Portrait of a middle aged lady helping her son to do homework
Homeschooling has shot up during the pandemic. According to data, the number of homeschooled kids tripled as a result of COVID-19. But after noticing the impact of learning from home on their kids, many parents are willing to make homeschooling a long-term solution. Currently, around 9% of children of school age are being homeschooled and benefiting from their new learning environment. Yet, there’s still a lot you can do to give your child the best academic chance.
#1. Don’t do everything yourself
Plenty of educational resources are available, so you don’t need to become a full-time teacher. Homeschooling doesn’t mean turning you into a tutor. Instead, you can rely on material designed by education professionals, such as Top Guru or online tutors. Trying to play the role of the teacher without adequate training will only make the situation stressful for both of you.
#2. Give them a learning space
In schools, classrooms are the learning space designed for students. So, when it comes to your home, you also need to create an environment that is free of distractions and comfortable to encourage better learning practices. If your child has a desk in their bedroom, it’s time to spruce up their study spot with a cozy chair and plenty of useful resources to take notes, store their lessons, and plan out their ideas.
#3. A flexible schedule makes a huge difference
The typical school schedule doesn’t leave a lot of room for flexibility. With homeschooling, you can help your child pursue their studies and their hobbies at the same time.
What do flexibility-focused schedules look like? The answer is: It varies a lot:
- A child who’s more productive in the afternoon could have PM lessons and spend the morning on recreative activities.
- You can schedule lessons around your child’s favorite TV show, even if it is in the morning.
- Young athletes or musicians can maintain their practice while still following the curriculum.
#4. More practice for those tough subjects
Is math a problem subject? Around 1 in 5 students can struggle with math for a variety of reasons. Math can feel difficult because, unlike English which a child will practice naturally day-to-day, math can be new and foreign. As a result, it can be scary, and when kids don’t understand a subject, they can feel negative about it. So, as a result, they tend to avoid it! But you can make those tough subjects more accessible by allowing more time to practice and understand. You can seek additional exercises or combine different learning materials to help your child progress.
#5. Have rewards too
Negative comments stay with you for much longer than positive ones. That’s why, when your child succeeds, it is important to make the most of the moment and create a positive memory for them. In a classroom, the teacher may choose to read an extract of the best essay aloud, or they might give good students a star/sticker as a token of appreciation. The same principle can apply to homeschooled children too. Rewards great outcomes and use bad ones as lessons for the future.
Homeschooling can be challenging for both children and their parents. However, it can be a rewarding journey that drives academic success. Homeschooled children typically have a higher chance of success as they can build a positive relationship with knowledge and the act of learning.
