Learning At Home and Keeping Kids Engaged

Distance Teaching And Learning

Our world has been turned upside down and parents and teachers are struggling to figure out how to incorporate distance teaching and learning. This has become the new method or reaching our students. Parents are taking on new roles as teachers at home and teachers are trying to find the right materials and methods of using them in a digital way. There are many challenges ahead, but as always, we will find a way to meet them.

Learning at home with online resources

Teachers are creating and converting material to digital formats and they are using different video platforms to provide online instruction as well.

This is a steep learning curve for some teachers. They are used to having access to paper copies and books. They work well with large groups, small groups, and one on one in the classroom, but with online groups there are unfamiliar challenges.

Ideas To Support Parents At Home

Parents are scrambling to find time for instruction, scheduling assignments, going to work or working out of the home, making meals, and finding time for themselves.They are overwhelmed and need to have some space too.

Life can get chaotic when trying to balance home life and teaching kids

Help! I need a break!

The kids should not be doing academic instruction for several hours a day. Academics are important, but they can be scaled back for now as people adjust to the new method of learning.

Children need some brain breaks, emotional breaks, and family time.

When parents and kids have had enough and need a break

This is the perfect time for real life learning

Math can be part of the meal preparation, setting up schedules, building things and creating things.

Math time with Dad

Learning to bake is a great math activity

Reading and writing can be part of the family time. If children have siblings, they can read to each other and maybe even create story boards, comics, or other things that relate to the stories read. They can use these as writing prompts or create some games with them. Maybe they could write letters or emails to friends and family and keep a journal of their days and activities as writing projects.

Reading stories to younger siblings

Try some writing activities as a followup to reading

Social Studies activities could include using Google Earth and exploring different areas of the world. It could also be following other current events. Covid-19 does not have to be the only focus of current events.

Finding places on the globe

Science experiments can be lots of fun to do at home. There are so many different ways to learn about things. Make volcanos, grow plants and learn about the life cycles, do research on animals, learn how things work, invent things, etc.

Testing out a volcano experiment

Hands on learning

Trying out an experiment with color

Learning to take care of a bicycle

The arts are also important because they help balance out all the academics. Music soothes the soul and it is a good brain exercise. Art unleashes the creativity inside.

Let's all sing and play

Drawing together

Acting and role playing activities

Teachers are working hard to find a balance of what needs to be done and what families should be expected to do.

    Have patience as we all work together to get through this.

If you are looking for some resources to use at home, I have started creating and converting some materials for online learning. Check them out in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.