“I have navigated schools through terrorist attacks and coups, but nothing prepared me for teaching my own kids at home. ”
Students have been out of school now for several weeks due to the pandemic and it is unlikely that schools in Washington will resume business as usual next fall. Therefore, now is a good time to think about some survival strategies for schooling our children at home during the pandemic.
If you find yourself struggling to achieve balance these last few months, then you are not alone. In my career, I have navigated schools through some difficult times: the deaths of students and faculty, global economic recession, terrorist attacks, attempted coups, financial insolvency, etcetera. However, nothing prepared me for this. The pandemic has upended our routines and I have had to figure out how to collaborate and lead by email, text, telephone, and video conference. Still, when I say nothing prepared me for “this”, I have to confess I really mean nothing prepared me for teaching my children at home.
This is not merely tongue-in-cheek or hyperbolic: finding the right balance of structure and support has been challenging, especially as I continue working. There are some important considerations, however, that have helped me and so I would like to share these with other parents:
Decide everything based on your child’s best interests and realize that if you have more than one child you may need to take more than one approach
If possible, then keep your child(ren) on a schedule that mirrors the normal learning schedule; you might interpret this in a granular manner (e.g., same lessons on the same days) or more loosely (e.g, student(s) engaged in learning during normal school hours)
If your children move between households, then ensure clear communication supports consistency for the children; this can be complicated if you have different expectations in the different households, however, in such a scenario focus on your own routines for your children
Review your children’s learning program and decide what will be most effective; also, consider where you might need to provide additional support or challenge to ensure your child continues to learn and progress; if the work is too easy, then find some high interest tasks for extension; if the work is too hard, then work with the teacher to discuss some high interest tasks for support); either way, be deliberate about your choices based on your child’s best interests
Avoid having your children pursue schoolwork outside of school hours; reserve the evenings and weekends for student choice learning (reading, arts, crafts, hobbies, languages, etc.) and fun, enriching family or individual activities
Learn alongside your children and use high-interest inquiry to explore ideas and generate conversations (where possible: your teenager might not be as excited as your first grader about teaming up to learn and that’s okay; don’t force it)
Allow for breaks when your child is too tired or frustrated by a task; let him or her do something relaxing, enjoyable, and invigorating (preferably not something that will be really difficult to transition away from); also, allow yourself the same breaks: this work can be exhausting
Keep a sense of perspective: this is a very difficult time for all of us but we can take advantage of having more time with our family
Have a reentry plan: this is going to feel like the longest summer break on record; when students finally go back to campus, they (and their teachers) will need to adjust; what will your children need to make the transition?
Ask for help; don’t be afraid to reach out to the teacher, principal, or to friends and family to discuss your child’s education
Do you still have concerns about how to manage your child’s education? Would you like to talk with someone who could help you formulate a plan and help provide structured support for your child? Contact Dartmoor School at (425) 885 - 6296 or admissions@dartmoorschool.org to explore your options.
