As the end of the Easter break approaches, with no signs of the social distancing measures being lifted, your thoughts are probably now shifting back to home schooling.
Paper Plus is here to help with our 9 tips on making home schooling easier for everyone…
- You don’t have to do it all, every day
Being a super parent does not mean also being a super teacher. We have had no training in delivering a full day of teaching to our children and no one is expecting you to do this. Start slow, introduce one small chunk of applied learning a day, at a time that works for you and your children. Even if this is only 30 minutes a day, it will still be worthwhile.
- You don’t have to plan this alone
Getting your children involved in a flexible plan that works for all of you is vital for keeping everyone engaged and on-board. Sit down as a family, use the work suggested by your school and make a plan for the week that includes something from each area of the curriculum. Add in a couple of active or hands-on activities and you’ve got yourself a varied routine that everyone can stick to. Don’t forget to review your plan at the end of the week and make any adjustments you need.
- You can make it visual
Once you have your plan in place, a visual timetable can be helpful reminder of your expectations. Twinkl are just one of the wonderful websites offering a vast selection of learning plan templates to download for free, or try creating your own. Pin your home-schooling plan somewhere central to create a talking point and something to refer back to. We have lots of paper in stock for printing resources or creating your own.
- If baking and painting are the order of the day, that’s fine
A day of heavy learning is difficult for everyone, especially when there are lots of more exciting things that you could be doing at home. Go with the flow and allow time to get creative. We have a huge range of craft materials in stock to help you with this.
- You can use your own skills
Not so hot on maths, but a dab hand at sewing on buttons? Whatever life skills you have, your children can benefit from learning them. Use this opportunity to share something helpful and practical with your children. This could include useful tasks like bike or car maintenance, sewing and repairing clothes, (dare we say) cleaning and chores or something less hands on like household budget planning or online shopping.
- You can sit at the back of the class
Allowing children to share their understanding of a subject is a great way to cement their learning. Pull up a chair at the back of the ‘classroom’ and let them teach you what they have learnt. This is a great way to open dialogue and check that they have understood what they have been learning. If you are looking for a really immersive experience, ask us about classroom furniture to deck out your learning space.
- You are not alone
If we have gained nothing else from this pandemic, we have seen a phenomenal increase in people’s desire to help each other and have seen lots of growth in the sense of global community. Being at home can feel very isolating, but there are a host of people out there to help you. Check out the array of lessons available on YouTube or try joining a facebook home parents group to connect with others in the same scenario.
- Learning should be fun!
If it’s no fun for you, it’s likely no fun for your children. Introducing new and flexible ways of teaching a lesson will help to make it fun for everyone. Try taking your lesson outdoors, using PE equipment to support. Or turn a heavy lesson in to an artistic one. Try drawing out maths problems to solve, or creating characters for a story from clay.
- Feeling safe and happy is enough
It is very likely that at this scary time, your children are feeling anxious and afraid of what is happening, what the impact will be on them and what all of this means? Remember that listening to your child, exploring their concerns and reassuring them is just as important as their school lessons. If you’re addressing your children’s wellbeing, you are already nailing home schooling better than you think.
At Paper Plus we have over 20 years of experience of serving schools throughout the country. Our supplies have been used in thousands of classrooms by thousands of teachers and children to enhance their learning experiences. Our friendly team are here to support you, whatever your home schooling needs. You can contact us via our website www.paperplus.com email at sales@paperplusuk.com or by calling 01444 238050.
