in the basket could be anything from printed mazes, cut and paste activities, manipulative for counting, coloring books, etc. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? Digital Compass. (n.d.). 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. Just take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time you have with your kids, because they really do grow up so fast, and this pandemic and chaos will eventually pass. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. You will need to research your options in your area if this is a deciding factor for you. 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). A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time. Schedules created and posted in a common location provide clarity to everyone involved and help the parents avoid questions like what are we doing today? and what subjects are we working on today? There are many free printable planners and schedules available online. Your next steps are: 1) Identify the age groups of the children you are educating and whether they need to be planned separately or if the plan and content can be the same. Its important that parents, educators and administrators clearly define what the goals are and monitor progress toward those goals. 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.